# How to Check Whether Your SEO Keyword Report Tells the Whole Story

> A keyword report is only useful if the keywords are ones customers actually search, the rankings are measured where you work, and the report connects to calls and booked jobs. Ask for those three things and compare them to your own Google Search Console data. Digital Marketing Coach Chris Heidlebaugh teaches owners to read these reports with confidence.

Source: https://digitalmarketingcoach.com/learn/hub/check-seo-keyword-reports
Author: Chris Heidlebaugh, Digital Marketing Coach
Updated: 2026-11-01

Who this is for: Owners who get monthly SEO reports and want to know whether the numbers reflect real business.

## Quick checks
- Whether the keywords match services you sell
- Where rankings are measured (your city or somewhere else)
- Whether the report shows calls and booked jobs

## Check the keywords
- Look for keywords a customer would type, like a service plus your city.
- Ranking #1 for a phrase nobody searches doesn't bring calls.
- Ask how many people search each keyword each month.

## Check where rankings are measured
- Google Maps results change from neighborhood to neighborhood.
- Ask what location the rankings are checked from.
- Look up a few keywords yourself from your service area.

## Connect to real business
- Ask for Google Search Console access so you can see clicks yourself.
- Ask for calls and form leads from organic search and Google Maps.
- Good partners are happy to walk you through the report.

## Questions to ask about your SEO report
| Report item | Ask | Clear answer looks like |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Keyword list | Do people search these? | Search volume shown for each service keyword |
| Rankings | Measured from where? | Locations inside your service area |
| Results | What did it bring in? | Calls, forms and booked jobs from search |

## FAQ
### Why do I rank #1 in the report but not when I search?
Rankings change by location, device and search history. Ask where the report checks from, and look at Google Search Console for what real searchers saw.

### What should an SEO report include for a contractor?
Service keywords with search volume, rankings checked inside your service area, and the calls, forms and booked jobs that came from search and Google Maps.