Page 2 Keywords: How to Find and Fix Them in Search Console

Page 2 keywords are the searches where your site already earns impressions in Google but sits just outside the first page. In this guide, Talha Aslan and team show how we find these queries in Search Console, match each one to the right URL and move it up with small, focused changes. You will also get a prioritization table and a monthly workflow.

The logic is simple. A new page has to get indexed, then earn trust over time. A page that already ranks on page two has covered most of that road. What it usually lacks is a sharper title, a clearer answer or a few internal links.

Many SEOs call these striking distance keywords. The name fits, because a short push can bring them onto page one. In addition, the click gap between the bottom of page one and the top of page two is large, since most users never click to the next page. Still, treat this as a better chance, not a ranking guarantee.

If Search Console is new to you, start with our guide on what Google Search Console is and how to use it. This article builds on that foundation with one narrow, hands-on workflow.

How does Search Console calculate average position?

To build the right filter, you first need to read the metric correctly. According to Search Console Help, the position value is the topmost position your site's link held in a search. For example, if your site shows at positions 3 and 7 for one search, the report records 3 for that impression.

Then the report averages those values. In the example on Google's page about impressions, position and clicks, one query has a top position of 2 and another has 3, so the average comes out at 2.5. Also, a position only counts when your link earns an impression.

That last point matters. If a user never opens page two, your result there records no position for that search. In other words, average position reflects only impressions people actually saw. Therefore, impression counts for page 2 keywords understate the real search demand.

• Clicks: The times a user clicked through to your site from Google Search results.
• Impressions: The times a link to your site appeared, or could have appeared, in results.
• CTR: Clicks divided by impressions.
• Average position: The average rank of your topmost result.

Does an average position of 11 always mean page two?

No, not always. A results page holds more than ten blue links. Image packs, video boxes, question boxes and carousels each take up a position too. So a result at position 11 can sit below the fold on page one or near the top of page two.

Google itself notes in its help content that average position can mislead. It suggests that tracking change over time is more useful than the absolute number. That said, use the 8 to 20 range as a wide net, not a hard line.

The average also blends days, devices and countries into one number. For instance, if a query ranks 6 on mobile and 16 on desktop, the report may show something close to 11. In that case, the issue may be a device gap rather than the page itself. We cover this case in our article on why mobile and desktop rankings differ.

In short, the first filter gives you a list of candidates. The real decision comes when you check each candidate's live results page with your own eyes.

Which date range should you use to find page 2 keywords?

The default date range in the Performance report can be short. For this exercise, we usually pick the last three months. That way, single-day swings do not distort the average, and very old data stays out of the list.

However, a different range works better in some cases:

• Seasonal topics: Cover the period when demand peaks. Otherwise, impressions look too low.
• Recently updated pages: Review the period after the update on its own, because older position data hides the new state.
• New sites: With little data, six months or longer gives you a bigger sample.
• Fast-moving queries: The last four weeks show the current picture better.

Also keep in mind that the newest data may not be final yet. The help page labels it as preliminary and draws it as a dotted line on the chart. For that reason, do not base a decision on the last few days.

Finally, make sure the search type is set to Web. Image and video results behave differently, and their position data tells a different story.

Which filters should you use in the Performance report?

The report lets you filter by query, page, country, device and search appearance through the "+ Add filter" button. According to Google's page on advanced filtering and comparison, query and page filters also offer a Custom (regex) option that uses RE2 syntax.

For page 2 keywords, we apply filters in this order:

1. Set the search type to Web and the date range to the last three months.
2. Exclude queries that contain your brand name with the "Doesn't match regex" option.
3. Add a country filter if you target a single market.
4. Review devices separately when needed.
5. Turn on all four metrics in the chart so the table shows those columns.

The regex filter does a partial match by default and ignores letter case. For example, you can list several spellings of your brand, separate them with a vertical bar and wrap them in parentheses. One filter then removes them all, and only non-branded, competitive searches stay in the list.

On the other hand, grouping queries that contain words like "how", "what" or "price" into separate filters helps too. This way, you can review informational and commercial queries in separate lists.

How do you filter queries with an average position between 8 and 20?

You can sort the table by average position in the interface. However, the cleanest way to set a range is in exported data. So we export the table to Google Sheets or a CSV file with the export option at the top right.

Next, follow these steps in the sheet:

1. Add a filter on the position column that keeps values from 8 to 20.
2. Sort the impressions column from high to low.
3. Drop rows with very low impressions using a floor that fits the size of your site.
4. Add two empty columns called "intent" and "target page".

Why start at 8? Because results at positions 8 to 10 sit at the very bottom of page one. They often earn almost as few clicks as page 2 keywords do. Position 20, meanwhile, marks the end of page two. Queries beyond this range usually need a bigger content project, not a light touch.

Example scenario: imagine the export for a site called example.com leaves about thirty queries ranking between 9 and 18 with clear impressions. That is your working list. You set the rest aside for this round.

Can the interface row limit hide page 2 keywords?

Yes, on larger sites it can. The Performance report interface and its export stop at a fixed number of rows. High-impression queries fill the top of the list, so part of the long tail on page two may never appear.

