SEO reporting that matters (not vanity metrics)
KPIs, goals and reading the data.
How to understand SEO results without getting lost
Good reporting isn't a spreadsheet full of numbers.
It's the answer to one question: "Are we moving in the right direction?"
If the data doesn't help you see that, it's noise — not reporting.
"Good data brings clarity — bad data brings confusion."
1) Start with goals, not numbers
Before looking at metrics, you need to know what you're aiming for.
Common goals for small businesses:
- more leads
- better rankings for 3–5 core keywords
- higher-quality traffic
- stronger local presence (Local SEO)
2) The KPIs that actually count
For most small businesses, useful KPIs are:
- Quality organic traffic (not just visits)
- Organic conversions (forms, calls, bookings)
- Visibility on key keywords
- Impressions & CTR in Search Console
- Local actions (calls, directions, profile views) if you operate locally
3) Vanity metrics to ignore guilt-free
Looks impressive, zero value:
- "We rank for 120 keywords"
- Domain Authority / Domain Rating
- Bounce rate without context
- Sessions with no conversions
- Rankings for keywords with no commercial intent
4) How to read the big picture
Every month you only need three answers:
What improved?
(e.g. 2 keywords moved up → more impressions → better CTR)
What stayed flat?
(pages needing better content or internal linking)
What's next?
(meaningful work, not cosmetic tweaks)
That's actionable reporting — not 20-page PDFs.
5) Why consistency matters
SEO shifts slowly.
Track:
- 3-month trends
- 6-month trends
- changes after meaningful work
- daily fluctuations
- panic over every ranking dip
Bottom Line:
SEO reporting = clear, actionable, minimal data.
Not vanity metrics.
Just the numbers that help you decide what to do next.