The essential SEO metrics for success
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) can sometimes seem complicated. There are many techniques, tools and terms that you need to understand. But one thing remains central: measuring is knowing. Without data, you don't know whether your improvements are working or whether you are actually going backwards. In this article, we explain in a simple way which SEO metrics are the most important. We use clear language and show you how you can use these figures to improve your website.
1. Organic Traffic
Organic traffic is the number of visitors that come to your site via search engines. This traffic is free and often of high quality. It indicates how many people find your site without you paying for advertisements. You can find these figures in Google Analytics. Look at the total number of sessions from organic traffic and follow the trend over time.
Why is it important? High organic traffic means your content is being found and relevant. An upward trend shows that your SEO strategy is working.
2. Bounce rate
Bounce rate is the percentage of visitors who leave your site after viewing just one page. A high bounce rate can mean that visitors are not finding what they are looking for.
You can also find this metric in Google Analytics. A healthy bounce rate is often between 26% and 70%, depending on your industry.
Low bounces mean that people are viewing multiple pages. This is good for SEO because it shows that your site is user-friendly and relevant.
3. Average Session Duration
Average session duration shows how long a visitor stays on your site on average. The longer, the more engaged visitors are.
You're looking at Google Analytics again. Combine these numbers with bounce rate to understand if people are actually reading what you're writing.
4. Conversion Rate
Conversion rate is the percentage of visitors who take a desired action, such as making a purchase, subscribing to a newsletter, or filling out a contact form.
Set up goals in Google Analytics or use a tool like SEMrush to measure conversions. A high conversion rate means that your content and your website are working well for your business.
5. Click-through rate (CTR)
CTR (Click-through rate) is the percentage of times someone clicks on your search engine result, divided by the number of impressions.
You can find CTR in Google Search Console. A low CTR could mean that your title or meta description doesn't invite a click.
6. Search results position
The average position of your keywords in search results. You can also find this in Google Search Console.
With tools like Ahrefs or Ubersuggest you can track your keywords rankings in even more detail.
7. Number of Pages per Session
This metric shows how many pages a visitor views on average during a session. It is a good indicator of the depth of the visit.
More pages per session means that your internal links and content structure are working well. People are finding more information on your site.
8. New vs. Returning Visitors
In Google Analytics you can see what percentage of your traffic is new and what percentage are returning visitors.
A healthy mix of new and returning visitors means you’re both attracting new leads and keeping existing visitors happy.
9. Backlink Profile
Backlinks are links from other sites to your website. They’re important for authority and SEO ranking.
Use Ahrefs or Moz to view your backlink profile. Pay attention to both the number and quality of links.
10. Page Speed
Fast-loading pages provide a better user experience and higher SEO scores. Use Google PageSpeed Insights or Lighthouse to measure your speed.
Pay attention to both desktop and mobile load times. A long load time can turn visitors off and negatively impact your rankings.
How to use these metrics effectively?
- Set clear goals: Determine what you want to achieve, such as more organic traffic or a higher conversion rate.
- Create a dashboard: Use Google Data Studio or Excel to see your most important metrics in one place.
- Analyze trends: Look at month-over-month or year-over-year changes to spot seasonality and growth.
- Test and improve: Run A/B tests on titles, meta descriptions, or page layouts and measure the impact.
- Repeat regularly: SEO isn’t a one-time job. Keep measuring and improving to stay ahead.
Keeping a close eye on these SEO metrics will give you a clear picture of how your website is performing. Start measuring and optimizing today, and see your growth in search engines!
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Most websites can easily be taken to a higher level by first getting the most basic SEO in order. My free SEO Checker checks for you whether your website meets these basic requirements, or whether there is still room for improvement.
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Enter the URL of your website and see where you can improve your website. Please note: A 100% score only means that you have the basic SEO for the page in question in order. For more tips, I would like to invite you to read all my articles.
