rank-tracker Checked

**Stop and ask the user when:**

• No target keywords are provided and none can be inferred from CLAUDE.md or prior monitoring records — offer: (1) supply a keyword list, (2) track the domain's top known terms, (3) cancel.

**Continue silently (never stop for):**

• No prior baseline exists — record the current run as the baseline, label all positions as the first snapshot, and proceed (do not invent a "previous" position).
• Missing optional tool data (SERP features, AI citations) — mark N/A and proceed.

Instructions

When a user requests rank tracking or analysis:

1. **Set Up Keyword Tracking** — configure domain, market/locale, device, language, engine, update frequency, priorities, competitor watchlist, and stable page refs. Apply the SEO/GEO Evidence and Cycle Control Profile (../performance-monitor/references/evidence-and-cycle-control.md).

2. **Record Current Rankings** — output a position table where every row cites its source (tool export / user-provided / estimated), with position ranges, ranking URLs, feature ownership, and movement vs baseline.

3. **Analyze Ranking Changes** — highlight biggest wins, declines, stable terms, new rankings, lost rankings, likely causes, and recovery ideas; each delta labeled against its baseline.

4. **Track SERP Features** — compare ownership of snippets, PAA, image/video packs, local packs, and related feature shifts.

5. **Track GEO / AI Visibility** — monitor AI Overview presence, citation rate, citation position, and trend; mark each value Measured (from an ~~AI monitor) or N/A if unobserved.

6. **Compare Against Competitors** — report share of voice, head-to-head comparisons, and threat levels.

7. **Generate Ranking Report** — output overall trend, key wins, concerns, opportunities, SERP feature changes, GEO visibility, and recommendations, with each metric carrying its source tag.

Label every metric **Measured**, **User-provided**, **Calculated**, **Estimated**, **Proxy**, or **Unknown**; never present an estimate or proxy as measured. An applicable missing metric is Unknown with its reason. A stale or locale/language/device/engine-mismatched position is NEEDS_REFRESH, not a current ranking; N/A is only for a genuinely non-applicable field.

> **Reference**: See Ranking Analysis Templates (references/ranking-analysis-templates.md) for the complete output templates for all seven steps.

Example

A ranking report names the biggest winners, biggest drops, and next actions, with each position carrying its source tag and labeled delta against baseline.

Rank Change Quick Reference

### Response Protocol

| Change | Timeframe | Action |

|--------|-----------|--------|

| Drop 1-3 positions | Wait 1-2 weeks | Monitor — may be normal fluctuation |

| Drop 3-5 positions | Investigate within 1 week | Check technical issues and competitor changes |

| Drop 5-10 positions | Investigate immediately | Run a full diagnostic: technical, content, links |

| Drop off page 1 | Emergency response | Comprehensive audit + recovery plan |

| Position gained | Document and learn | Identify what worked and replicate |

> **Reference**: See Tracking Setup Guide (references/tracking-setup-guide.md) for tracking setup, root-cause taxonomy, CTR benchmarks, SERP feature impact, and algorithm-update assessment.

### Save Results

Ask "Save these results?" If yes, write to memory/monitoring/ — see Skill Contract (../../../references/skill-contract.md) §Save Results Template.

Reference Materials

• SEO/GEO Evidence and Cycle Control Profile (../performance-monitor/references/evidence-and-cycle-control.md) — exact search observations, freshness, page bindings, and cycle rules
• Tracking Setup Guide (references/tracking-setup-guide.md) — Setup rules, feature tracking, and interpretation guidance

Next Best Skill

Initial setup (no baseline) → performance-monitor (../performance-monitor/SKILL.md). Subsequent runs (baseline exists) → Terminal. Visited-set rule applies per skill-contract.md (../../../references/skill-contract.md).