Want to know if your SEO efforts are paying off?
(We all do, don’t we?)
Measuring SEO goes beyond just tracking rankings.
It’s about really looking at everything with a fine eye.
And figuring out if your SEO efforts are heading in the right direction.
I’ve been doing it for 10 years for my own websites and now for my SEO clients as well.
Here’s the 8 step process I follow:
My Ultimate Guide on How to Measure Your SEO
1. Organic Traffic Analysis
- Use Google Analytics reports.
- Monitor trends over time.
- Should be going up, up, up.
2. Keyword Rankings
- Check current positions in SERPs.
- Use tools like Ahrefs and Google Search Console.
- Track your highest intent, BOFU keywords.
3. Backlink Profile
- Analyze using Ahrefs or SEMrush.
- Note new and lost backlinks.
- Prioritize backlinks with DR > 40.
4. Page Load Time
- Test with Google PageSpeed Insights.
- Implement suggestions for improvement.
- The faster, the better.
5. Bounce Rate and User Engagement
- Review Google Analytics data.
- Look for pages to optimize.
- Improve the first scroll of the page.
6. Conversion Rate from Organic Traffic
- Track via Google Tag Manager.
- Compare against other traffic sources.
- Is traffic turning into leads & revenue?
7. Content Performance
- Identify top-performing pages in Ahrefs or Google Search Console.
- Note content gaps and opportunities.
- Make a content upgrade & creation plan.
8. Mobile Usability
- Use Google Mobile-Friendly Test for compliance.
- Monitor mobile session durations.
- Optimize mobile across ALL pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the most important metrics for measuring SEO performance?
Key metrics include organic traffic, keyword rankings, backlink profile, page load time, and bounce rate. These give a comprehensive view of your SEO’s effectiveness and areas for improvement.
2. How often should I measure my SEO metrics?
Measure your SEO metrics monthly to spot trends and make timely adjustments. Weekly check-ins for specific data points like traffic and rankings can also be helpful.
3. Why is mobile usability important in measuring SEO?
Mobile usability ensures your content performs well for users on smartphones and tablets. Poor mobile experience can lead to higher bounce rates, reducing your overall SEO performance.
4. How can I improve my page load time?
Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify speed issues. Implement fixes such as image optimization, browser caching, and minimizing code to enhance loading speed.
5. What does a high bounce rate indicate for SEO?
A high bounce rate suggests visitors leave your site without interacting further. This may mean your content isn’t engaging or that the page doesn’t meet their expectations.
Thoughts
It’s important to run an SEO analysis like this 1x every quarter.
You can do it monthly if you have the time, but every 3 months is key.
With your findings, you can make adjustments to your SEO strategy.
You can decide that you should invest more into backlink building for 90 days.
Or you’ll say that you need to make some technical changes to elevate your content.
There’s an endless amount of improvements that you can make to your SEO.
Don’t think you’ve got it all figured out and stop thinking about it.
That’s when things will start to go down hill.
Action Items
- Review your organic traffic monthly for upward trends.
- Audit your keyword rankings and refine your focus.
- Use PageSpeed Insights to enhance page load speed.
- Check bounce rates and adjust content layout for better engagement.
- Prioritize mobile optimization across all site pages.
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I also have a weekly newsletter called The Savvy SEO where I share all of my SEO and digital marketing insights.
Hope to see you there!
Cheers,
Connor
Whenever you’re ready, here’s 3 ways I can help you:
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