2025 is all about model constructing. At Ahrefs, we’ve already been doing that for over a decade, however there’s by no means been a greater time for us to ramp issues up.
After writing an article on 11 methods to measure model consciousness, I figured now’s additionally the right time for us to get a clearer image of the place we stand immediately, so we’ve got one thing strong to measure in opposition to when these model wins come rolling in 😉
I wanted a dependable option to monitor Ahrefs’ model efficiency—often and over time.
Fortunately for me, we have already got a Looker Studio Template hooked as much as all our principal instruments by way of the API, which made it straightforward to create a stay, auto-updating dashboard of the important thing natural model metrics I cared about.
Beneath, I present you precisely easy methods to replicate this in your personal model.
I created a high-level view of how “seen” the Ahrefs model is in natural search.
I began off by taking part in round with present knowledge in Ahrefs’ pre-made Looker Studio templates.
This gave me an concept of easy methods to configure the information, till I finally discovered my favourite model evaluation datapoints.
Right here’s a fast snapshot of the information I analyzed:
- Branded site visitors over time and Share of Voice (SoV) for branded key phrases
- High pages and the way they’re contributing to branded site visitors
- Branded key phrase efficiency (quantity, CPC, rating)
- The placement and high quality of branded backlinks
- New/misplaced branded backlinks
- Branded SERP characteristic possession
Listed here are 7 steps to measuring your personal natural model efficiency in Looker Studio.
The simplest option to create your personal LS dashboard is to adapt certainly one of our three templates.
Website Explorer is finest for protecting tabs on complete natural site visitors, paid site visitors, natural key phrases, and backlinks.
Rank Tracker is helpful for overview stats and project-level evaluation. It helps you monitor SoV in opposition to opponents, SERP Function possession, and positions throughout a particular set of key phrases.
Website Audit is helpful if you wish to go deep into the technical website positioning facet of issues. It provides you indexability insights, on-page content material points, and core net vitals standing updates.
I largely needed to observe broad model metrics, so I began off with the Website Explorer template, after which fed in Rank Tracker knowledge to home-in on a few of our most essential key phrases.
To adapt a template, simply click on on the three dots on the suitable and click on “Make a copy”.
Then below “New knowledge supply” click on “Create knowledge supply”…
…and seek for your chosen Ahrefs knowledge connector.
Select your mission, and depart all different fields clean—you possibly can alter them afterward within the precise report. 
The exception to this rule is for those who’re including “Rank Tracker” as a knowledge supply. On this case, you’ll want to pick a “Gadget kind” earlier than you possibly can “Join”.
On the following display, hit “Add to report”.
At this level, you possibly can add different knowledge connectors like Rank Tracker or Website Audit, so that you’ve extra dimensions, metrics, and parameters to play with.
Click on “Add knowledge”, seek for Ahrefs once more, then choose your connector, and repeat the configuration above.
If you wish to isolate model efficiency, you want to have the ability to filter your entire knowledge.
However not all Ahrefs fields and charts might be segmented on this manner (e.g. Natural site visitors charts, High pages historical past charts).
Tip
For that motive, each datapoint I included in my dashboard was chosen as a result of it may be filtered.
On every web page, I segmented our total efficiency, utilizing regex and comprises filters, utilizing “enter packing containers” to restrict evaluation to our model identify and any variants/misspellings.
Tip
To use these filters, be sure you have “Allowed” our pre-configured parameters. You may’t filter sure charts or knowledge with out these parameters. I’ve made this error a few occasions! To examine, head to “Knowledge Sources” on the suitable, and click on the pencil icon.
Then scroll all the way down to “Parameters”. If any are greyed out, click on on the three dots and choose “Present”
For instance, I used the “Key phrase comprises” parameter to filter our Rank Tracker knowledge by model key phrase.
Each dimension, metric, area, and visualization I added to the dashboard was very a lot trial and error.
I like to recommend taking part in round with the information in the identical manner, till you construct what it is advisable to see.
Utilizing the Rank Tracker knowledge supply, you possibly can monitor a bucket of your most dear key phrases.
Monitor an Ahrefs mission that’s a mix of brand name and non-brand phrases, then use “Tags” or filters to focus simply on model phrases.
Or, arrange a brand new mission monitoring solely your model key phrases.
When you’re model phrases, choose the “scorecard with compact numbers” view, to see high-level metrics on the prime of your report.
Whenever you’re configuring these “scorecard” numbers, be sure you use our opponents historical past fields.
This fashion you possibly can rapidly spot-check your model positions, SERP options, share of voice, and site visitors, and monitor any development or decline with “sparkline” visuals.
Lastly, arrange an “Is your web site filter” to observe solely your website, and sift out any opponents you monitor in your mission.
Now that you simply’ve tracked your self-selected model key phrases, monitor those driving site visitors to your prime pages.
You may plug into our “High pages” knowledge by way of the Website Explorer template.
Simply as you probably did for Rank Tracker, add scorecard stats and deltas on the prime of the report to grasp your total, month-over-month efficiency.
Deal with these metrics as a place to begin, then see what’s driving model efficiency on the web page degree.
