Main Street or Back Alley? What Your SEO Visibility Score Really Says

You might have a great website—but if it’s not being seen, it’s not working. Discover the overlooked metric that shows whether Google is helping or hiding you.

You’ve probably heard people talk about “search rankings” or “being on page one of Google.” And sure, those are good things. But there’s another number that tells a much deeper story—one most business owners and nonprofit leaders don’t even know exists:

SEO visibility.

This one stat gives you a bird’s-eye view of how well your site is performing in search results—not just on its own, but compared to the competition. And it might just explain why your phone isn’t ringing as much as it should be.

Imagine Your Website on Main Street

Let’s make this simple.

Think of your website like a store on Main Street. SEO visibility is how many people walk by, see your sign, and stop to look inside. A beautiful storefront doesn’t help much if you’re buried behind a dumpster in an alley.

Google is the street. And SEO visibility tells you how often you’re showing up in the spots people actually see when they search for the kind of stuff you offer.

A visibility score of 51%, for example, means you're showing up in good positions about half the time across your key search terms.

Now… is that good?

Let’s find out.

What Does a “Good” SEO Visibility Score Look Like?

It depends on your market, your competition, and the keywords you're tracking—but here's a simple scale to work from:

• 0–20%: You’re basically a secret. If Google were a party, you weren’t even invited.

• 20–50%: You’ve started to show up. Maybe you’re in the back row, waving your hand.

• 50–75%: People are finding you. You’re in the mix. Standing near the buffet.

• 75%+: You’re a headliner. Prime spot on the street. Crowd’s outside waiting for you to open.

But here’s the thing: visibility is relative. It’s not just about your number—it’s about how that number compares to the other folks trying to reach your audience.

Two Real-World Examples from the Field

Let’s bring this to life.

One of my clients runs a youth basketball nonprofit in the Kansas City metro. Their current SEO visibility is sitting at 51%. That means they show up in strong positions for about half of their tracked search terms.

Now, is that good?

Yes. Absolutely.
Because when we look at their five closest web competitors—other youth sports organizations in the region—the next best visibility score is 15%. The rest are even lower. That’s not just competitive. That’s a fast break dunk with no defender in sight.

Another client is a national organization specializing in workplace disability inclusion training. Their site (which is old and we’re slowly updating) is at 48% visibility. Their closest online competitor? 34%.

In both cases, the takeaway is the same: you don’t have to be perfect—you just have to outrank the competition.

And once you know where you stand, you can decide what to fix, what to double down on, and where to gain more ground.

Meet Your Real Competitors (Spoiler: It’s Not Who You Think)

Most of the time, when I ask clients who their competition is, they rattle off a few local names or organizations down the road. But your web competitors are a whole different beast.

If a site is showing up when people search for “youth basketball training in KC” or “ADA compliance workshops,” and you’re not—they’re your competition. Whether you’ve heard of them or not.

I had one client tell me, “Oh, we’re not worried about them. They don’t offer the same things we do.”

That might be true in the real world. But online? They’re a wall between you and your potential customers and clients.

Visibility = Opportunity

Here’s where this all comes together.

You could have the best team, the most meaningful mission, or the most creative product—but if people aren’t seeing you when they search, none of that matters.

SEO visibility helps answer the question: “Are we showing up when our audience is looking?”

If not, then we’re just hoping people wander in by accident.

Want to See Your Main Street Spot?

At C2 Creative Solutions, we help small businesses and nonprofits take the guesswork out of SEO. One of the first things we’ll do is run a visibility report and show you exactly how your site stacks up against the real competitors—the ones stealing attention while you weren’t looking.

No jargon. No hype. Just a clear picture of what’s working and what’s not.

Because in business, and in life: You can’t reach people if they don’t see you.