How to Demonstrate the Genuine Worth of SEO

Whether you’re doing SEO work for various clients or handling SEO tasks for your boss at a small business, there’s always a need to demonstrate the real value of search engine optimization. It’s easy to rattle off the many common benefits associated with well-optimized content and websites. However, if you’re looking for ways to really prove how impactful SEO can be, keep reading for expert advice from the professionals at Saba SEO, a top-tier San Diego SEO and digital marketing firm.

Set Up an ROI Model

If the bottom line is what matters most, show SEO value by using an Excel spreadsheet to create an ROI model. Use the various columns to display all data for all keywords. You can do the same thing for the preferred, or “trophy,” keywords. You’ll be showing expected conversions and click-throughs for each keyword. Focus on organic keywords for specific domains with high conversion potential. However, if organic search data isn’t available or complete enough, paid search data can be just as useful, if not more so. Possible data sources for your ROI model include:

• Keyword data from an initial search of your own site along with data from sources like SEMRush and Google’s Keyword Tool
• Average monthly searches from Google Ads data and various conversion tools
• Domain search rank data
• Share of search engine results page clicks based on available industry data
  
  Note: Potential revenue is calculated by multiplying clicks by your conversion rate by your close rate and your average sale.

Determine the Cost of Getting Keywords via Paid Search

There are times when it’s more cost-effective to make an effort to rank for more expensive paid search keywords organically. This type of keyword value can be estimated in three steps:

• Take a look at your number of paid keywords per segment
• Note how often these keywords are searched for per year
• Break down your model by market share based on cost-per-click data to estimate costs at various percentages

Request a Test Budget

Ask your client or boss for a small “test” budget you can use to show some small SEO wins over a short time. One way to run your test is to get a handful of high-quality backlinks leading back to a page that doesn’t currently have any links. Simply compare before and after results. Your test period can also focus on: 

• Keyword performance
• Off-page SEO tactics
• Various aspects of website content (e.g., improvements seen after adjustments to subheads, content presentation, calls to action, etc.)

Show Improvements with Reports

Google Search Console and Google Analytics are two great data sources you can use to generate meaningful reports to show improvements in things like impressions, clicks, and traffic. If keywords are really important, use reports to show how keywords are performing currently in comparison to what was seen three or six months ago. Reports can also be used to show improvements in: 

• Conversion rates
• Individual webpage visits
• Organic and paid traffic

Highlight Competitor Wins

Anybody running a business hates to see proof that competitors have an edge over them. There are plenty of third-party tools, such as SEMRush, you can use to tap into competitor data. You can then recommend SEO strategies that could boost things like local search results, website interaction, and overall visibility on search engine results pages.

It’s just as important to point out to clients or your superiors that SEO doesn’t produce overnight results. It takes time for a solid SEO strategy to produce results, but you can reassure anyone you have to answer to about search engine optimization results that SEO efforts are easily trackable. Plus, strategies that aren’t working can always be adjusted.

These are just a few of many ways to measure the value of your SEO efforts. If you need help proving the impact of SEO, call on the experienced professionals at Saba SEO, the experts on SEO San Diego companies rely on for comprehensive knowledge and outstanding service delivered with integrity. Give one of our SEO specialists a call today at 858-277-1717.