Key SEO Metrics
You Can’t Improve What You Don’t Measure
SEO is a long game. But it’s also a data game.
The right metrics tell you:
- Where traffic is coming from
- Whether your pages are being crawled + ranked
- What’s working—and what needs fixing
Don’t track everything. Just what matters most.
The 6 Core SEO Metrics
6 Metrics That Actually Matter
Organic Traffic
Number of users arriving via unpaid search.
Keyword Rankings
Where your pages appear for key queries.
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
% of users who click after seeing your result.
Bounce Rate/Time on Page
Engagement indicators—are people staying and reading?
Indexed Pages
How many of your pages are actually searchable?
Core Web Vitals
Google’s performance + UX speed score (LCP, FID, CLS)
Metrics Comparison Table
| Metric | What It Tells You | Tools to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Organic Traffic | SEO performance over time | Google Analytics, Search Console |
| Keyword Rankings | Search visibility and query alignment | Ahrefs, Semrush, Search Console |
| Click-Through Rate (CTR) | Title/meta effectiveness in SERPs | Search Console, A/B tests, RankMath |
| Bounce Rate / Dwell Time | Page engagement + content value | GA4, Hotjar, Microsoft Clarity |
| Indexed Pages | What content is searchable | Search Console, Screaming Frog |
| Core Web Vitals | Speed + UX health (LCP, FID, CLS) | PageSpeed Insights, Search Console |
How to Track These Metrics
Tools You’ll Use
- Google Search Console (GSC)
- Google Analytics (GA4)
- Ahrefs / Semrush
- Screaming Frog
- PageSpeed Insights
- Looker Studio (for dashboards)
Related Learning
What is SEO?
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How Search Engines Work
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On-Page vs Off-Page SEO
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Audit Checklist
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