How To Track Your SEO Success

by Silvia Pencak

Once you have established an online presence and are reaping some rewards from your SEO campaign, then you want to track your SEO success.  Success can be measured by a rise in online visibility, as well as an increase in traffic to your website.  SEO tracking should also include an examination of other indications of success, such as the number of relevant hits from qualified prospects, as well as the rate of conversion.

Why SEO tracking is important

SEO tracking involves monitoring your site position on search engines.  It should also involve a look at the rankings of your competitors.   If you don’t measure your success, then you will not be able to determine if the intended objectives are being met, and if strategic changes are required.  In order to determine the success of its SEO campaign, a company may use both financial and non-financial metrics as performance indicators.

Depending on the type of business, some of these performance indicators may include:

› Website ROI

No doubt you have invested a lot of time and money in your website, and expect to have a return on investment, ROI.  An analysis of your website ROI is a component part of SEO tracking.  This is a function of how much you spent on website setup and relevant consultations, in comparison to the returns, which can be measured by the conversion rate.  If there has been an increase in traffic to the site, alongside an increase in sales, then that monetary value can be determined, and the gains calculated in order to establish your ROI.

› Rate of Conversion

Another indicator of SEO success relates to the rate of conversion. If you have a high rate of conversion, then that means that you are getting targeted traffic to your website. Conversion rates may not always be monetary, they may relate to the number of leads generated, or the amount of software downloaded. Again, it will depend on the type of business.

› Improved Website Ranking

If your website has experienced improved visibility on search engines since the start of your SEO campaign, then that is an indicator of SEO success.  When undertaking SEO tracking, it is therefore important to note the movement of the website on the search engine ranking. If the SEO campaign has resulted in your website moving up to the top of the rankings, then that is a clear sign of success.  The closer you are to the top of the search engine listings, the more likely it is that you are hitting your target audience.

› Repeat Visits

If a customer returns to your website time and time again, then that is a signal that your internet marketing campaign is being effective.  It is also a sign that the design content of your website is consistent and relevant.

When measuring SEO success, it is important to be aware of the outcomes you had identified at the outset.  There are analytical tools like Google Analytics that can allow you to do more effective SEO tracking, and measure results.

Silvia Pencak is the Online Business Strategist helping small to medium size businesses create, grow and leverage their online presence, expand their potential and increase the profits. Her programs and services are designed to strategically move your business forward, helping you to build a magnetic business online. If you’re new to SEO, you will enjoy her SEO Crash Course taking you step by step through the process of building a search engine friendly website that gets noticed.