Do Ranking Reports Matter More Than Conversions?

TL;DR

Ranking reports matter less than actual traffic, conversions, ROI, and progress toward your business goal. Matt Cutts explains that ranking number one for a trophy phrase is not valuable if visitors do not convert, while server logs reveal which searches bring people to the site and in what volume. Read on to see which SEO signals and site improvements deserve more attention.

Transcript

MATT CUTTS: Hey, everybody. I wanted to make a video that you could mail to your boss or your client whenever they're being a little bit disagreeable because they want to have a number one trophy phrase, where they insist that they want to rank or get ranking reports. So why is it a little less helpful to obsess about a trophy phrase or to really, ... Read More

Key Insights

• Obsessing over a single 'trophy phrase' is less beneficial if it doesn't lead to conversions. It's more important to focus on phrases that actually convert users.
• Ranking reports are less valuable than understanding user behavior, such as what users are searching for and how they interact with your site.
• Server logs can provide insights into what users are actually searching for and in what volume, but they are still not as important as conversion metrics.
• Ultimately, the goal of SEO should be to convert visitors into customers, not just to achieve high rankings for specific phrases.
• Conversion rate, ROI, and user engagement metrics are more critical than page rank or position for a specific keyword in search results.
• Streamlining the buying process and making it easier for users to complete desired actions can significantly improve conversion rates.
• Keyword research and understanding user intent are crucial components of an effective SEO strategy focused on conversion.
• SEO efforts should aim to align with business goals, such as increasing newsletter subscriptions or product sales, rather than merely achieving high search rankings.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why are ranking reports less useful than conversion metrics?

Ranking reports show where pages rank, but they do not reveal whether visitors complete the desired action. Matt Cutts recommends focusing more on conversions, ROI, actual traffic, and the amount of money generated.

Q: Why should SEO teams avoid obsessing over a number one trophy phrase?

A number one ranking for a trophy phrase has limited value when that phrase does not convert visitors. People using it may be conducting exploratory searches rather than looking to buy.

Q: Does ranking number three instead of number five matter?

Matt Cutts says the difference matters less if the user still clicks through to the site. What ultimately matters is whether that visitor converts toward the site's goal.

Q: How can search snippets help attract visitors?

A useful snippet can encourage a searcher to click through even when a page is not in the highest position. Cutts specifically suggests paying attention to the meta description tag as one way to improve the snippet.

Q: What can server logs reveal about SEO traffic?

Server logs show the searches for which people actually arrive and the volume in which they arrive. Cutts considers this more useful than ranking reports, though still less useful than conversion rates and ROI.

Q: Which SEO metrics should businesses prioritize?

Businesses should prioritize actual traffic, conversions, ROI, and money generated. They can also examine how long visitors stay and whether those visitors complete the intended action.

Q: What kinds of conversion goals can SEO support?

A conversion goal could be a newsletter subscription, a product sale, a paid subscription, or another desired action. SEO performance should be judged by how effectively visitors move toward the particular goal the site has set.

Q: How can a website improve its conversion rate?

Study keyword research, server logs, visitor behavior, and the points where people abandon the desired action. Cutts particularly recommends streamlining the buying process after customers begin entering credit-card information and making it easier for them to convert.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Matt Cutts emphasizes that focusing on conversion rates and ROI is more important than obsessing over ranking reports or specific keyword rankings. He suggests that understanding user behavior and optimizing for conversions should be the primary focus of SEO efforts.

• Cutts advises against fixating on 'trophy phrases' that may not convert, recommending instead to pay attention to server logs and user interactions. He highlights the importance of streamlining the buying process and optimizing for user engagement to improve conversion rates.

• The ultimate goal of SEO should be to convert visitors into customers, rather than simply achieving high search rankings. Cutts suggests that businesses should align their SEO strategies with their overall business goals, focusing on metrics that truly matter, such as conversion rates and ROI.