Top 10 Metrics to Pay Attention to in Every SEO Campaign
Let’s face it: SEO can sometimes feel like cracking open a mysterious safe. You tinker and tweak, test and re-strategise until your ears bleed and your eyeballs roll like a slot machine. But here’s the thing, you don’t need to be a master safe-cracker to win the SEO game: All you need is the right intel, and that’s where metrics can come in handy.
Now, think of metrics as your decoder ring, your secret weapon that unlocks the secrets to finding your site. By tracking the right measures, you can transform from a bumbling rookie into a data-driven SEO superstar. In this SEO Premier Blog, we’ll be diving into the top 10 most important metrics you need to be monitoring in order to drive a successful SEO campaign:
Metric #1: Organic Traffic
Imagine a bustling marketplace. That's what organic traffic is – a swarm of potential customers who found your website through search engines, completely unprompted. This metric tells you how many people are actually showing up at your digital doorstep. It's the foundation of your SEO success, and a steady increase is a sign you're cracking Google's code.
Bear in mind that organic traffic is the lifeblood of most SEO strategies. It shows you whether or not your efforts are translating into actual visitors, which is kind of the whole point, right?
Metric #2: Click-Through Rate (CTR)
If organic traffic tells you how many people arrived at the marketplace, CTR on the other hand tells you how many stopped by your booth and picked up a brochure (or, you know, clicked on your website). It's the percentage of people who saw your listing in the search results and decided, "Hey, that seems interesting!"
A high CTR suggests your title tags and meta deions are compelling enough to entice people to click. If your CTR is low, it might be time to refine your website's curb appeal in the search results.
Metric #3: Core Web Vitals
Imagine Core Web Vitals as your website's pit crew. These metrics – Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) – measure how fast your website loads and how smooth the user experience is. Google loves a speedy website, and so do your visitors. Nobody wants to wait around for a website that takes ages to load, no?
Not only do Core Web Vitals impact user experience, but they're also a significant ranking factor for Google: A slow website with a clunky layout is less likely to climb the search engine result ladder.
Metric #4: User Engagement
Organic traffic and CTR are great, but what happens once people land on your website? Here's where user engagement metrics come in. These include things like bounce rate (the percentage of people who leave after just one page), pages per session (how many pages people visit), and average session duration (how long they stick around).
User engagement metrics tell you if your website is captivating or confusing. A high bounce rate or low session duration might indicate visitors aren't finding what they need or the site is difficult to navigate.
Metric #5: Conversions
Conversions are the Holy Grail of every SEO campaign, your “when-the-rubber-meets-the-road” moment. It is when a web visitor decides to take the desired action, whether it’s signing up for a newsletter, downloading content, or making a purchase.
Conversions matter because it’s the culmination of your efforts - when website traffic brings actual results to your business. Accurately tracking conversions can help you understand which SEO strategies drive the most valuable actions on your site.
Metric #6: Referring Domains
Backlinks are a major SEO ranking factor. A strong backlink profile shows Google that your website is a valuable resource, which can give you a significant boost in search results.
Think of those domains as a bunch of influencers raving about your website. That's kind of what backlinks are – links from other websites pointing back to yours. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the more Google trusts and values your site. Referring domains tell you how many websites are linking back to you.
Metric #7: Indexed Pages
The number of indexed pages tells you how much of your website is actually visible to search engines. If your most important pages aren’t indexed, you’re greatly missing out on potential traffic. Remember that not all the pages on your website are created equal. Indexed pages are the ones that Google has actually discovered and added to its search database. If a page isn't indexed, it won't show up in search results, no matter how amazing it is.
Metric #8: Keyword Rankings
Ah, keywords. We hate to repeat this ad nauseam: these are the search terms people type into Google to find what they're looking for. Keyword rankings tell you where your website lands in the search results for specific keywords. The higher you rank, the more likely people are to find you.
Keyword rankings are a great way to see how your SEO efforts are translating into actual search visibility. But remember, they're not the only metric that matters. Focus on ranking for relevant keywords with good search volume, not just the most competitive ones.
Metric #9: Mobile-Friendliness
Let's face it, most people these days are searching the web from their smartphones. Mobile friendliness is a measure of how well your website adapts to different screen sizes and devices. A website that looks clunky or is difficult to navigate on a phone is a surefire way to scare visitors away.
Google prioritises mobile-friendly websites in search results. If your website isn't mobile-friendly, you're missing out on a huge chunk of potential traffic.
Metric #10: Local SEO Metrics
If your business has a physical location, then local SEO is your best friend. Local SEO metrics like local map rankings and reviews on Google My Business tell you how visible your business is in local search results. Physically, local SEO helps potential customers find your brick-and-mortar store or service your business provides in a specific area. Strong local SEO can drive targeted traffic and convert online searches into real-world customers.
Tracking Everything Over Time
Like what we always say, SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s foolish to expect results overnight. The key message is to track your metrics consistently over time. This practice will help you identify trends, see what’s working, and adjust your strategy as you gain new insights. Remember, with the right intel and a dash of strategic thinking, you can crack the SEO code and turn your website into a traffic magnet. Now get out there and start tracking those metrics!
