If you’re not familiar with how SEO works, it can feel a bit overwhelming and you might be wondering how to measure SEO performance.
You know SEO is important, but how can you tell if it’s actually working? That’s a question I hear a lot from business owners when I go out and about to networking events in Scotland. It’s a question I’m always happy to answer. And this question is more pertinent if you have hired an SEO company to do the work for you.
My job is to make your business more visible on Google for the phrases your potential customers are searching for—especially commercially relevant ones that lead to enquiries, bookings, or sales. Here’s how I measure SEO success and how you can too.
Where Are You Starting From?
Most businesses come to me with a common problem: their website only appears on the first page of Google when someone searches for their brand name. While that’s a good start (sort of), it doesn’t help you get in front of people who don’t know you exist – which is the whole point of SEO marketing isn’t it?
The goal of SEO is to make your website visible for the phrases your future customers are searching for. That’s where we begin. I analyse your current visibility to see which keywords your website is ranking for and where it appears in Google results. This baseline helps us track improvements over time.
Tracking Keyword Rankings
One of the simplest ways to measure SEO is by tracking where your website ranks for relevant keyword phrases. If your site starts on page 10 of Google and moves to page 1, you’ll know the strategy is working.
The focus is always on commercially relevant keywords—phrases that attract people who are ready to take action, not just browse. Each month, I provide updates showing how your rankings are improving and how they’re translating into traffic and leads.
Measuring Traffic Growth
Another way to measure SEO success is by looking at how many people are visiting your website. Tools like Google Analytics allow us to track website traffic and see where it’s coming from.
But it’s not just about the numbers. I focus on attracting the right kind of visitors—people who are genuinely interested in your products or services. We track metrics like time spent on your site and whether visitors are engaging with your content to ensure the traffic is meaningful.
Leads and Sales: The Real Measure of Success
Ultimately, the best way to measure SEO is by looking at the results it brings to your business. Improved rankings and traffic are great, but they’re only useful if they lead to more enquiries, bookings, or sales. While I can get ANY business on the first page of Google for local SEO I can’t make people pick up the phone or send you a message. So, a business needs to have a viable product or service and know their market – and then SEO is the perfect form of marketing for you.
I track conversions, which are the actions customers take on your website, such as filling out a contact form, making a purchase, or booking a service. By focusing on these outcomes, we can ensure the SEO strategy delivers tangible benefits for your business.
Tools to Measure SEO Performance
If you’re wondering how to check what’s happening with your SEO, you’re not alone. Many business owners aren’t sure where to start, and that’s completely normal.
That’s where I come in. As part of my service, I send clear, straightforward reports showing how your website is performing. These reports cover all the key metrics we’ve discussed, so you’ll always know what’s working and what we’re improving.
If you’d like to check things yourself, there are some fantastic free tools you can use:
- Google Search Console: This shows which keywords your site is ranking for and how people are finding your website.
- Google Analytics: This helps you track website traffic, where it’s coming from, and how visitors are engaging with your site.
Even if you’re not sure how to use these tools, I can help you understand the data and what it means for your business.
Final Thoughts
Measuring SEO doesn’t have to be complicated. By focusing on key metrics like keyword rankings, traffic, and conversions, you can see whether your website is becoming more visible and bringing in the right customers.
