Keeping tabs on your website’s SEO might feel a bit overwhelming at first—like one more thing piled onto your already overflowing to-do list. But tracking your SEO metrics regularly isn’t just another task to check off. It’s one of the best ways to make strategic, confident decisions about your website (and your business!)
Every month, we send our SEO support clients detailed reports that break down their traffic, keyword rankings, click-through rates, bounce rates, backlinks, site speeds, and competitor keyword gaps.
Today, I’m breaking down exactly which SEO metrics we recommend tracking, what those metrics mean, how to measure them, and how you can use them to get more of your dream clients landing on your website (without having to guess if your SEO efforts are paying off.)
Ready to know exactly which SEO metrics you should track (and why they matter)? Let’s dive in!
What are SEO metrics?
SEO metrics are the data points that help you measure how well your website is performing in search engines like Google. They show you what’s working, what’s not, and where you might need to tweak your strategy to get more eyes on your content.
At Southern Creative, we keep a close eye on SEO metrics every month for our clients. Why? Because these metrics give us clear, actionable insights into how well a website is attracting visitors, keeping them engaged, and ultimately converting them into paying customers.
Tracking your SEO metrics regularly means you don’t have to guess what’s happening with your site—you’ll have clear data to guide your content decisions, keyword strategies, and overall marketing efforts. Think of these numbers as your monthly roadmap, pointing you exactly where you need to go next.
Which SEO metrics should you be tracking?
There are a lot of SEO metrics you can be tracking. All of them give you data, but some are more useful than others. Let’s simplify things and focus on the ones that give you the most actionable insight each month.
Organic Traffic
Organic traffic is all about visitors who land on your website through a regular search—not paid ads. This metric is your starting point, because it’s how you know your SEO efforts are really working.
When organic traffic goes up, it means more people are finding you naturally, which usually translates to more leads and more clients. If your organic traffic dips, it’s a sign you might need to re-evaluate your content, keywords, or on-page SEO strategy.
>>> Learn how to drive traffic to your site long after launch!
Keyword Rankings
Keyword rankings show you how well your site is performing for specific search terms or phrases. For instance, if you’re a wedding photographer in Atlanta, you’ll want to rank highly for terms like “Atlanta wedding photographer.”
Tracking your keyword rankings every month lets you:
- See if your SEO efforts are improving your visibility.
- Identify opportunities to outrank competitors.
- Spot any drops in ranking quickly, so you can fix them ASAP.
Important note: Strong SEO takes time! If you just laid your SEO foundations, it can take months for your keyword rankings and organic traffic to tick up.
>>> Learn how to do keyword research!
Clickthrough Rate (CTR)
CTR is the percentage of people who click on your website when they see it listed in search results. A higher CTR means your page titles and meta descriptions are catching people’s attention, making them want to learn more.
Low CTR? It might be time to rewrite your meta descriptions or page titles to be more compelling and clickable.
Bounce Rate
Your bounce rate tells you how many people land on your website but leave without clicking to another page. High bounce rates usually indicate that visitors aren’t finding exactly what they expected—either because the content isn’t relevant, the page loads too slowly, or the site is hard to navigate.
Keeping bounce rates low means visitors are sticking around longer, exploring more of your content, and increasing the chances they’ll convert.
Conversion Rate
This is the big one: conversion rate measures the percentage of visitors who take action on your site. That action could be filling out a contact form, subscribing to your email list, or making a purchase.
High conversion rates mean your SEO and site content are aligned perfectly with your visitors’ needs. If conversions are low, it’s time to optimize your calls to action or create more targeted content.
>>> Learn more about designing a website that converts!
Backlinks
Backlinks are links from other credible websites to your own. They’re like a vote of confidence, telling Google your content is valuable and worth sharing. The more quality backlinks your site has, the higher your site’s authority, and typically, the better your rankings (plus, they can send more traffic to your site.)
Regularly tracking backlinks can help you identify opportunities to collaborate with other sites and grow your authority online.
Site Speed & Performance
Google pays attention to how quickly and smoothly your site loads—especially on mobile. Core Web Vitals measure exactly that: your site’s speed, responsiveness, and visual stability. If these metrics are low, you might need to compress your images, improve your hosting, or tweak your website’s code to speed things up.
Keeping these metrics healthy is critical for maintaining high rankings and happy visitors.
