Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a very important part of any digital marketing plan. It helps your website appear in search results, attracting visitors without paying for ads. But how do you know if your SEO is working? Measuring SEO success involves tracking key metrics that indicate the effectiveness of your SEO efforts. In this article, we will explore the 10 key metrics you should know to measure your SEO success.
1. Organic Traffic
What is it?
Organic traffic is the number of visitors who come to your website from search engines without clicking on ads.
Why is it important?
If more people are visiting your site from search engines, it’s a sign that your SEO efforts are working.
How to track it:
Use Google Search Console’s Performance tab to see how your organic traffic changes over time. For a rough estimate, you can also use tools like Ahrefs.
2. Keyword Rankings
What is it?
Keyword rankings show where your website appears in search results for specific keywords.
Why is it important?
Ranking well for important keywords means more people will see and visit your site.
How to track it:
Tools like Ahrefs’ Rank Tracker can help you monitor your keyword rankings. You can set up a project and track the keywords you care about.
3. Search Visibility
What is it?
Search visibility measures the percentage of all clicks for your tracked keywords that land on your website.
Why is it important?
High search visibility often means a larger share of visitors from search engines, showing your SEO is effective.
How to track it:
Use Ahrefs’ Rank Tracker to input your main keywords and check the Visibility column in the Competitors overview tab.
4. Traffic Value
What is it?
Traffic value shows how much you’d pay for your organic traffic if you had to buy it through ads.
Why is it important?
Higher traffic value means your organic traffic is valuable and your SEO is targeting the right keywords.
How to track it:
Ahrefs’ Site Explorer can show the overall traffic value of your domain. Check the Top Pages report to see the traffic value of specific pages.
5. Organic Traffic Conversions
What is it?
Conversions are important actions like purchases, sign-ups, or subscriptions that visitors take on your website.
Why is it important?
Tracking conversions shows how well your SEO efforts are turning visitors into customers.
How to track it:
Set up conversion tracking in Google Analytics. Make sure to track the right conversions for your business, whether it’s sales, leads, or subscriptions.
6. Referring Domains
What is it?
Referring domains are websites that link to your website.
Why is it important?
More referring domains usually mean higher search rankings and more organic traffic.
How to track it:
Use Ahrefs’ Site Explorer to see a graph of your referring domains and check the Referring domains report to ensure the quality of these links.
7. Number of Indexed Pages
What is it?
This metric shows how many of your website’s pages are indexed by search engines.
Why is it important?
Pages need to be indexed to appear in search results and drive traffic. A steady increase usually means your content is being recognized.
How to track it:
Use the Coverage report in Google Search Console to see how many pages are indexed. You can also use the site search operator in Google.
8. Index Coverage Errors
What is it?
These errors show problems preventing your pages from being indexed.
Why is it important?
Fixing these errors helps ensure all your important pages are indexed and can appear in search results.
How to track it:
Google Search Console’s Coverage report lists these errors. Ahrefs’ Site Audit can also help you find and fix them before Google does.
9. Core Web Vitals
What is it?
Core Web Vitals are three metrics that measure your site’s loading speed and user experience.
Why is it important?
Google uses these metrics as ranking factors. Better scores mean a better user experience and potentially higher rankings.
How to track it:
Check the Core Web Vitals report in Google Search Console or Ahrefs’ Site Audit to see your performance and identify areas for improvement.
10. Website Health Score
What is it?
This score reflects the proportion of your website’s pages that don’t have technical SEO errors.
Why is it important?
A higher Health Score means fewer technical issues, which can improve your site’s performance and rankings.
How to track it:
Ahrefs’ Site Audit provides a Health Score and lists specific errors. Regularly checking this score helps you maintain a technically sound website.
Conclusion
Understanding and tracking these 10 key SEO metrics can help you measure the success of your SEO efforts. By focusing on organic traffic, keyword rankings, search visibility, traffic value, organic traffic conversions, referring domains, indexed pages, index coverage errors, Core Web Vitals, and your website health score, you can ensure your SEO strategies are working and continuously improve your website’s performance. Remember, SEO is a long-term game, and consistent monitoring and adjustments are key to achieving lasting success. If you’re looking to take your SEO skills to the next level, consider enrolling in an SEO course in Delhi to learn from experts and stay ahead of the curve.