#1 Rule of SEO: Continuously Monitor SERP Rank

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When it comes to search engine optimization, the number of metrics you can track seems never ending: organic search traffic, branded and non-branded search traffic, inbound links, conversion rates from organic search … but it all boils down to these key performance indicators: search engine results page rankings for your targeted keywords.

When 53 percent of clicks go to the top organic result on the page, and only 1 in 4 internet users ever looks at a second page of results, being at the top is paramount in order to drive organic search traffic.

53 percent of clicks go to the top organic result on the page.

As a part of your ongoing analysis of marketing results, you should be continually monitoring your position in the SERPs for the terms you are currently targeting.

Focus on keywords in two different categories:

Long tail keywords—those longer phrases that are very specific and may not be searched as often, but for which there is less competition. Example: “Asics running shoes in St. Louis”
High-volume keywords—the simplest of keywords that are searched frequently but difficult to rank highly for due to being common. Example: shoes.

A number of independent services are available to help you track your SERP rankings. If you are using HubSpot for your business blog, content management and marketing automation, you already have a Keyword tool at your fingertips. HubSpot’s Keyword tool not only keeps track of your rankings, but also offers recommendations for your SEO strategy based on the volume of searches, level of difficulty and your current rank, pointing out realistic opportunities for improvement. (JONES is a certified HubSpot partner, and we’d be glad to show you more about how HubSpot can bring all of your digital and content marketing tools and CRM software together in one place.)

If you find you are slipping the SERP rankings, you’ll want to take action quickly.

If you find you are slipping the SERP rankings, especially for highly competitive keywords, you’ll want to take action quickly to maintain your position.

A steady stream of content focused around the keyword phrases for which you currently rank high is one way of maintaining your position vs. competitors. Link building is also key to maintaining your SEO performance.

Find more details on improving SEO performance and SERP rankings in these posts:

Monitoring your position in SERP rankings and tracking your customers back to the original channels that led them to your site, including organic search, is all part of proving the ROI of your marketing efforts. When done correctly, it can help you directly link keywords to profits and continually refocus your efforts on those terms that are truly generating revenue for your company.

There are many more specific details on how to analyze your marketing metrics to determine ROI and inform future efforts in our free ebook: Unlock Your Marketing ROI With Analytics. Don’t just guess at which strategies are paying off. Know.