There are a few ways around this limit. For example, you can filter the report page by page or folder by folder and export each slice. In addition, the Search Console API and the Looker Studio connector return far more rows. We explain these methods step by step in how to get past the Search Console 1,000 row limit, so we will not repeat them here.

Anonymized queries also play a part. To protect privacy, Google leaves some very rare queries out of the table. As a result, the sum of table rows may not match the chart total. This is not a bug; it is known behavior of the report.

In practice, the interface list is enough for most small and mid-sized sites. Still, if your site has hundreds of articles, plan a folder-based export from the start.

How do you match each query to the right page?

A query's position alone does not tell you enough. You also need to know which of your pages shows up for it. The common tasks page in Search Console Help describes the method: click a query on the Queries tab, which filters the report to that query, then open the Pages tab.

This step gives you one of two outcomes. In the first, you see a single page, and the job is easy. In the second, two or three pages appear for the same query. That second case is often the problem itself.

Record the match in your sheet like this:

• Query: The search itself.
• Ranking page: The URL with the most impressions for it.
• Intended page: The URL you want to rank for this query.
• Match: "Yes" if both are the same, "no" if they differ.

Rows marked "no" need extra attention. Perhaps Google favors the wrong page. Perhaps your intended page does not answer the query well enough. To make this query to page plan permanent, see our method for keyword mapping.

What should you do when two pages rank for the same query?

Two pages trading places for one search is a common reason both stay stuck on page two. Google cannot decide which page answers better, and the signals split between them. This is known as keyword cannibalization.

That said, not every pair is a problem. For example, a category page and a guide can serve different intents for the same query and live side by side. The problem starts when two pages give the same answer to the same question.

Weigh these three options:

1. Merge: If the content is almost identical, move the weaker page into the stronger one and add a permanent redirect.
2. Separate: If each page should serve a different intent, sharpen its title and focus.
3. Signal: Add a descriptive internal link from the weaker page to the stronger one.

We explain these choices in detail in what keyword cannibalization is and how to fix it. One reminder here: before you merge, always check the clicks and backlinks each page earns.

Which page 2 keywords should you work on first?

Once your list is ready, you cannot give every row the same effort. So we use a simple prioritization table. It weighs impressions, position, intent and the effort each fix needs.

The thresholds for "high" and "medium" impressions differ for every site. Therefore, set them from the spread of your own list. For instance, you might treat the top third of the list as "high". The groups in the table are a starting frame based on field experience, not a guarantee.

Group F deserves a special note. A title change made before you fix a page mismatch is often wasted. First decide on the right page, then improve it.

Does search intent match your page?

For each query on the priority list, open the live results and look at page one. If page one is full of guides while your page is a service page, the problem is intent, not the title. Google already shows what users expect through the type of results it ranks.

Ask these questions during the check:

• Are the page one results guides, lists, products or service pages?
• Is there a question box or a featured snippet?
• Which subtopics do competing pages cover, and which ones do you skip?
• Does your page type fit this expectation?

For example, if page one for "how to measure website speed" is full of step-by-step guides, moving a service page into that spot is hard. In that case, the right move is to write a related guide and link to the service page from it.

Also, personalization and location can change what you see. So run the check in a private window and do not treat one result as absolute truth. We cover intent in more depth in what search intent is and how to identify it.

Which small title and description changes help most?

If intent matches, the first change is usually the title. When the main phrase of the query is missing from the title, or sits at the very end, moving it forward makes the topic clearer. Google's title links documentation also recommends unique, descriptive and concise titles.

However, do not stuff the title with keywords alone. Add a promise that makes readers think, "this is exactly what I need." For example, "What Drives the Price? A Line by Line Guide" can earn more clicks than a flat "Pricing Guide".

The meta description does not affect rankings directly, but it shapes the click decision. So hint at the answer in a few words and say what your page offers that others do not. You can find lengths and patterns in our guide on how to write a meta title and description.

Before you publish, check how the title will look in results with our Google SERP preview tool. That way, you catch cut-off or garbled titles early. Finally, do not change the title again and again in short intervals; give each change time to show its effect.

Which content additions move a page closer to page one?

If the title alone is not enough, look at the content. The goal here is not a full rewrite but adding the missing piece. Page 2 keywords often point to a subquestion the page touches on but never fully answers.

These are the additions we make most often:

• A direct answer paragraph: Turn the query into a question subheading and write a short, clear answer below it.
• A missing subheading: Add the subtopic that page one results cover and you skip.
• A comparison table: A simple table that sets the options side by side.
• Fresh examples: Fix outdated screen names, steps and facts.
• An FAQ block: Collect close questions from the query report and answer them briefly.

Here is one more tip. Look at the other queries for the same page that rank between 8 and 20. If several close queries point to one page, answering them together in one section is usually the most efficient move.

On the other hand, big rewrites carry risk. Keep the current structure so the page does not lose the queries it already ranks well for. We discuss this risk in I updated my content and rankings dropped.

How do internal links support page 2 keywords?

