Rankings and traffic are often the most important indicators of web search success to small business
owners.

Sense a “but” coming? Here it is:

BUT you need to think about these metrics in the context of your business and your own SEO.

They’re typically a good indicator of search marketing success, but take a look at some of the ins and outs discussed here before you sit back and relax—assuming everything’s okay.

1. What’s the Source of Your Traffic?

No website has 100% perfect traffic from awesome sources. None. Spammers hit every domain on the Web to some extent.

Take a look at the source of your traffic in Google Analytics and you’ll see some sources from foreign countries where you’d never possibly do business (e.g., Russia or China). We’re guessing you wouldn’t want any HVAC customers from these areas, an obvious example.

Nevertheless, circumstances can become a bit less obvious. Again, if you’re an HVAC company, how valuable are specific keywords and phrases such as “fix your air conditioner”?

The bottom line is to tread carefully when it comes to your traffic sources.

2. Which Keywords Do You Rank For?

Just like traffic sources, you need to know which keywords you rank for and consider their context. If you have great rankings for keywords that aren’t really relevant to your industry, those rankings really aren’t valuable at all.

It’s difficult to pinpoint all the keywords you rank for these days as Google conceals this data, limiting access so you move over to their profit center referred to as “Google Ads.”

3. How Can an Experienced SEO Company Help?

Technically, your SEO work is never done. You can always test out another thing or try something else to grow your business online. After all, the Web is so complex and evolving so quickly.

Some SEO companies are better than others at finding the right keywords for your niche, which is truly where their experience makes a difference for your company. Others can find keywords that will bring you more business but may miss some of the best opportunities.

This is why you should go with a company that’s played the SEO game for a long time and has thus navigated the murky waters of the business. They’ll know how to choose the highest-converting keywords right away and thus help you reap quick rewards for your business.