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 proper time for us to get a clearer image of the place we stand in the present day, so we now have one thing stable to measure in opposition to when these model wins come rolling in 😉
I wanted a dependable solution to monitor Ahrefs’ model efficiency—usually and over time.
Fortunately for me, we have already got a Looker Studio Template hooked as much as all our important 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.
Under, I present you precisely tips on how 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 current knowledge in Ahrefs’ pre-made Looker Studio templates.
This gave me an concept of tips on how to configure the info, till I finally discovered my favourite model evaluation datapoints.
Right here’s a fast snapshot of the info I analyzed:
- Branded visitors over time and Share of Voice (SoV) for branded key phrases
- High pages and the way they’re contributing to branded visitors
- Branded key phrase efficiency (quantity, CPC, rating)
- The situation and high quality of branded backlinks
- New/misplaced branded backlinks
- Branded SERP characteristic possession
Listed below are 7 steps to measuring your personal natural model efficiency in Looker Studio.
The simplest solution to create your personal LS dashboard is to adapt one in all our three templates.
Site Explorer is finest for maintaining tabs on whole natural visitors, paid 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 rivals, SERP Function possession, and positions throughout a particular set of key phrases.
Site Audit is helpful if you wish to go deep into the technical website positioning aspect of issues. It provides you indexability insights, on-page content material points, and core internet 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 vital 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 challenge, and go away all different fields clean—you may modify them afterward within the precise report. 
The exception to this rule is in the event you’re including “Rank Tracker” as a knowledge supply. On this case, you’ll want to pick out a “System sort” earlier than you may “Join”.
On the subsequent display, hit “Add to report”.
At this level, you may 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 approach (e.g. Natural visitors charts, High pages historical past charts).
Tip
For that purpose, each datapoint I included in my dashboard was chosen as a result of it may be filtered.
On every web page, I segmented our general efficiency, utilizing regex and incorporates filters, utilizing “enter containers” to restrict evaluation to our model title 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 test, head to “Information Sources” on the suitable, and click on the pencil icon.
Then scroll right down to “Parameters”. If any are greyed out, click on on the three dots and choose “Present”
For instance, I used the “Key phrase incorporates” 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 info in the identical approach, till you construct what you have to see.
Utilizing the Rank Tracker knowledge supply, you may monitor a bucket of your Most worthy key phrases.
Monitor an Ahrefs challenge 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 challenge monitoring solely your model key phrases.
When you’re taking a look at model phrases, choose the “scorecard with compact numbers” view, to see high-level metrics on the high of your report.
If you’re configuring these “scorecard” numbers, be sure you use our competitors history fields.
This way you can quickly spot-check your brand positions, SERP features, share of voice, and traffic, and monitor any growth or decline with “sparkline” visuals.
Finally, set up an “Is your website filter” to monitor only your site, and sift out any competitors you track in your project.
Now that you just’ve tracked your self-selected model key phrases, monitor those driving visitors to your high 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 high of the report to grasp your general, month-over-month efficiency.
Deal with these metrics as a place to begin, then see what’s driving model efficiency on the web page stage.
To take action, arrange desk knowledge under utilizing a sequence of dimensions decided by “Top page” fields.
You’ve tracked a customized set of brand name key phrases, your high 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 displaying up for (not simply those you manually monitor)—nice for recognizing breakout phrases.
Arrange quick-glance stats of visitors, CPCs, positions, and search quantity knowledge, utilizing “Organic keywords” fields as your metrics.
Then create a pie chart to visualize your SERP Feature ownership.
1. Add “Keyword URL feature” as the dimension
2. Add “Keyword” as the metric
3. Add “Keyword” as the sort feature (by descending)
4. Add a filter “Keyword URL remove blanks” (Exclude → Keyword URL feature → Is Null)
Then build a simple table of keyword performance data, including metrics like volume, keyword difficulty (KD), positions, traffic, and traffic growth, so you can see the data behind performance 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 achieve 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 ranking (DR).
Tip
Be aware down your share of DR > 60+ branded backlinks every month—this can be a good solution to assess the expansion of high-authority hyperlinks.
You can even 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, test efficiency on a link-by-link foundation, by including in table-detail under, together with:
- Model referring domains
- Model anchors
- Particular person model backlinks
Lastly, kind these tables by 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 info to use.
A great 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 progress or decline. If something attention-grabbing jumps out, share it along with your group.
Past that, listed below are 5 extra methods you should utilize this knowledge:
1. Benchmark model efficiency
Evaluate your model visitors, hyperlinks, and SERP visibility in opposition to whole efficiency, to see how a lot of your natural success comes from branded exercise.
Simply use these “key phrase incorporates” and “regex” filters to trace model efficiency, then go away them clean to gauge whole efficiency.
For instance, we discovered that our branded hyperlink achieve in Q1 this yr was 160% greater than our whole hyperlink achieve.
This perception tells us that the Ahrefs model has attracted greater than double the quantity of hyperlinks this yr, in comparison with our general common.
2. Monitor model traits over time
Monitor how your model presence evolves month-to-month.
For instance, from our LS dashboard, I seen that our model key phrase visitors has grown by 28% this quarter.
In the event you revisit knowledge usually, you may search for patterns and correlations, like whether or not an increase in excessive authority hyperlinks correlates with visitors spikes.
This knowledge is usually a case for extra model funding—or a warning when metrics dip.
Tip
Feed a PDF of your month-to-month Looker Studio studies to ChatGPT and ask for assist figuring out any traits or correlations.
3. Monitor model positioning shifts
In the event you’re repositioning your model (at Ahrefs, as an example, we’re transferring in direction of turning into a “market intelligence” device), watch how key phrase and content material efficiency adjustments.
Monitoring progress key phrases can present you in case your model messaging is headed in the suitable route—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” studies can provide you a greater concept of how strongly customers join your model with sure matters.
4. Measure marketing campaign influence
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 high visitors drivers this month.
5. Take a look at model content material optimizations
In the event you’re experimenting with together with your model title extra continuously 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 bettering your branded key phrase efficiency.
Wrapping up
We’re residing in a brand-first period. Model is more and more a high 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 understand how you get on.
