The eight KPIs that matter
| KPI | Where to find it | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Organic leads or sales | GA4 conversions, CRM | Whether SEO brings business |
| Organic revenue | GA4, sales records | The return |
| Organic clicks | Search Console | Traffic from search |
| Impressions | Search Console | Visibility, an early signal |
| Rankings for target keywords | Rank tracker, Search Console | Progress on priority searches |
| Indexed pages | Search Console Pages report | Technical health |
| Core Web Vitals | Search Console, PageSpeed Insights | Page experience |
| Referring domains | Ahrefs, Semrush | Authority growth |
Leading and lagging indicators
Leading indicators move first: pages indexed, impressions, rankings moving from page three to page two. They show the work is taking effect.
Lagging indicators follow: clicks, leads, revenue. They are what you are paying for.
In the first three months, judge by leading indicators. After six, judge by leads.
Local and AI KPIs
- Local: calls, messages and direction requests from your Google Business Profile, and map rankings across your area.
- AI search: how often your brand is mentioned or cited when a set of test prompts is run through ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity each month.
Vanity metrics to ignore
- Total number of keywords ranked, when most bring no visitors
- Domain authority scores on their own
- Number of backlinks without regard to quality
- Traffic that does not convert
What a monthly report should contain
- Work completed
- Leads or sales from organic search, against last month and last year
- Clicks and impressions
- Movement on priority keywords
- Links earned
- Plan for next month
If your report is a list of rankings with no explanation, ask for more. See what an SEO company does .
Frequently asked questions
Which KPI matters most?
Organic leads or revenue. Everything else explains why that number is moving.
How often should I check?
Monthly is enough. Daily ranking changes are noise.
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