3 Critical Keyword Metrics to Monitor for Search Dominance

You hear about keywords and keyword metrics all the time when it comes to search engine optimization. Most marketers are looking to improve their search engine rankings--well who can blame them? Its free traffic that generates leads and customers. But it surprises us to see that many businesses aren't including keyword analytics in their search engine optimization programs. Keywords may be the most important aspect of any search engine optimization campaign, but it extends further than just choosing terms relevant to your business. Once you have your keyword in place and generating traffic to your site, you need to track them! Keywords can be doing extremely well, or extremely poorly, but if you aren't tracking your keyword analytics, you can't tell who's doing what. In order for marketers to be successful, the right metrics need to be in place, and they need to be constantly monitored correctly.

We made this list of 3 important metrics that are necessary for successful keyword marketing. This list will show you which keyword marketing analytics are the most important, and exactly what you can do to get those number up where you want them. Alrighty lets get into keyword marketing!

Important Keyword Metrics for Search Engine Optimization

1. Keyword Rankings. These rankings tell you how you are ranked on search engine result pages (SERP's) based on keywords that a potential customer might search for when looking for your company. You could be ranked very well or very poorly based on your search engine optimization. You need to watch how you rank for these keywords over time. This gives you the information you need that will help you improve your SEO campaign. If you company name is say "Johnson Construction", and you search this name, you need to be at the top of the SERP so that you can get all the traffic you're looking for. If you are on the 3rd SERP for your own company's name, then you need to do some serious SEO for that term. Its YOUR company, so why let your competitors be ahead of you when your customers are looking for YOU? This could mean the difference between these potential clients leaving your company for another! Frustrating isn't it? So lets get those keywords up there!

2. Visits per Keyword. This metric tells you how much traffic is driven to your site by these keywords. This is based on how often users search for your keywords and how well you are ranked based on the user. You could be on the top of the SERP, and have potential leads walk right past you if you are not relevant. If your construction company is at the top of the search engine for "construction", well thats great, but the odds are that 9/10 people looking for a construction company are not in the same area as you, so you get skipped. The more you get skipped over, the lower the traffic conversion rates are, and more likely you will be ranked lower on more important keywords. For a business like "Johnson Construction" based out of New Haven CT, a keyword term such as "construction ct" is much more important and needs to be focused on more than "construction" is.

3. Leads Per Keyword. This number tells you how many users have visited your site and have converted into leads for your company. If you have a large amount of traffic to your site, but low conversion rates, then you might need to work on things on your website that make it more attractive and informative. Improving things like your landing pages, CTA's, and content can all increase this number. This metric is all about on-page SEO which means all the things on your page need to be optimized for the greatest effect. This is much easier than off-page SEO which refers to increasing your rank on the search engines. If your pages are optimized to the fullest, then this analytic should be your pride and joy. As long as your website is attractive and interesting to your potential clients, the leads will keep rolling in.

Need help converting your traffic into leads? Find out how you can increase your SEO ranks with IMPACT's Inbound Marketing Services.

How have your keywords helped your company convert leads? Any recent successful SEO campaigns? We always love a growth story!