Rank ranking based on keywords is probably the most misused and overrated metric in search engine optimization (SEO). While tracking the current positions is of great importance for sure, it could be problematic if you overemphasize this metric. This is especially when considering the marketing plans you can afford based on your budget.
Let’s see what metrics you need to focus on to generate better results.
What are the Over-rank Problems in SEO?
You can easily get sucked into keyword rank tracking since it is so visible. Many people are inclined to use most popular keywords for their businesses. Yes, it feels good to be at the top. However, keep in mind that it doesn’t necessarily mean that your search results will always be consistent if you do so. Google search results may vary widely based on various criteria and factors. The two most important variables that can considerably impact your rankings are personalization and location.
To get a 100% clear sense of your Google rankings, you’ll need to scan, check, and monitor all the inconsistencies on the Internet. That could be a time-consuming and difficult task to do. What’s more, it isn’t the genuine measure of success and it can get you to make wrong strategic decisions. Just imagine what results you could have achieved if that time has been spent producing engaging pieces of content that can drive more conversions and traffic.
What Should You Concentrate On?
As you may already know, targeted traffic plays a key role in gaining higher ranks. Most searches (about 75%) involve long-tail phrases and keywords. That’s because those terms are capable of driving highly targeted traffic, as they are more focused and specific. With help of long-tail phrases, you can make an effective strategy that drives more visitors, especially target audience, to your website. That means more conversions and transactions.
Once you increase website traffic, it’s important to convert it into paying consumers. This where conversion rate optimization (CRO) comes in! Make use of CRO strategies to get the best results.
Knowing how and where your targeted visitors find you on the web is more important than understanding where you’re ranking. Luckily, Google Analytics is designed as an analytics service that reports and tracks website traffic for free. So there’s no excuse to avoid monitoring your traffic. Be sure to do this once a week to know exactly where you’re standing as well as if your efforts yield results.
According to Forbes Insights, only 21% of marketers are willing to hire analytics services to find out the return on investment (ROI) of their marketing campaigns. Unfortunately, many site owners don’t take advantage of analytics services and tools. This is because traffic tracking is not as attractive as rank tracking. However, it has been proven to be more efficacious and profitable. This is particularly true in the long run.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that you should pay attention to things which have a strong influence on your business rather than bothering yourself with insignificant metrics. Let the specialized services do that job for you. That will give you more time to focus on methods that drive traffic and set conversion goals.
