SEO METRICS
At our SEO agency, we understand the importance of tracking metrics for successful search engine optimization. With the constantly evolving landscape of SEO, it’s essential to keep track of the right metrics to stay ahead of the competition.
In this article, we’ll cover the top SEO metrics to track, as well as the tools and techniques to help you measure and improve your website’s search engine performance. We’ve researched and analyzed data from the industry’s leading SEO experts and distilled it into a comprehensive guide to help you outrank the competition.
The Most Important SEO Metrics to Track
| Metric | Success Benchmark | Practical Value Score | Notes |
| ROI | 748% | 5.0 | ROI is the most direct measurement of the effectiveness of your SEO program. |
| Visitor to Lead Conversion Rate | 2.4% | 4.8 | Traffic is only useful when it converts to leads for your sales team, making conversion rate optimization an important element of successful SEO campaigns. |
| Keyword Rankings | +91% Growth YOY | 4.3 | Higher keyword rankings are the first sign of a successful SEO campaign, and indicate that your team is successfully aligning content with searcher intent. |
| Organic Traffic | +47% YOY | 3.9 | Organic traffic provides an easy to track measure of SEO effectiveness, but by itself does not indicate that your campaign is generating a return. It must be combined with other metrics such as conversion rates and insight into your sales funnel to create a full picture. |
| Clickthrough Rate | 1st Page Average: 9.8% | 3.8 | Clickthrough rate measures the percentage of searchers who click on your site in Google’s search results. It is highly position dependent, with the first three search results accounting for nearly 70% of clicks. |
| Backlinks | 150 – 300 | 3.8 | Though its importance has diminished over the years, backlinks remain a major factor in Google’s Algorithm. Attaining backlinks organically also indicates that others in your industry find your content useful. |
| Engagement Rate | Above 63% for B2B websites Above 71% for B2C websites | 3.5 | In Google Analytics 4, bounce rate was replaced with engagement rate. Low engagement is a sign of either low quality content or content that does not respond to search intent. |
| Domain Rating | 50 – 60 | 3.5 | Domain Rating is an ahrefs metric that estimates the relative strength of a website’s dofollow backlinks. (Moz users may substitute domain authority.) |
| Pages Per Session | 2.2 | 3.4 | A high average pages per session is a strong indicator of visitor engagement, as well as a clear website flow. |
Top SEO Metrics by Business Type
| Business Type | SEO Metric | Benchmark | Notes |
| Startup | Organic Traffic | 10,000 unique visitors per month | While ROI is a more valuable indicator for more established businesses, startups need to measure growing awareness of their brand as quickly as possible. Organic traffic provides a more responsive and easier to track indicator of SEO performance. |
| Backlinks | 75 – 150 | New websites have no backlinks, making the impact of every new link that much more valuable. | |
| CAC from SEO | B2B: $647 B2C: $298 | The average cost of acquiring each new customer, CAC is one of the core metrics startups should track across their entire marketing program. | |
| Midsized | ROI | 748% | ROI is the most important metric to track for midsized companies, as it shows if their SEO program brings in sufficient new business to justify its cost. |
| Visitor to Lead Conversion Rate | 2.4% | Poor conversion rates are one of the most common challenges midsized companies face when it comes to organic lead generation. | |
| Domain Rating | 50 – 60 | Midsized businesses often find themselves competing with many other websites with domain ratings in the 30-40 range. Achieving a significantly higher domain rating allows their search rankings to outstrip their competition. | |
| Enterprise | Content Impressions | B2B: 2,500 per piece (1st month) B2C: 8,000 per piece (1st month) | When it comes to SEO, Enterprises are often more concerned with content reach than measuring direct ROI. |
| Engagement Rate | B2B: Above 67% B2C: Above 75% | Paired with impressions, engagement rate allows enterprises to assess how well their content resonates with their audience. | |
| SEO Share of Voice | 16% | Enterprises command significant attention in their industry, making share of voice a uniquely valuable metric to track. |
Keyword Rankings
One of the most critical metrics to track in SEO is keyword rankings. By monitoring your website’s performance for specific keywords, you can identify areas for improvement and adjust your strategy accordingly. Tools like Google Search Console and Ahrefs make it easy to track keyword rankings and identify opportunities for growth.
Backlinks
Another important metric to track is backlinks. Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your site, indicating to search engines that your content is authoritative and valuable. The number and quality of backlinks are crucial for improving search rankings. Tools like Ahrefs and Majestic are useful for analyzing backlinks and identifying opportunities for link building.
Organic Traffic
Organic traffic is the number of visitors to your site from search engines like Google. By tracking organic traffic, you can identify trends and adjust your strategy accordingly. Google Analytics is a powerful tool for tracking organic traffic, providing valuable insights into your website’s search performance.
Click-Through Rates (CTR)
CTR is the percentage of users who click on your website’s search results. By optimizing your website’s meta titles and descriptions, you can improve CTR and drive more organic traffic to your site. Tools like Google Search Console can provide insights into your website’s CTR, allowing you to make informed decisions about optimization.
Page Speed
Page speed is a critical factor in SEO, as faster websites tend to rank higher in search results. By optimizing your website’s page speed, you can improve user experience and search performance. Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix can help you identify areas for improvement and optimize your website for faster load times.
Conclusion
By tracking these top SEO metrics, you can gain valuable insights into your website’s search performance and make informed decisions about optimization. While there are many factors that influence search rankings, focusing on these metrics can help you outrank the competition and achieve long-term success. Contact us at our SEO agency.
