5 SEO KPIs to Measure SEO Impact on Your Business

These 5 SEO KPIs will help you measure the efficacy of your search engine optimization activities and their impact on your business.

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A Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is a quantifiable metrics used to measure the success and performance of specific objectives within a digital marketing campaign, or more generally of any sort of business activity.

There are multiple KPIs to measure your SEO efforts. We can classify them in SEO KPI categories such as Business SEO KPIs, Technical SEO KPIs, On-Page SEO KPIs, Off-Page SEO KPIs, Website Analytics SEO KPIs, Local SEO KPIs, Mobile SEO KPIs…

In this article, we will focus on the 5 Business SEO KPIs that will help you measure the business impact of your SEO efforts.

Conversion is one of the most important SEO KPIs. Conversion refers to the successful completion by your website visitor of a specific goal you set. Conversions can take various forms depending on the purpose of your website, such as making a purchase, submitting a form, signing up for a newsletter, downloading a file, or any other action that indicates a user's engagement.

Track the number of conversions on your website: Google Analytics 4 > “Reports” > “Engagement” > “Conversions”

Conversion Rate (CR) is the percentage of website visitors who achieved a conversion.

Calculate your conversion rate: Conversion Rate (%) = Conversions / Organic Traffic * 100

Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) is the digital marketing metric that calculates your average cost to acquire a new user. That user is not necessarily a paid customer, but could be a lead, a sign-up subscriber, a free registered user...

Calculate your cost per acquisition for your SEO efforts: CPA = Total Cost of SEO (agency costs, content, SEO tools…) / Conversions

Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) is the total net revenue a business can expect to generate from a single customer over their entire relationship.

Calculate your customer lifetime value: CLV = Average Annual Revenue Per Customer * Average Lifetime of Customer (in years).

If your CLV is higher than your CPA, it indicates that your SEO efforts are successful in attracting customers who bring in significant revenue over time, resulting in a positive return on investment.

If your CPA exceeds your CLV, it may indicate that your SEO strategy is not generating enough value in the long run, and adjustments might be necessary to improve profitability.

Return On Investment (ROI) for SEO is the measure of the profitability of an SEO campaign, comparing the cost of investments with the resulting benefits or returns.

Calculate your return on investment: ROI = (Total Revenue Generated with SEO - Total Cost of SEO) / Total Cost of SEO * 100

Also it is difficult to measure which channel brings which part of the revenues as SEO is an on-going effort and will happen in parallel to every other digital marketing and communication action.

As such, ROI for SEO is not that reliable as it will always be an approximation of reality. You can still measure it and leverage it as an additional metrics to make business decisions, but keep in mind not to use it alone but rather in conjunction with the other business SEO KPIs.

You have explored the essential steps to conduct effective keyword research for your business. By understanding the importance of keyword research, defining your target audience, and brainstorming relevant topics, you can generate a comprehensive list of seed keywords. Conducting competitor analysis and utilizing keyword research tools further expand your keyword list. By prioritizing and optimizing your content with high-impact keywords and adapting your strategies based on key metrics, you can enhance your online visibility, attract targeted organic traffic, and outshine competitors.

Keyword research is an ongoing process that requires continuous refinement and adaptation. With this knowledge, you're now equipped to propel your business forward and achieve SEO success.

Remember that I have created a FREE guide on Notion entitled "Keyword Research 101: Step-by-Step Guide To Find Profitable Keywords" which add details and templates to help you perform a keyword analysis and research in the DIY style.