Expert SEO Tracking
Learn about what and how to track everything related to SEO
There are hundreds of different things you can track when it comes to marketing and SEO. So it's important to know what the most important metrics are to measure and how to track them.
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When you know exactly what to look for, you will be able to hold a marketing agency accountable and also check the work yourself to ensure you are achieving the SEO success you desire.
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Why SEO Tracking?
If you're handling your own Search Engine Optimization, then tracking is extremely important to assess whether the changes you make to your website are effective. You'll want to review on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis to see how your alterations have impacted the website.
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If you have someone else working to improve your organic search results, then you'll certainly want to track the work they do using the tools and metrics listed below. Even if they provide reports on your keyword rankings, you'll still benefit from double-checking their results with your own SEO tools.
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Competitors Tracking
A fascinating aspect of knowing how to track SEO is the ability to review the SEO metrics of your competitors. You'll be able to assess their backlink profile, keyword rankings, and much more. With this knowledge, you'll be able to craft an effective SEO strategy based on that data.
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The Best SEO Metrics to Track Performance
Monitoring the SEO results of your website is a key component of improving your overall marketing and increasing website traffic. If your goal is to improve your SEO ranking, then this is the place to start. Once you see the data, you'll know what's working and what needs to be fixed. Below are the first and most important SEO metrics to watch.
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Roofing Leads
It goes without saying that when the roofing leads increase, something is working. But the real question is: If you're implementing multiple marketing tactics, you'll need to discern which leads are actually coming from your SEO strategy and which ones are not.
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You will need to ensure that you have a method for gathering lead source data on all calls and form submissions. Additionally, using a tool like Google Analytics will help you identify how many conversions came from your SEO campaigns and how many were from other marketing sources.
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Impressions
Impressions refer to instances where your website appears in someone's search results. An increase in total impressions is one of the initial indicators of improved SEO performance. Once your impressions increase, you know that those pages have been indexed on Google.
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If you are not seeing an increase in impressions despite your efforts to create pages on your site, it's a signal to investigate further, such as checking if your pages are properly indexed. The free tool, Google Search Console, will be the best tool for all of this.
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Keywords
Next, you'll notice an increase in keywords. Your website will begin to rank for more keywords as you roll out your SEO campaign. Keep in mind that you might lose a few keywords if they don't directly apply to your services, but the overall roofing-related keywords should increase.
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You can also monitor the ranking of specific keywords you aim to rank for, such as "roof replacement" or "skylights." If certain keywords are dropping in ranking, it's crucial to investigate the reasons behind them and work on improving the content related to those keywords. Utilizing some of the tools listed below will help with tracking keywords.
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Backlinks
Monitoring the number and quality of backlinks to your website is essential. Increasing backlinks from reputable sources can positively impact your SEO, while toxic backlinks can have adverse effects. It's crucial to manage and optimize your backlink profile regularly.
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Utilizing advanced SEO tools will help you view both your backlinks and those of your competitors. This will enable you to identify opportunities for your own website. Keep in mind that, when it comes to backlinks, quality is more important than quantity.
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Organic Traffic
If your SEO is effective, you will notice an increase in your website's traffic. Some websites may experience faster growth than others, depending on various factors. While an increase in traffic is positive, it's essential to ensure that it comprises genuine users and not just inflated numbers from spam bots.
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Utilizing your Google Analytics account (GA4) will help you observe the organic traffic volume along with other useful data regarding the source of the traffic and how users navigated your website.
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Page Speed
There are multiple tools available for monitoring the speed of your website, but Google's free PageSpeed Insights tool is a perfect place to start. It will provide you with a quick overview of how your site is performing and what you can do to improve its speed.
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Page speed significantly impacts the user experience and SEO performance. Improving page speed is crucial for ranking well on search engines. Involving a developer can help address technical aspects related to optimizing page speed.
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How to Track SEO Rankings?
Tracking your SEO ranking involves observing where a specific page of your site appears in search results for a particular search query. Your website may appear on the first page of search engines for one keyword, such as "roofer near me," but then the same page could appear on the 10th page of Google for another keyword, like "shingle roofer near me."
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Google Search Console allows you to select the specific page you want to check and then displays each search query that causes that page to appear in search engines. Additionally, you can utilize other SEO tools, such as SEMRush, to determine the specific keywords your site is ranking for and the position it holds on Google.
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SEO Tracking Tools
Using the right SEO tools will help you track organic search traffic, identify the most relevant keywords, and, most importantly, help you reach your desired place in search engine results pages. Below are some of our most highly recommended tools for monitoring website performance as it relates to SEO.
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Moz / Ahrefs /SEMRush
Moz, Ahrefs, and SEMRush are excellent tools for tracking SEO performance. With Moz's suite of features, you can monitor keyword rankings, analyze backlinks, and uncover valuable insights into your website's visibility. Ahrefs provides comprehensive data on organic traffic, backlinks, and competitor analysis, empowering you to refine your SEO strategy with precision. Meanwhile, SEMRush offers detailed analytics on keyword rankings, domain authority, and site health, enabling you to make informed decisions to improve your search engine rankings.
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Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a free and extremely useful tool for tracking SEO performance. With its detailed reports and metrics, you can monitor key aspects such as organic search traffic and user engagement. By analyzing data regarding your website traffic sources and user behavior, GA4 helps you understand which marketing effort is effectively driving traffic to your website. Additionally, you can track important SEO metrics such as bounce rate, average session duration, and pages per session to assess the effectiveness of your website's content and user experience.
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Google Search Console (GSC)
Google Search Console is the most important tool of them all and is a must-have for anyone who manages their website. Through Search Console, you can track important metrics such as impressions, clicks, and click-through rates for your website's pages and keywords. Additionally, it provides valuable data on indexing status, crawl errors, and mobile usability issues, allowing you to identify and rectify any issues that may affect your website's visibility in search results. Furthermore, Search Console enables you to submit sitemaps, request URL indexing, and receive alerts about critical issues affecting your site's performance in Google search.
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FAQ
Working on your website and optimizing it for search engines can be daunting. In this FAQ section, we've compiled a few of the most common questions we are asked regarding setting up SEO tracking.
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How Can I Tell If You SEO Company is Working
If you want to assess the work of the company managing your SEO, you can first request reports from them. Ask for month-over-month and year-over-year reports on impressions, keywords, and organic traffic. If you aren't seeing the expected results, consider obtaining an audit from another SEO company to gain critical feedback on their work. Keep in mind that SEO campaigns may take up to six months to produce a significant lead increase, so patience is key.
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How to Rank on Google
Ranking on Google requires improving the content and performance of your site. A great place to start is by using headings, meta titles, and descriptions appropriately. Create more content on your site to promote your services effectively. Address any errors or technical issues, and ensure that your site is indexed and can be crawled by search engines. For a deeper dive into this topic, check out our Roofing SEO page.
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What about tracking my Domain Authority?
Domain Authority (DA) is a metric designed by third-party services that helps you understand the overall strength and authority of your website in the eyes of search engines. It's not a metric provided by Google but rather a helpful tool to evaluate your website. Ultimately, a higher Domain Authority can lead to improved search engine rankings and increased organic traffic to your site.
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