[Webinar] SEO Metrics That Matter (and Those That Do Not)

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WEBINAR: EPISODE 03

SEO Metrics:Which SEO metrics matter and which don’t

WITH: PJ HOWLAND

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Motion Graphics

Analytics

PPC

Content Marketing

Reputation Management

Copywriting

SEO & Technical On-Page

Audits

CRO

SMM

Development

UX Design

Email Marketing

Video Production

Graphic Design

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Digital Marketing

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...strategy and process that connect advertisers with their audiences across digital channels.

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...generates 3 times as many leads as traditional outbound marketing, but cost 62% less.

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What it is not...● Tutorial on Search Engine Optimization● Metric tracking and setup

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Strategies, not specifics.

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PJ HowlandEnterprise Campaign Manager

/pjhowland

@askPJHowland

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SEO campaigns need proper tracking techniques

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“Measure what can be measured, and make measurable what cannot be measured.”

― Galileo Galilei

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“Awesome increase this year.”

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“What caused the increase?”

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“Well…”

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“Well… Campaigns...”

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“Well… Campaigns...”● Links● New content● Keyword movement

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“Well… Campaigns… And metrics.”● Links● New content● Keyword movement

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● Links● New content● Keyword movement

“Well… Campaigns… And metrics.”

Link-building campaign

Launched resource hub

4/5 focus KWs moved to spots 1-3

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Macro Metrics● Traffic● Revenue● Conversions

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Micro metrics move the macro metrics. Track and influence micro

metrics to hit macro results.

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Micro Metric Categories● Keywords● Off-page● Content

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Before I get started...

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Before I get started...● I err on the side of measuring more

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Before I get started...● I err on the side of measuring more● I realize that different circumstances require different metrics

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Before I get started...● I err on the side of measuring more● I realize that different circumstances require different metrics● I’m not capturing every metric out there

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Before I get started...● I err on the side of measuring more● I realize that different circumstances require different metrics● I’m not capturing every metric out there● I’m not covering every tool

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Keyword Metrics

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Keyword Metrics● Rankings● Featured snippets● Estimated organic traffic● Total ranking keywords● Top organic keywords● Keyword movements● Keyword metrics

○ Volume○ Difficulty ○ CPC

● Results in SERP

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Keyword Metrics● Rankings● Featured snippets● Estimated organic traffic● Total ranking keywords● Top organic keywords● Keyword movements● Keyword metrics

○ Volume○ Difficulty ○ CPC

● Results in SERP

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Keyword Metrics● Rankings - useful for micro-goals, careful not to set too many KW goals● Featured snippets - a must for this exciting time in SEO● Estimated organic traffic - GA is preferred, but useful for comp research● Total ranking keywords - snapshot at site, page, or subfolder performance● Top organic keywords - snapshot at top keywords, can be segmented● Keyword movements - too sporadic, measure weekly/monthly/quarterly● Keyword metrics

○ Volume - a metric that’s here to stay○ Difficulty - validation for needed resources to capture keywords○ CPC - indicator for quality of KW and user interaction

● Results in SERP - vanity metric

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Off-Page Metrics

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Off-Page Metrics● Referring domains● Referring pages● Backlinks● Backlink type● Follow and nofollow● CTLD distribution● Anchor text

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Off-Page Metrics● Referring domains● Referring pages● Backlinks● Backlink type● Follow and nofollow● CTLD distribution● Anchor text

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Off-Page Metrics● Referring domains - maybe the most important off-page metric● Referring pages - useful to track net references● Backlinks - a must for any SEO campaign● Backlink type - potential for competitive research, but not success metrics● Follow and nofollow - don’t go down the rabbit hole here, snapshot level● CTLD distribution - useful for analysis when site health is in jeopardy● Anchor text - Need to always keep an eye

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Content Metrics

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Content Metrics● Deliverables produced● Top pages● Site sectional metrics● Estimated organic traffic● Ranking keywords● Social shares● Backlinks

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Content Metrics● Deliverables produced● Top pages● Site sectional metrics● Estimated organic traffic● Ranking keywords● Social shares● Backlinks

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Content Metrics● Deliverables produced - rarely, if ever, should this be a success metric● Top pages - indicator of rising content● Site sectional metrics - validation for areas of focus on the site● Estimated organic traffic - better metric than ‘page authority’ or ‘URL rating’● Ranking keywords - indicator of on-page success for published posts● Social shares - not critical to SEO success, can indirectly affect other metrics● Backlinks - critical for single-page SEO success (as well as site-wide)

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Takeaway

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Turn attention to past content and retroactively update posts for new SEO wins.

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Decline in organic traffic and ranking KWs

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Homepage clearly dominates organic traffic

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Most of top keywords are branded, not content

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Backlink profile is healthy

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Backlink profile is healthy

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I would start by analyzing subfolder by subfolder (i.e. /recipes-home/ or /blog/ etc.) to identify lowest hanging fruit.

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Knowing what metrics matter influences the work. Measure what’s needed and understand what’s not.

Summarization

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WEBINAR: EPISODE 03

SEO Metrics:Which SEO metrics matter and which don’t

WITH: PJ HOWLAND

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WEBINAR: EPISODE 04

Spam:Block spam traffic efficiently with Google AnalyticsWITH: BARRETT DASTRUP

May 91:00 pm MST

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[email protected]

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