@RyanJones

Manager SEO Analytics

SapientNitro
www.SapientNitro.com www.RyanMJones.com

SEO Performance Metrics

Ryan Jones | SMX East. October 1, 2012
Slides Online at www.RyanMJones.com

@RyanJones

 How do you measure your SEO

recommendations?
One of My Favorite Interview Questions

Note: If you want to hear more of my interview questions, Were hiring a Sr. Manager in Chicago, Detroit or Toronto. Send me a resume.

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Lots of People Say This:

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Even More Say This:

Note: I took this from an actual e-book being sold online. If this is YOUR ebook, lets talk.
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These are NOT the Metrics Youre Looking For...

Pagerank Alexa Rank Hits Rankings MozRank Number of Links Any Score

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So What IS the answer?

The best answer is to ask another question.
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Goals Sales Leads KPIs / LFAs Awareness or Engagement

Not Goals Visits Video Views Rankings Facebook Likes, Twitter Followers

Whats Your Goal?

Sales? Conversions? Leads? Awareness? These are all valid goals depending upon your business.

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 Measure what makes sense, not simply

whats measurable.
- Use your goals to create actionable KPIs that measure success.
- Good KPIs should serve as reliable indicators and predictors of your goals. - Statistical modeling and correlation can help but be careful.

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Lets look at an example.

I need search volumes on Macbook Air

And Macbook Pro.

Sure Boss
MBA gets 4 million searches/month MBP gets 9 million searches/month
Your Boss

Why?
Were marketing a newsletter to Mac owners Well, you should use sales numbers then. Really? Yes! Theres more Macbook air owners than Pro owners
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Reporting vs. Analytics.

Looking Deeper than Visits over Time

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Reporting shows what the number is. Analytics tell why and what we should do about it
Act * tion * able adj \ak-sh(-)n-bl\ 1: Capable of being acted upon Whats happening and what should I do about it? - your boss or client.

Rule of Thumb: If it doesnt contain words, insights, actions, or recommendations its NOT analytics.

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Reporting:

Actionable Analysis: Its 4th and inches from the 36. Our RB is averaging 2.3 YPC and our kickers range is 42 yards.

Down: 4 Ball Location : 36 yd line

Reporting vs. Actionable Analytics.

Referee Rhea Demonstrates the Difference.

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Quantum Measurement: The Observer Effect

Correlation is NOT causation. Optimizing toward one variable MAY change your correlation. Example: YouTube Views Correlate To Sales.
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You Cant Have Half of a Funnel

If you dont fill the top, nothing comes out at the bottom.

Bad things also happen if you plug the hole at the bottom.

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That Same Funnel Can Be Used For Keywords

Head Keywords
UFAs Upper Funnel Activities

Home Page
Category Pages

Sub Category Pages

Long Tail Keywords
LFAs Lower Funnel Activities

Product pages

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The SEO Process Revolves Around Analytics

Maintenance

Discovery

Analytics

Execution

Strategy

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Lets Look At Some Examples

Tips & Tricks You Can Use Today

Apologize: were about to get all bulleted lists up in here

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Looking at SEO Visits and LFAs.

Ideally, Visits & LFA trends should mirror each other. If theyre converging, build more high funnel terms. If theyre diverging, it may be a conversion rate issue.
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 Tip: Dont just look at keywords, look at

upper and lower funnel actions.

- Bucket Keywords into user intents
Keyword Bucket Cost Paid Rank SEO Rank Paid Visits SEO Visits Paid LFAs SEO LFAs

Navigational Blue Widgets Conquest

$1596 $396 $250

1 1 1 4

1 1 0 12

752 600 250 1004

986 250 0 12

125 481 42 816

400 49 0 3

Red Sprockets $860

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Is That New Title Tag Working?

Paid Search measures click through rates. SEO can too!

Use Googles Webmaster Tools for Impressions.

Calculate theoretical CTR, compare to actual When launching new titles, did your CTR go up too?
Position 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 % of Clicks 0.0% 36.4% 12.5% 9.5% 7.9% 6.1% 4.1% 3.8% 3.5% 3.0% 2.2% 2.6% 1.5%

Crazy Conspiracy Theory: Learn to Use WMT data now if trends continue it may be all were left with!

Get Impressions from GWT with PHP script at http://tiny.tw/9UI

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Tips For Analytics Success

Analytics involves words, insights, and actions not just numbers. If you can automate it, its reporting not analysis. Measure what matters, not whats easily measurable.

Correlation doesnt mean causation. Optimizing for one of the factors may even change that correlation
Develop your goals first, then choose metrics that effectively measure those goals Theres a forest behind the trees. Dont forget to look at the big picture.

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Thank You!
@RyanJones
Manager SEO Analytics

SapientNitro www.SapientNitro.com www.RyanMJones.com

Thank You!
* Download These Slides at www.RyanMJones.com

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