If you want to measure the success of your SEO measures, you can’t avoid predetermined and measurable key figures. Relevant measured values can be used to monitor optimization processes and derived new recommendations for action. In this article, you will learn what SEO KPIs actually are, which key figures are particularly important and which practical tools can be used for evaluation.
WHAT ARE SEO KPIS?
KPI is the abbreviation of Key Performance Indicator and means something like “key performance indicators”. Within search engine optimization, these measured values show how well a certain domain or individual pages (areas) perform. Which KPIs should be considered in order to track certain SEO measures depends on the company, the measures carried out and planned as well as the strategic objectives.
1. VISIBILITY
This SEO KPI gives an overview of the visibility of an entire domain or even individual directories or pages in the search results. Strictly speaking, it indicates how well or badly a website is positioned for a certain number of keywords in the search results.
With the help of the visibility tool Sistrix, the development of visibility over time can be well monitored. Since the key figure is not particularly meaningful without a direct competitive comparison, it is compared with the visibility indicators of the most important competitor sites. Sistrix uses a keyword database of around 60 million search terms, which serves more as a rough orientation. This KPI becomes more meaningful by defining your own keyword set in advance, tailored to the website. So you can keep an eye on the visibility of the most relevant keywords.
2. KEYWORD RANKINGS
The goal of search engine optimization is to achieve good rankings for relevant keywords in the search results. Therefore, it is important to always monitor the rankings. Based on this KPI, it can be analyzed whether the implemented measures – especially with regard to content marketing – are fruitful. Even in the event of ranking losses, it is possible to react accordingly by optimizing the affected page areas for search engines. Experienced SEO specialists usually use a predefined keyword set for ranking monitoring. Depending on your needs and keyword tool, the rankings can be queried daily, weekly or monthly.
3. ORGANIC TRAFFIC
Another important KPI is organic traffic. This metric measures how many visitors have found their way to the site through an organic search result (as opposed to paid traffic). As a rule, the development is considered in comparison to a certain period such as the previous year or the previous month. In addition, this key figure can provide information about which page areas work well from an SEO point of view and which may still need optimization. A comparison with other channels such as direct traffic or paid traffic can also provide insightful results here.
4. AVERAGE CLICK-THROUGH RATE (CTR)
The CTR is a performance indicator that measures the number of clicks on a search result compared to the number of total impressions of the same search result. How many users have seen the snippet and link and then actually clicked? The CTR is expressed as a percentage and indicates how well a snippet attracts the attention of users. For a higher CTR, it is recommended to formulate a meaningful title and define a description that encourages users to click.
Tip: Feature snippets such as recipes or videos as well as rich snippets with ratings and prices can increase the average click-through rate.
5. CONVERSION RATE
Last but not least, the conversion rate is a crucial SEO metric. This metric describes the ratio of website visitors to conversions made. Because what counts in the end is organic traffic, which ideally converts.
There are several types of possible conversions on a website:
Product orders
Bookings
Contact Requests
Newsletter subscriptions
Downloads
However, an increasing conversion rate is not only caused by SEO. Far more factors are taken into account here. For example, it sometimes happens that the page has good rankings for relevant keywords and is often clicked, but then no conversion or transaction follows, as the usability of the page makes this much more difficult. Good usability and successful conversion optimization can therefore lead to increased conversions, leads and deals.
SEO KPIS THAT ARE ALSO INTERESTING TO LOOK AT
In addition to these five SEO KPIs, there are many other key figures that also contribute to measuring the success of your SEO measures. These include, for example:
Loading speed (especially with regard to the Core Web Vitals)
Bounce rate and dwell time
Preparatory conversions
Off-Page: Number of backlinks, referral traffic and trust
RESULT
THROUGH PRE-DEFINED GOALS & KPIS, SEO MEASURES CAN BE MEASURED AND OPTIMIZED
With various classic key performance indicators, you can measure your SEO success, compare yourself with the direct competition and derive the best possible measures for the future. However, always ask yourself in advance: What do I want to achieve with my website and what are my SEO goals? In order to make sure that you find the MOST important SEO KPIs for you and that you do not optimize past your own goals, a predefined goal is essential.
