SEO metrics are an essential tool when it comes to measuring the effectiveness of your digital marketing strategy and the data will allow you to make changes based on the results.
Being able to analyze the effectiveness of the link building services you are using and tracking what are almost 200 ranking factors in Google’s algorithm is an important task. Some of the SEO metrics you are measuring are more critical than others.
Here are some of the ones that you should prioritize.
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Keep your focus on backlinks
It pays to remember that backlinks remain one of the most critical Google ranking factors. With that in mind, your focus should also be on new referring domains.
Whilst it is always relevant to track your overall backlink position and referring domains, it is important to remember that you need to see an incremental increase in the volume of new referring domains if you want to achieve good organic traffic growth.
Look at your on-page optimization scores
Another key metric to stay on top of are on-page optimization scores. On-page optimization describes the process of maximizing the contents of each page, both from a user and search engine perspective.
Using a site audit, you will be able to analyze a page by looking at aspects such as keyword density, internal and external linking, and meta description. This analysis will provide a score that illustrates how well the page is optimized for SEO.
Track impressions
Firstly, you need to be mindful that impressions are not the same as clicks. Some tend to view impressions as more of a vanity project as they don’t play a part in driving revenue or traffic.
However, it is well worth looking at impressions because they provide a reliable early indication of how your SEO campaign is performing. Basically, as rankings improve you will discover that impressions copy that upward trajectory.
Monitor your click-through-rate (CTR)
CTR is a useful tool that measures the ratio of views to clicks. There is a discernible correlation between CTR and your ranking position.
That is why you should always focus on ways to improve your CTR. Using tactics such as matching your page title to search intent, and creating meta descriptions that are enticing, are just two examples of how to improve your CTR.
Don’t ignore the obvious – keyword rankings
The relevance of keyword rankings to SEO rankings is blindingly obvious, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t remain a key focus of your attention.
Analyzing keyword rankings helps you to see what progress you are making with your SEO strategy. They also provide you with a reliable indication of what your current organic market share is and what sort of opportunities are being presented for future exploitation.
Any sudden drop in your keyword rankings, other than the usual fluctuations that tend to occur frequently, should be investigated.
These are some of the most important SEO metrics that need to be consistently monitored if you are going to achieve long-term success with your digital marketing strategy.
