SEO Metrics: Which Webmasters must be Aware of Them

Aiming to start a Search Engine Optimization project? Looking for an expert SEO Company to hire? Or, do you want to track your website progress? Whichever plan you have in your mind, you must agree with the fact that the use of SEO metrics is a must to succeed in Search Optimization.

Any successful business measures their performances regularly to keep on improving. It is a compulsory task for them. This is why they keep focusing on Key Performance Indices or Metrics and numbers that represent their achievements as well as failures of their businesses to meet targets. So, the axiom of a successful business is "Measure to Improve".

And, this maxim is better applicable in the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) field. In this field of business, powerful search algorithms of various search engines like Google, etc. keep tabs on black-hat practices by shyster. Any web pages optimized through wrong practices are gradually ranked in the recessed region of search pages where website visibility will be a farcical expectation. So, it is compulsory to find out strong and weak, and approved and disapproved SEO methods. If optimization professionals can come up with solid picture, they can truly prove their worth.

However, at the start of a project, before researching one keyword phrase, or adjusting a single meta-tag, SEO experts should require structuring baseline metrics for the website they are working on. So, when it comes to starting an SEO project, you need to do the followings:

i) Start structuring the baseline information

ii) Contract an SEO Company with baseline information

iii) Set a good online marketing target

iv) Align with larger business targets

Prime Search Engine Optimization Metrics:

Here are some top optimization metrics which are very vital for baseline information, SEO targets, and search optimization project tracking.

a) Inbound Search Traffic

b) Pages Ranking in Search Results

c) Ranking Search Keyword Phrases

d) Key Behavioral Data Points

e) Inbound Links

a) Inbound Search Traffic:

The primary objective of any optimization project is to increase traffic from search results. Although traffic alone cannot determine the optimization success; measurement of it is a key factor. So, prior to embarking on an optimization project, make sure you have short-listed specific and long-tail keyword phrases as well as short-tail keyword phrases. For, long-tail keyword phrases give more conversion numbers than short-tail keyword phrases when short-tail keyword phrases draw in more traffic. Sometimes, a website is found out to have good rankings due to its company's brand. All these metrics need to be taken into consideration before embarking on an optimization project. However, the latter one does not have much to do with the success of project's metrics for the site.

b) Ranking Pages in Search Results:

SEO methods aim to step up number of web pages that appear for the desired keyword phrases. There is Search Queries page in the Webmaster tools. You will find a tab labeled as 'Top Pages', which lets you know average page rank of the URL, as well as helps you to know which keywords have led to the current ranking position and how many search impressions they generate. You can save the report by exporting the sheet. However, this report gives a hang to keyword drill-down.

c) Ranking Search Keyword Phrases:

Find out the number of search results and the ranks the website has achieved through keyword phrases. Then, structure a starting line. Most unlikely, available information with Google Webmaster Tool is always complete. Still, they are effective for tracking and trending purposes. You will get to know complete list that includes average search result statistics for keyword phrases in the 'Your Site on the Web Section'. Export of this report as comma-separated file is permissible. Adjust the filters at the top of the page to add all pages. Set date-range to generate month-wise report.

d) Key Behavioral Data Points:

To be precise, this field of metrics is crafty. Report is broadly based on targets of the business and targets of the website. A few examples will help you have a clear picture.

i) Bounce Rates

ii) Demographic and geographic information

iii) Conversion Rates

iv) Pages Viewed and Number of Visits

If optimization jobs aim to drive qualified web traffic who could be converted into potential buyers, then there might be a different anticipation regarding user behavior for that kind of click. Generate the report on the numbers of traffic conversions into buyers.

e) Inbound Links:

In an attempt to enhance page rankings of web pages, a number of SEO techniques are selected. One of them is link building strategy that includes one-way linking, two-way, or three-way linking. Links from other sites to your sites are sought and when obtained, your site can gain higher page ranking boost. Download complete report of'Links to Your Site' from the Webmaster Tools. If you want report of internal links (where two-way linking practice is performed between your site and another site), you can get complete information from 'Your Site on the Web' view of the Webmaster Tools.

There are several other metrics in use. You can use them as per the website design, business requirements and strategies. Their use in proper way will help achieve SEO targets immensely. Now fortunately, all these Webmaster Tools required for these purposes are available in a single page of Google.


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