Ensure SEO Success with Robust Monitoring and Reporting
One of the biggest pitfalls in SEO is neglecting to monitor performance consistently and effectively. Many companies believe they have a clear picture of their SEO success, only to uncover surprising gaps when we dive deeper into analytics. Reliable insights into organic search performance must be backed by data, not assumptions.
Here are some of the key performance indicators (KPIs) we monitor to keep your SEO on track:
Rankings
Rankings reveal your visibility potential. If a webpage isn’t appearing prominently on search engines, organic traffic simply won’t follow. While rankings have historically been a focal point for SEO, they’ve become more nuanced with factors like localization and personalization in search results. However, tracking rankings remains valuable when done correctly, using tools that maintain consistency in location or IP address. For instance, if a page jumps from position #17 to #3, it’s a clear indicator of success. If rankings drop, it’s a red flag that something needs immediate attention.
Impressions and Clicks
Google Search Console provides invaluable page-level data directly from Google’s ecosystem. This includes impressions (the number of times a page appears in search results) and clicks (the number of times users click through to your webpage). By monitoring these metrics, we can identify which pages capture attention and how effectively they drive traffic to your site.
Traffic
Traffic is arguably the most meaningful metric for organic search, showing how well we’re converting visibility into real visits. Monthly visits, sessions, and user counts from Google Analytics give insight into growth trends. Beyond raw numbers, we also look at organic search’s contribution compared to other channels like paid search, social, and display. A growing organic search contribution, even when other channels face challenges, is a rewarding indicator of SEO success.
Revenue
Ultimately, revenue is the bottom line. When rankings, traffic, and organic revenue are all up, it’s a clear success. But if rankings and traffic are high and revenue lags, it may indicate issues with content or user experience. In such cases, Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) can help align content with the needs of your visitors and drive conversions.
Setting up impressions, clicks, and conversions is straightforward, but accurately attributing revenue can be complex. Tools like Google Analytics offer an estimated average revenue per conversion, yet the most precise approach is a direct integration between web analytics and business software that feeds exact revenue data back into analytics. With this connection, the power of web analytics is fully realized.
Our goal is to establish a process that reports total revenue by channel and measures essential KPIs, such as cost and revenue per visit, cost and revenue per conversion, and average revenue per team member. This level of detail gives leadership a clear view of the SEO department’s ROI.
In every client partnership, Monitoring and Reporting is a priority. We provide a transparent view of wins and areas for improvement, recognizing that honest insights are the foundation for sustainable growth. If you’re uncertain about your SEO program’s current performance or have questions about your reporting, reach out, and let’s take a closer look under the hood.