Internal links tell Google how important a page is on your site and what it covers. For page 2 keywords, they are often the cheapest and safest support. Moreover, they require no content changes.

In practice, follow this order. First, find the pages with the most impressions and clicks on the Pages tab. Then pick the ones that relate to the topic in a natural way. After that, link from those pages to the target page with anchor text that describes the query.

Anchor text matters. Instead of "click here", choose words that say what the page is about. Still, do not repeat the same exact match phrase in every link. Natural variety reads better for people and for search engines.

Also check how many clicks the target page sits from the menu, category pages or related articles. Lifting a deep page one or two clicks higher can make a difference on its own. For a complete plan, use our guide to an internal linking strategy for SEO.

How do you measure the impact of each change in Search Console?

Log every change with a date. If you do not know which page you changed, on which day and how, you cannot read the result. A simple change log is enough for this job.

To measure, use date comparison in the Performance report. According to the advanced filtering page, when you compare two periods, the table adds a "Difference" column. Weekly or monthly views also smooth out day-of-week swings.

We follow these rules:

1. Give Google time to recrawl the page after the change.
2. Compare two periods of equal length.
3. Look at impressions and clicks first, then at position.
4. Avoid several big changes on the same page at the same time.
5. For seasonal topics, also check the same period last year.

Google's common tasks page also suggests focusing on trends in impressions and clicks rather than position alone. So if position improved from 12 to 9 but clicks did not move, revisit the title and description. We collected CTR techniques in how to improve organic CTR.

Example scenario: a guide page on example.com

All numbers in this section are an example calculation and do not belong to a real client. Imagine that on a site called example.com, the query "home office desk dimensions" averaged position 13 over the last three months with clear impressions.

First, we click the query and open the Pages tab. Two pages show up: a product category and a guide. When we open the live results, page one is full of size guides. In other words, the target page is the guide.

Next, we review the guide. The title lacks the word "dimensions", and the article covers sizes in just one paragraph. Therefore, we plan three changes:

1. We add "dimensions" to the title.
2. We add a question subheading with a table of standard sizes below it.
3. We add a descriptive link from the category page to the guide, and one back.

Then we log the date and wait a few weeks. If position, impressions and clicks improve together in the comparison, we apply the same approach to similar queries. If nothing improves, we go back to the intent check. In short, every scenario is a test, and you read the result in the data.

Which queries should stay off your opportunity list?

Not every page two query is a real opportunity. Some relate to your site only on the surface. Spending effort on them takes time away from the real chances.

When we clean the list, we set aside these queries:

• Off-topic queries: Searches that match a word on your page but will never turn into business.
• Competitor brand queries: Searches that contain another brand's name and look for its official site.
• Wrong language queries: Searches in languages outside your target market.
• One-off spikes: Searches that jump for a short time and then vanish.

Also set aside queries whose intent conflicts with what you offer. For instance, if you sell a paid service, searches that start with "free" may bring traffic but rarely turn into business. In short, filter the list by business value, not by impression size. That way, every remaining row is worth the effort.

What mistakes should you avoid with page 2 keywords?

This work looks simple, but a few mistakes repeat in the field. These are the ones we see most often in client projects:

• Reading average position from a single day of data.
• Leaving branded queries in the list and mistaking easy wins for real chances.
• Skipping page matching and improving the wrong page.
• Creating a new page for every query, which makes cannibalization worse.
• Changing the title often and leaving no time to measure.
• Forcing the keyword into the text.

The last item matters most. Google aims to surface content written for people that truly helps them. So instead of adding the query ten more times, answer the question behind it better.

Also, do not base decisions on popular beliefs, such as the idea that clicks lift rankings directly. We examine that debate, along with Google's statements, in does CTR affect rankings.

How often should you repeat this workflow?

Page 2 keywords are not a fixed list. While you move some queries to page one, new ones arrive on page two. That is why you should plan this work as a cycle.

For most sites, we suggest a short monthly check and a full review every three months. In the monthly check, you look only at group A queries. In the quarterly review, you pull the list from scratch, refresh the table and close finished tasks.

A sample monthly flow looks like this:

1. Week one: export the list and set priorities.
2. In week two, fix page matching issues.
3. Week three: publish title, content and internal link changes.
4. By week four, measure last month's changes and log the results.

Small teams can run this flow too. What counts is consistency. Regular small steps tend to bring steadier results than one big push.

When should you hand this work to an SEO consultant?

If the list is short and the site is small, you can run this work yourself. However, with hundreds of queries, many pages and frequent cannibalization, the job grows fast. At that point, you need one plan that ties together priorities, measurement and content decisions.

As part of our SEO consulting, Talha Aslan and team pull the page 2 keywords for your site, handle page matching and track every change over time. We report each step with a change log. As a result, you can see together with us what each move brought.

Let us be honest: no team can guarantee a specific ranking. Google's results shift with competitors, changing intent and algorithm updates. Our commitment is to work with the right data, set clear priorities and report results openly.

If you want to tackle the page 2 keywords on your site together, you can request a quote from our SEO consulting page. Share your current situation and goals, and we will prepare a scope of work that fits.

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