To take action, arrange desk knowledge beneath utilizing a collection of dimensions decided by “High web page” fields.
You’ve tracked a customized set of brand name key phrases, your prime web page model key phrases—now assess all of your model key phrases.
Pull in knowledge from the Natural Key phrases report. This allows you to see all the key phrases your model is exhibiting up for (not simply those you manually monitor)—nice for recognizing breakout phrases.
Arrange quick-glance stats of site visitors, CPCs, positions, and search quantity knowledge, utilizing “Natural key phrases” fields as your metrics.
Then create a pie chart to visualise your SERP Function possession.
1. Add “Key phrase URL characteristic” because the dimension
2. Add “Key phrase” because the metric
3. Add “Key phrase” as the type characteristic (by descending)
4. Add a filter “Key phrase URL take away blanks” (Exclude → Key phrase URL characteristic → Is Null)
Then construct a easy desk of key phrase efficiency knowledge, together with metrics like quantity, key phrase problem (KD), positions, site visitors, and site visitors development, so you possibly can see the information behind efficiency peaks and troughs.
The way in which third events reference your model issues greater than ever, if you wish to stand out in AI and search.
Monitor how third-party websites are referencing your model utilizing Website Explorer’s Backlinks report.
Begin with big-picture metrics:
- Whole model hyperlinks
- New vs. misplaced branded hyperlinks
- Web acquire over time (New model hyperlinks – Misplaced model hyperlinks)
Then visualize the standard of those hyperlinks. Arrange pie charts of your branded hyperlinks damaged down by area score (DR).
Tip
Observe down your proportion of DR > 60+ branded backlinks every month—this can be a good option to assess the expansion of high-authority hyperlinks.
You may also monitor your in-content hyperlinks so that you’re not specializing in non-relevant html or picture hyperlinks.
And monitor hyperlink languages, to deduce what number of model references are coming out of your goal areas.
Then, examine efficiency on a link-by-link foundation, by including in table-detail beneath, together with:
- Model referring domains
- Model anchors
- Particular person model backlinks
Lastly, kind these tables by site visitors to get a fast concept of the place your most organically seen model hyperlinks are coming from.
As soon as your dashboard’s up and operating, there are just a few sensible methods to start out placing the information to use.
A very good first step is to report in your model efficiency during the last yr and use these stats as your benchmark metrics.
From there, monitor efficiency every month—evaluating in opposition to your benchmarks and noting any development or decline. If something fascinating jumps out, share it together with your crew.
Past that, listed below are 5 extra methods you should utilize this knowledge:
1. Benchmark model efficiency
Examine your model site visitors, hyperlinks, and SERP visibility in opposition to complete efficiency, to see how a lot of your natural success comes from branded exercise.
Simply use these “key phrase comprises” and “regex” filters to trace model efficiency, then depart them clean to gauge complete efficiency.
For instance, we discovered that our branded hyperlink acquire in Q1 this yr was 160% larger than our complete hyperlink acquire.
This perception tells us that the Ahrefs model has attracted greater than double the quantity of hyperlinks this yr, in comparison with our total common.
2. Monitor model tendencies over time
Monitor how your model presence evolves month-to-month.
For instance, from our LS dashboard, I seen that our model key phrase site visitors has grown by 28% this quarter.
In the event you revisit knowledge often, you possibly can search for patterns and correlations, like whether or not an increase in excessive authority hyperlinks correlates with site visitors spikes.
This knowledge could be a case for extra model funding—or a warning when metrics dip.
Tip
Feed a PDF of your month-to-month Looker Studio stories to ChatGPT and ask for assist figuring out any tendencies or correlations.
3. Monitor model positioning shifts
In the event you’re repositioning your model (at Ahrefs, as an illustration, we’re transferring in the direction of turning into a “market intelligence” software), watch how key phrase and content material efficiency adjustments.
Monitoring development key phrases can present you in case your model messaging is headed in the suitable course—or if there’s a mismatch between the way you wish to be seen and the way your viewers truly sees you.
Your “High pages” and “Branded backlinks & anchors” stories can provide you a greater concept of how strongly customers join your model with sure matters.
4. Measure marketing campaign affect
Use the dashboard to see if model campaigns, PR, or partnerships are transferring the needle.
After we revamped the Ahrefs Academy final month, we are able to see associated Academy pages have been a few of our prime site visitors drivers this month.
5. Check model content material optimizations
In the event you’re experimenting with together with your model identify extra often alongside related phrases, concepts, and options—like in titles, meta descriptions, or on-page copy—you should utilize the dashboard to see whether or not it’s enhancing your branded key phrase efficiency.
Wrapping up
We’re residing in a brand-first period. Model is more and more a prime funnel and backside funnel play—it drives each discovery and conversions.
With out model consciousness, you can be invisible in search, LLMs, and purchaser discussions.
You may’t optimize what you don’t measure. With AI reshaping the panorama, it’s essential to observe your model presence now.
Have a go at creating your personal model consciousness report with Ahrefs Looker Studio template, and let me know the way you get on.
