Prove the value of SEO by focusing on the right KPIs and correctly segmenting website visitors.

1. Proving the Value of Search
Engine Optimization
Claye Stokes
@claye
Google+: http://goo.gl/SAK2D

2. The Usual Reports:
• Rank Reports
• Link Reports
• Traffic Reports
• Broad, aggregate conversion /
ecommerce / goal reports

3. The Usual Reports:
• Rank Reports
• Link Reports
• Traffic Reports
• Broad, aggregate conversion /
ecommerce / goal reports

4. The Usual Reports:
• Rank Reports
• Link Reports
• Traffic Reports
• Broad, aggregate conversion /
ecommerce / goal reports

5. The Usual Reports:
• Rank Reports
• Link Reports
• Traffic Reports

6. The Usual Reports:
• Rank Reports
• Link Reports
• Traffic Reports

7. The Usual Reports:
• Rank Reports
• Link Reports
• Traffic Reports

8. The Usual Reports:
• Rank Reports
• Link Reports
• Traffic Reports

9. The Usual Reports:
• Rank Reports
• Link Reports
• Traffic Reports

10. Value = Benefits
In order to prove the value of your SEO
campaign, you need to report on what
matters!

11. Value = Benefits
…which begs the question, what matters most?

12. ROI
• Is the campaign profitable?
• What ROI goals are in place, and what is the
plan to achieve those goals?

13. Value = Benefits
Rankings, link counts, etc. are only means to the
end.

14. Calculating ROI
• NEED: Ecommerce tracking

15. Calculating ROI
• Choose the appropriate time frame
– Take seasonality into account with YOY (Year Over
Year) ROI reports
– Quarterly
– Monthly

16. Calculating ROI
• ROI = (Revenue - Investment)/Investment) *100
– Investment: $3000
– Revenue: $3500
– ROI: $500
– ROI Percentage: 17%

17. Not an Ecommerce Site?
• Track CPL (Cost Per Lead)
– Set “goals” in Google Analytics, and assign a value
whenever possible.
• What should be a goal/lead?
– Lead/contact form submissions
– Software downloads, demo’s
– Surveys
– Newsletters subscriptions
– Request more information
– Free analysis
– Phone call

18. Phone Call Tracking
• Use phone call tracking to identify the keywords and
other marketing channels that drive the most calls!
– Mongoose Metrics
– Century Interactive
– Ifbyphone
– Clickpath.com

19. Tracking Goals

20. How to Determine Goal Value
• Calculate your CPL with offline efforts
– Divide your offline ad spend by phone calls you
received from those ads
• Calculate your CPL from CPC or CPM efforts
– Divide your CPC spend by the number of
leads/goals you generated
• More ideas: http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/web-analytics-tips-identify-website-goal-values/
• Then, assign that value to that goal

21. Calculating CPL (Cost Per Lead)
• SEO CPL = Budget / Leads
– Budget: $5000
– Leads: 450
– CPL: $11.11

22. Key: Set Goals
• In order to run a successful performance-
based (based on ROI or CPL) SEO campaign:
1. Know the status quo – e.g. what is your current
ROI?
2. Set goals to move the needle – push yourself!
3. Commit to them and audit your performance in
regular, frequent intervals

23. Key: Your Main Point of Focus
The KPIs you spend the most time thinking
about and reporting are likely the KPIs that
will improve the most.

24. Key: Segment, Segment, Segment!
All data in aggregate is “crap.”
- Avinash Kaushik

25. Segmentation/Customer Profiling
• You can’t get real insights from aggregate data!
Not even from organic keyword reports.
– You may not care about users outside your
country/region/etc.
– Branded and non-branded keywords each bring very
different users to your site!
– Returning customers and potential customers are two
very different groups, and probably use your site in
very different ways.
– Visitors that land on a blog or photo gallery section of
your site are very different from users that land
straight on product pages.

26. Segments You Should Start Using
TODAY
• Default segments (non-paid search, new/return
visitors, visits with conversions, non-bounce
visits)
• Users that give your website a sporting chance: 5-
7+ second visit, minimum.
• Visits from branded keywords
• Visits from non-branded keywords
• Campaign target keywords (If you’re an in-house
or agency SEO)

27. Segments You May Find Useful
• Geographic segments
• Visits to certain sections or categories of your
website
• Logged-in users and anonymous users
• Users that made it to the cart/checkout
process
• Users that have filled out a form or completed
a goal

28. How to Segment in Google Analytics
1.

29. How to Segment in Google Analytics

30. Useful Regular Expressions:
• Branded Terms
– Brandname|.com|common brand
misspelling|alt brand name
• Exact Keyword Phrases
 ^(keyword phrase 1|keyword2|keyword 3)$
• Broad Keyword Phrases
 keyword phrase 1|keyword2|keyword 3
• Keyword Phrases with 2-3 words (long tail)
 ^s*[^s]+(s+[^s]+){1,2}s*$

31. Non-Branded Terms Segment

32. Branded Terms Segment

33. Exact Keyword Phrase Segment

34. Broad Keyword Phrase Segment
• Regular Expression: keyword phrase
1|keyword2|keyword 3
• So, if you are targeting the keywords “toy
cars” and “stuffed animals,” then the following
Regular Expression will target those terms,
along with ANY phrase containing them.
 toy car|stuffed animal
 This segment would include keywords like
“discount toy cars,” “stuffed animal” (singular and
plural animals), “toy cars electric,” etc.

35. Broad Keyword Phrase Segment

36. Long Tail Phrase Segment

37. Main Takeaways
• Focus on the right metrics
• Don’t think for a minute that the aggregate
dashboard reports provide insights
• The KPIs you spend the most time thinking
about and reporting are likely the KPIs that
will improve the most.