Top 20 rankings means a keyword positions in spots 11 through 20 or, more broadly, anywhere on the first two pages of Google. For buyers of rank tracking software, this metric matters because it shows terms that are close enough to page one to justify active optimisation, but not yet delivering the click volume of top 10 positions. If you manage SEO for a business, agency, publisher, or ecommerce site, top 20 visibility is often the clearest list of near-term growth opportunities.
What top 20 rankings actually tell you
A keyword sitting at position 14 is not performing like a keyword at position 4, but it is usually much easier to improve than a term stuck at position 47. That is the commercial value of tracking top 20 rankings separately. These terms often already have some relevance, indexing strength, and link support. In practical reporting, they help teams prioritise pages that can move with a tighter internal linking pass, refreshed copy, stronger title tags, or a better match to search intent.
Best for: SEO teams that need a shortlist of keywords with realistic upside inside the next quarter, not speculative targets that may take a year to move.
Why SEO teams watch this range closely
Top 20 rankings sit in the decision zone. Positions 11 to 20 usually generate limited traffic, but they can convert into meaningful gains if pushed onto page one. A keyword moving from 18 to 9 may increase impressions, clicks, and revenue without requiring a full site rebuild. For agencies, this range is also useful in client communication because it proves momentum before a term reaches the top 10. For in-house marketers, it helps separate quick-win keywords from long-shot ambitions.
Rank tracking platforms often let you filter keywords by ranking band, device, location, and landing page. That matters because a term at position 12 on mobile in London may need a different fix than the same term at position 19 on desktop nationally. The more precise the segmentation, the easier it is to assign work to content, technical SEO, or digital PR.
How to use top 20 rankings in practice
Prioritise pages with existing traction
Start with keywords ranking between 11 and 20 that already land on commercially important pages: service pages, category pages, high-value guides, or affiliate pages with proven conversion rates. Improving a keyword on a page that already earns leads or sales usually produces better ROI than chasing informational terms with weak commercial intent.
Look for intent mismatch before adding more content
If a page ranks at 13 and stalls there, the issue is often not authority alone. Check whether the search results favour product pages, comparison articles, local landing pages, or video-led content. A mismatch between your page type and the current SERP can keep a keyword trapped in the top 20 band.
Practical example
An ecommerce retailer ranks 16th for “women’s trail running shoes” with a category page that already converts at 2.8%. Instead of creating a new page, the team expands the category copy with fit and terrain guidance, adds internal links from buying guides, improves product filters, and rewrites the title to match the query more closely. If that page reaches positions 8 to 10, the traffic gain is usually more valuable than moving a low-intent blog post from 42 to 28.