Establishing an effective SEO strategy and integrating it into your online marketing program is essential in today’s virtually connected world. A successful search engine optimization strategy will yield an abundance of data, and can be overwhelming at first glance. To answer the questions, “What do I measure?” and “How does it help me to make better decisions?” you must evaluate each phase of the Search Cycle.

1. Meaningful SEO
Metrics:
Optimizing for the
Bottom Line

2. Agenda
How to Measure the ROI of Search
5 Elements of the Search Cycle
Rankings
Traffic
Conversions
Sales
Repeat Customers
Questions

3. Measuring and
Maximizing the
ROI of Search

4. Measuring and Maximizing the ROI of Search
Understand “Search
Cycle” elements in order Ranking
Testimonials/ SEO
to maximize your SEO Link Baits
campaign
Repeat
Traffic
Customer
Determine:
Marketing/ Search Cycle LPO
What is working? Support
What is not working?
Sale Conversions
Where should you spend
your resources optimizing?
Marketing/Sales

5. Measuring and Maximizing the ROI of Search
Data from each element
of the search cycle
drives SEO strategy
Analytics must be set
up properly in order to
acquire the necessary
data

6. Measuring and Maximizing the ROI of Search
Your analytics should
be able to:
Show which keyword phrases
are driving conversions
Distinguish between paid and
organic search
Track all relevant conversions
including downloads, form
submissions, etc.

7. Elements of the
Search Cycle
Rankings > Traffic > Conversions >
Sales > Repeat Customers

8. Understanding Search Rankings
If you’re not in the top 10, you’re not seen.
It is hard to obtain & maintain top 10 positions.
Search engine rankings are becoming harder to measure.
Determine:
Average ranking for top competitive keywords
Evaluate: What does a difference in rank mean to your traffic?
The value of each of the words you are ranked for
Evaluate: What is the cost benefit analysis of investing in SEO & PPC?
Universal Search: videos, images, news releases, etc.
Evaluate: Do top ten rankings go to these assets?

9. Search Rankings Tactics
Set-Up
Keyword Map to ensure organic traffic is going where intended
Measures to track how long-tail keywords are ranking
Reports for Internal Search Data
Small Changes with Big Impact
Modify Page Title
Change / Add Content
Add More Internal Links
Add More External Links
All top 20 rankings should be further optimized each month
(Except #1)
Optimize Videos, Images, and News

10. POLL

11. Elements of the
Search Cycle
Rankings > Traffic > Conversions >
Sales > Repeat Customers

12. Understanding Search Traffic
Basic Metrics:
# of Visitors
# of Visitors from Organic
# of Visitors from Paid Search
Time on Site
Additional Metrics:
Long-Tail Keyword Data
Branded vs. Non-Branded
Keyword Phrases

13. Understanding Search Traffic :
Long-Tail Optimization
Successful Campaign =
Saturation of Long-Tail SEO
Optimizing for a competitive
keyword phrase = many
related permutations (long-
tail)
Accurate ROI of your SEO
efforts (including long-tail
results)
Tactics:
Use data to identify long-tail
keywords already ranking and
converting.

14. Understanding Search Traffic:
Branded / Non Branded Terms
Understand:
Branded vs. Non-branded (BusinessOnLine vs. SEO)
Brand related keyword phrases are more likely to convert
Determine:
Percentage of brand to non-brand related traffic
The difference in the conversion rate between those 2 groups
The difference in conversions between the categories of non-branded terms
What offline events / websites are causing your brand related searches
Tactics:
Optimize for long-tail keywords around your brand
Tellium Technology can provide additional insight into the origin of brand
related searches

15. POLL

16. Elements of the
Search Cycle
Rankings > Traffic > Conversions >
Sales > Repeat Customers

17. Understanding Search Conversions
Understand:
A conversion can be either hard
or soft
Bounce rate can be determined
by your business rules
Determine:
Which keyword phrases are
generating traffic and the bounce
rate/conversion rate of that traffic
High Bounce Rate Keyword Phrases
High Conversion Rate Keyword
Phrases

18. Search Conversions Tactics
Leverage PPC as a Testing Ground
A/B Testing
Block A / B testing pages from Search Engine spiders
Only change one variable between test pages
Conversions
Have well defined conversion funnels
Have specific and measureable calls to action for any conversion
event
Be sure to test organic conversion pages for all keywords that
drive conversions as well as traffic
Improve content / messaging on poor performing Web
pages

19. POLL

20. Elements of the
Search Cycle
Rankings > Traffic > Conversions >
Sales > Repeat Customers

21. Understanding Sales from Search
Price is a key driver in sales
conversion
Video is a MUST in the current
state of Web marketing.
Universal search features
shopping comparison feeds that
can drive highly qualified traffic
Have an optimized product feed
for shopping comparison sites
like Google Base
Google Base powers Google
Shopping Comparison OneBox
and Google Product Search

22. Sales from Search Tactics
Determine
Which keyword phrases are driving hard conversions?
Are there any affiliate or channel considerations?
Tactics
Differentiate your product/service descriptions from your
competitors and affiliates
Persuasive language that communicates benefits rather than
features
Develop videos, testimonials, reviews and case studies
Offer unique discounts or incentives for people for watch video
content to track conversions from views
Have an optimized product feed for sites like Google Base

23. Repeat
Customers
Rankings > Traffic > Conversions >
Sales > Repeat Customers

24. Understanding Repeat Customers from Search
Segment your data by search, then
keyword group, then keyword to
get the best insight into what
words are converting and the
value of those words.
Determine:
Long Term Value of Your
Customer
Number of purchases the
average customer makes X
Average profit for each of those
purchases.
Acquisition Cost of Customers
Profit Points

25. Repeat Customers from Search Tactics
Provide Viral Tools to Analytics
Promote Happy Customers Set to track repeat customers.
Omniture allows you to track
customers by first time
Refer-a-Friend
customer and repeat
Bookmarks customer.
Reviews and Testimonials Other platforms like Google
User Badges allow for segments (cookie
Featured Customers based limitations).
Customer Community Online communities with
sign-in functionality allow
more accurate data.

26. Questions?
Thank You
Additional Resources
BusinessOnLine SEO Blog
http://www.businessol.com/seo-blog
Social Media Marketing Webinar:
Corporate Blogging Strategies to Help
Hit Your Business Objectives