How to Track SEO: Key Metrics & Tools to Use
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Welcome to the latest edition of the Insider!
There's no getting around it: AI is reshaping SEO as we know it, and staying ahead means understanding how Google's AI Overviews impact your search strategy.
This month, we're breaking it down in our latest webinar, which explains what AI Overviews are and what they mean for your business.
We're also sharing our top tips for effective SEO tracking, highlighting the key metrics you should be tracking as well as the tools you can use to do so.
Tune in: Google AI Overviews: Everything Your Business Needs to Know
Our latest webinar is now available to watch on YouTube.
The webinar is part of our ongoing SEO Masterclass series, so if you like what you see, be sure to register for the next two online sessions.
Registration is completely free; just sign up via the link below.
Dig in: How to track SEO performance
Why is tracking SEO important?
SEO is an ongoing, time-consuming process. Its primary goal is increasing organic traffic to your website, which ultimately, should lead to an increase in conversions.
Tracking SEO performance is crucial for businesses looking to show ROI on their search marketing strategy. It’s also equally as vital for determining what is working and what isn’t.
For instance, you may have optimised some of your pages with relevant, high-volume keywords, but may be failing to rank for these. By monitoring your performance, you’ll be able to see over time if your content is appearing in searches for those high-volume keywords. If your pages aren’t appearing, you’ll know to optimise your content further.
Tracking your SEO performance can also help you determine what type of content resonates with your audience, allowing you to focus your efforts on creating similar types of content.
Let’s take a look at how to measure SEO success in more detail.
What are some key SEO metrics to track?
Organic Traffic: The number of visitors who land on your website from unpaid (organic) search engine results. This metric indicates how well your site ranks for relevant keywords and how effective your SEO strategy is in driving traffic.
Keyword Rankings: The positions your website holds in search engine results for specific keywords. Higher rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs) typically lead to more organic traffic and better visibility.
Domain Authority (DA): A score (developed by Moz) that predicts how likely a website is to rank in search engines. It is based on factors such as the quality and quantity of backlinks. A higher DA suggests stronger authority and credibility in your industry.
Backlink Profile (quantity and quality): The number and quality of external websites linking to your site. High-quality backlinks from authoritative sources boost your SEO, while low-quality or spammy links can harm rankings.
Engagement Rate: A key metric in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) that replaces bounce rate. It measures the percentage of engaged sessions, where a visitor spends at least 10 seconds on your site, views two or more pages, or completes a conversion event. A higher engagement rate indicates that users find your content valuable and are actively interacting with your website.
Bounce Rate and Dwell Time:
Pages Per Session: The average number of pages a visitor views during a single session on your website. A higher number suggests good internal linking, engaging content, and strong user interest.
Conversion Rate: The percentage of website visitors who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a contact form. A high conversion rate indicates that your site effectively turns visitors into customers or leads.
What tools can I use to track SEO success?
There are several key tools that will simplify the process of tracking and measuring SEO performance.
Whilst some of the more premium tools have associated costs, there are a lot of free tools that will allow you to benchmark your performance efficiently.
Here’s a selection of the best tools to track and review SEO performance:?
Google Analytics: A powerful tool for tracking website traffic, user behaviour, and engagement metrics. In GA4, key insights include organic traffic, engagement rate, conversion tracking, and audience demographics, helping businesses refine their SEO and marketing strategies.
If you'd like to learn more about using reports in GA4, then be sure to check out this video which will walk your through 4 key GA reports your business should be using!
Google Search Console: A free tool from Google that provides data on website performance in search results, including keyword rankings, indexing issues, search impressions, and click-through rates (CTR). It helps identify technical SEO issues and optimise search visibility.
SEMrush: A comprehensive SEO and digital marketing tool that offers keyword research, site audits, competitor analysis, backlink tracking, and content optimisation. It’s widely used for monitoring rankings and discovering new SEO opportunities.
Ahrefs: Known for its powerful backlink analysis, Ahrefs provides detailed insights into link-building strategies, keyword rankings, site audits, and competitor analysis. It’s particularly useful for understanding a website’s authority and identifying growth opportunities.
Moz: An SEO software suite that includes tools for keyword research, domain authority (DA) tracking, link analysis, and site audits. Moz’s Domain Authority score is commonly used to evaluate a website’s ranking potential.
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How can I use the tracked data to improve my SEO performance?
Tracking SEO metrics is essential, but the real value comes from interpreting the data and using it to improve performance. We recommend tracking your chosen metrics in a spreadsheet so you can review the data in one place.
Here’s how you can use the data you've gathered:
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1. Identify SEO trends over time
Rather than looking at metrics in isolation, track changes over weeks or months. Ask yourself:
For example: If you suddenly see a considerable drop in organic traffic, check Google Search Console for indexing errors or a Google algorithm update that may have impacted rankings. And if engagement rate is low on only a small number of pages, review the content on those pages to ensure it aligns with the user’s search intent.
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2. Assess what’s working
Look at high-performing pages to understand why they’re successful.
If a particular landing page has a high conversion rate, analyse its structure; does it have a strong CTA, fast loading speed, and engaging content? Apply those elements to underperforming pages.
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3. Diagnose what’s not working
Low engagement, high bounce rates, or declining rankings indicate areas for improvement.
You may have a blog that is ranking on page 1 of Google but might have a low CTR. If this is the case, your meta title and description might not be compelling enough for readers to click through and read the blog. These are simple optimisations you can make that can contribute to an increase in your organic traffic.
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