To know whether SEO efforts can influence traffic enough, you need to measure multiple performance metrics and key indicators of your efforts. Here is how you can perform the step-by-step guide when assessing the effects of your SEO strategies.
1. Track Organic Traffic
Google Analytics: With Google Analytics, one can measure the changes in organic traffic visiting the site. High numbers of visitors coming through search engines usually indicate effective SEO strategies.
Period Comparison: Compare data over different periods, for example, month-over-month and year-over-year to identify trends and growth patterns.
2. Monitoring keyword rankings
Keyword Tracking Tools: Use Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz, or Google Search Console to track rankings for your target keywords.
Rank Improvements: The improvements found for positions of the target keywords in the SERPs tend to imply improved rankings that attract more traffic.
3. Click-Through Rate (CTR) Analysis
Google Search Console: Look at your keywords and page CTRs through the Google Search Console. The higher your CTR, the more compelling and relevant your titles and meta descriptions are for search users.
Improvement over time:Track changes in CTR to find out if your SEO efforts are making your search listings more appealing to people.
4. Analyze Bounce Rate and Dwell Time
Bounce Rate: Check your bounce rate through Google Analytics, that is the percentage of visitors who simply view your site once and leave. The less your bounce rate is, the more people would be interested in your content.
Dwell Time: Track how long they spend on your site. As a rule of thumb, higher dwell times show that users find your content relevant and valuable to them.
5. Conversions and Goals
Conversion Tracking: Set up goals in Google Analytics to track conversions (e.g., form submissions, product purchases, newsletter sign-ups).
Conversion Rate: Check if organic traffic is contributing to your conversion goals. If the number of conversions from organic traffic is increasing, then it means that your SEO efforts are bringing in qualified leads.
6. Evaluate Backlink Profile
Backlink Analysis Tools: Utilize tools such as Ahrefs, Semrush, and Moz to analyze your backlink profile.
Quality and Quantity: Increased number of good quality backlinks to your website, which is a boost in your domain authority and ranking improvements.
7. Measure Page Load Speed
Performance Tools: Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, or Pingdom can be used to measure the page load speed.
Improvements: Faster load time improves user experience and positively affects rankings and traffic.
8. Analyze User Engagement Metrics
- Pages per Session. Monitor average pages view per session. High engagement generally means a better user experience and goes with higher rankings.
- Session Duration. Monitor average user session duration. The longer, the better this would normally mean, as it keeps content relatively more engaging.
9. Content Performance Review
- Popular Content. Monitor which pieces of content are best performing in traffic, engagement, and conversions.
- Content Update. Refresh and refine your content from time to time to keep them alive and eligible for ranking.
10. Competitor Analysis
Competitive Benchmarks: Monitor the performance of your website vis-à-vis your competitors by using tools such as Ahrefs, Semrush, or Moz.
Industry Trends: Identify what’s happening in your industry and rank your site accordingly, based on traffic, ranking, and backlinks.
