The Tool Desk
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What a non-branded keyword means
A non-branded query does not include the brand name of the site being analyzed. The boundary can take judgment: Google’s branded classification may include misspellings and products or services closely associated with a brand, and its AI-assisted classification can occasionally be wrong. “Non-branded” is therefore relative to the site or brand in question, not a universal label for a query.
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Choose the query before you search. Record its exact spelling and, if relevant, whether you are testing a particular wording, such as a question or a product category. Changing the query between captures means you are no longer comparing the same search.
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- Set the search context. Decide the country or local area, device type, date and time, and search type, such as web. Google results can vary by time, place, device, and recent search history, so keep these conditions consistent when comparing captures.
- Run the exact query. Search it in the intended context. Record the query as entered; do not rely on memory or a filename alone.
- Frame the evidence. Capture enough of the results page to identify the query and the competitor’s result. Where visible, include the result title and URL or domain, along with relevant surrounding features such as ads or other result types. There is no single screenshot format prescribed by Google for this purpose; the goal is a legible, identifiable record.
- Save context with the image. Store the query, location, device, search type, and capture date and time in a report entry or sidecar note. Use a consistent filename, for example
2026-10-03_1430_Chicago_desktop_nonbrand-query.png, replacing the sample values with the real capture details. - Repeat under the same conditions. For a comparison over time, use the same query and search context and note any unavoidable differences. Search history and personalization can still affect what appears, so matching the recorded settings improves comparability without making results identical for every searcher.
What to include in a capture log
- Exact query and the site or brand for which it is considered non-branded
- Country, city or local area, if applicable
- Device type and search type
- Capture date and time, including timezone
- Screenshot filename and any visible result features that matter to the comparison
How to track non-branded keywords in Search Console
Search Console’s Search results Performance report provides data about the property you own or manage. For eligible sites, use its branded or non-branded query filter to segment your own property’s search performance; it is not a tool for retrieving a competitor’s exact live position.
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- Open the Search results Performance report for the relevant Search Console property.
- Choose the branded or non-branded query filter if it is available, then inspect the queries and the report’s clicks, impressions, click-through rate (CTR), and average-position metrics.
- Use the selected date range and other report groupings when reviewing changes, and interpret the figures as property-level performance data rather than a record of one individual results page.
The filter may not be available for sub-properties, such as a directory property, or for sites with low impression volume. Google says the filter provides data starting from its introduction on March 11, 2025, and its Search Central announcement, dated November 20, 2025 and updated March 11, 2026, says it became available to all eligible sites on March 11, 2026.
Why average position is not a screenshot rank
Search Console’s average position is an aggregated metric: it reflects the average topmost position for results from your property across the selected grouping and period. It is not the exact position a competitor occupied in a particular screenshot, nor a fixed rank that every searcher will see. Google recommends paying more attention to trends in clicks and impressions than to position alone.
Use a screenshot to document a specific observed page and Search Console to examine performance trends for your own property. They answer different questions and should not be treated as interchangeable evidence.
Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo can capture a URL through its screenshot API. For a query-specific Google results page, encode the search URL as the url parameter. For example, this cURL request asks for a screenshot of results for the sample query “project management software”:
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curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url="https://www.google.com/search?q=project%20management%20software" -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options. A screenshot API can automate capture, but it does not turn one screenshot into a universal ranking record; keep the query and search context with each capture.
- Cookie and consent banners are accepted before capture, and 60+ known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets can be removed; each step can be turned off.
- Bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed. Responses include
X-Page-VerdictandX-Billedheaders. - An MCP server provides
take_screenshot,get_page_info, andcapture_pdftools for AI agents and MCP clients. - The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 screenshots.
Try ScreenshotNeo free to get 1,000 screenshots a month with no card.
Quick Recap
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Common mistakes to avoid
- Calling a screenshot “the ranking.” Describe it as an observed result in a specified search context and at a particular time.
- Comparing unlike searches. A different location, device, query, or search time can change the results. Record those details instead of treating captures as directly equivalent.
- Using Search Console to claim a competitor’s position. Its performance report concerns the selected property; average position is aggregated and is not a competitor’s exact live rank.
- Treating the non-branded label as infallible. Brand misspellings and brand-specific products or services can affect classification, and Google says its classification can occasionally be mistaken.
- Saving an image without its context. Without the query and capture conditions, a later viewer may not be able to interpret or compare it reliably.
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