>>> Learn more about improving site speeds!
Indexed Pages
Indexed pages refer to the pages on your website that Google has actually cataloged in its search engine. It’s important to track because if a page isn’t indexed, it won’t show up in search results, period.
By keeping an eye on indexed pages, you ensure all your important content is actually discoverable by potential clients.
Now, let’s talk about how to track these metrics and turn all this data into actions that grow your business.
How to track (and use) your SEO metrics
Now that you have the scoop on what to track, you might be thinking, “Okay, but how do I actually measure this stuff?”
Here’s exactly how to go about monitoring SEO performance and, even more importantly, how to turn that data into actionable insights to grow your business.
Google Analytics and Google Search Console
If you don’t have Google Analytics and Google Search Console set up yet, that’s your first stop. They’re free, powerful, and designed to give you a detailed view of how your website is performing.
- Google Analytics tracks your traffic, engagement rates, bounce rates, conversion rates, and more. You’ll see exactly where visitors are coming from and what they’re doing once they arrive on your site. Learn how to add it to WordPress here.
- Google Search Console shows you how your website is performing in Google search. You can see keyword rankings, clickthrough rates, and indexed pages. It also flags technical issues that could be holding you back. Learn how to use Google Search Console here.
Paid SEO Tools
While Google’s tools are powerful (and free!), investing in a paid tool can make tracking your SEO metrics even simpler. Some of our favorite options include:
- Ubersuggest (Our personal favorite, but it’s also great for beginners and budget-friendly!)
- SEMrush (More comprehensive but comes with a higher price tag. This is ideal for businesses who are serious about going deep on SEO.)
- Ahrefs (In-depth analysis and a favorite among SEO pros, but most small businesses won’t need it at first.)
Competitor Gap Analysis
Don’t forget to check out what your competitors are doing. One of the smartest ways to use your metrics is to identify keyword gaps—that’s keywords your competitors rank for that you don’t. Tools like Ubersuggest can quickly show you this information.
Closing these gaps by creating targeted content can seriously boost your visibility and attract more of your ideal clients.
Monthly Reviews & Adjustments
Tracking SEO metrics isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it situation. SEO is constantly evolving, so it’s important to regularly review your metrics. We recommend checking these metrics monthly to get a clear picture of your progress and make data-driven decisions:
- Identify what’s working, and create more content like it.
- Spot declining metrics quickly and take corrective actions (like updating older content or refining keywords).
- Adjust your strategy based on real, actionable insights.
>>> Learn how to audit your website for SEO!
Turning SEO metrics into action
Here’s how to use your SEO metrics to make smart decisions that help your website grow and your business thrive:
Prioritize High-Impact Keywords
Look at keywords that bring consistent traffic or have a high click-through rate. Double down on those by creating more content around similar topics or optimizing existing pages to rank even higher.
Improve Content that Isn’t Converting
If you have high traffic but low conversions or high bounce rates, revisit that content. Update the page with clearer CTAs, better internal links, or more engaging visuals to keep visitors interested and encourage them to act.
Address Technical Issues
Core Web Vitals or indexing problems hurting your performance? Prioritize fixing technical SEO issues to ensure your content gets seen and performs well in search results. (One of the most important things to fix is your website site speed!)
Keep an Eye on Your Competitors
Regularly perform gap analyses with your top competitors. Target keywords they’re ranking for but you’re missing, and create fresh content around those opportunities.
Optimize Your Top Pages
Take your top-performing pages and boost them further with strategic internal linking, updated meta descriptions, and targeted backlinks.
Remember, SEO isn’t static, it’s an ongoing process. Regularly reviewing and responding to your metrics will keep your website visible and your business booming.
Ready to use SEO metrics to grow your business?
There you have it! These are the key SEO metrics to keep an eye on each month. By tracking and analyzing these numbers, you’ll understand exactly what’s driving results (and what’s not), so you can make smarter, data-driven decisions to improve your SEO performance over time.
If diving into all these details feels overwhelming, you don’t have to figure it out alone.
At Southern Creative, our monthly SEO support packages include a comprehensive breakdown of your website’s performance—from organic traffic and keyword rankings to competitor analysis and more—so you know exactly where to focus your energy each month.
Ready to stop guessing and start growing? Let’s chat about how our monthly SEO services can help your website thrive.
