Beyond Vanity Metrics: B2B SEO should drive leads 

Many agencies fall into the trap of focusing on clicks, page views, bounce rates, and social media followers, only to realize that these numbers might not reflect the true impact of their SEO efforts. It's time we move beyond these superficial metrics and introduce a more meaningful approach: placing lead generation at the core of B2B SEO.

What are vanity metrics in B2B SEO?

Let's start by defining what vanity metrics are and looking at some examples:

Clicks

‍A click is simply a user clicking on a link or a button. While it's great to have people engaging with your content, clicks alone don't give you any insight into the quality of your traffic or the likelihood of a conversion.

Page views

‍This metric refers to the number of times a webpage has been viewed. But remember, more page views don't necessarily mean more sales or leads. A high number of page views might just mean that people are browsing without taking any action.

Bounce rate

‍A bounce occurs when a visitor leaves your site after viewing only one page. While a high bounce rate could indicate a problem with your content or site design, it's not always indicative of poor performance. In some cases, users might simply find the information they need on that one page and leave.

Social media followers

‍Gaining followers on social media platforms is nice, but it doesn't necessarily translate to increased revenue or leads. Followers might not even be part of your target audience, making this metric less relevant to your B2B SEO strategy.

The main limitation of relying solely on vanity metrics for B2B SEO success is that they don't tell the whole story. Sure, it's essential to keep an eye on these numbers, but they shouldn't be the primary focus of your B2B SEO strategy. Instead, concentrate on metrics that truly reflect the impact of your SEO efforts on lead generation and revenue growth.

Read more: B2B SEO need not be boring: 5 ways you can jazz up your organic marketing efforts

Real revenue-focused metrics you should focus in B2B SEO

Organic search traffic growth

‍Rather than just focusing on clicks or page views, track the overall growth in organic search traffic to your website. This will give you a better idea of how well your SEO efforts are performing in attracting potential customers.

Keyword rankings for relevant and high-intent search terms:

Keep an eye on how your website ranks for specific keywords that are relevant to your target audience and have a high conversion potential. Improving your rankings for these high-intent terms can directly impact your lead generation efforts.

Click-through rate (CTR):

CTR measures the percentage of users who click on a link or a call-to-action (CTA) compared to the total number of impressions. A higher CTR indicates that your content is engaging and relevant to your audience, which can lead to increased conversions.

Conversion rate:

This metric reveals the percentage of website visitors who complete a desired action, such as filling out a contact form, signing up for a newsletter, or making a purchase. Tracking conversion rates helps you assess how effectively your SEO efforts are driving leads and sales.

Cost per acquisition (CPA):

‍CPA measures the average cost of acquiring a new lead or customer through your SEO efforts. By tracking and optimizing your CPA, you can ensure that your B2B SEO strategy is cost-effective and delivering a solid return on investment.

Read more: The Blueprint to Effective B2B Customer Acquisition in 2023

Lead quality and lead scoring:

‍Not all leads are created equal. Assess the quality of the leads generated by your SEO efforts and implement lead scoring to prioritize those with the highest potential to convert into customers.

Customer Lifetime Value (CLV):

CLV is the estimated total revenue that a customer will generate for your business over the entire duration of their relationship with you. Focusing on CLV helps you make data-driven decisions about which SEO strategies are most likely to attract high-value customers.

Return on Investment (ROI) of SEO efforts:

Ultimately, the success of your B2B SEO strategy should be measured by the ROI it generates. Track the revenue and leads generated through your SEO efforts and compare them to the costs of implementing and maintaining your SEO strategy.

Five ways you can prioritize lead generation in B2B SEO

Leveraging marketing automation CRM tools:

Marketing automation and CRM tools can help you streamline your lead generation process by automating tasks like lead capture, scoring, and nurturing. These tools can track and analyze user behavior, enabling you to deliver personalized and targeted content to your audience, ultimately improving conversion rates. Additionally, they allow you to segment leads based on various criteria, ensuring that your marketing efforts are tailored to the specific needs and preferences of each lead, resulting in more effective lead nurturing and higher conversion rates.

Align with buyer’s journey:

‍A well-rounded B2B SEO strategy should consider the entire sales funnel, from awareness to conversion. This means creating content and optimizing your website for each stage of the buyer's journey. For example, at the top of the funnel, focus on generating awareness by targeting informational keywords and creating educational content. In the middle of the funnel, emphasize consideration by showcasing case studies, testimonials, and product comparisons. Finally, at the bottom of the funnel, drive conversions by optimizing landing pages, calls to action, and lead capture forms. 

Collaborate with sales teams:

To maximize the effectiveness of your B2B SEO efforts, it's crucial to maintain open communication and collaboration between your marketing and sales teams. Sales teams can provide valuable insights into the needs, preferences, and pain points of your target audience, helping you create more targeted and relevant content. They can also offer feedback on the quality of the leads generated through your SEO efforts, allowing you to refine your targeting and optimization strategies. 

Utilize thought leadership:

Establish your brand as an authority in your industry by consistently creating and sharing informative, insightful, and valuable content. This includes blog posts, whitepapers, case studies, webinars, and podcasts. By offering valuable resources, you'll attract and engage your target audience, encouraging them to explore your products or services and become leads.

Implementing local SEO:

If your B2B business serves clients in specific geographic locations, optimize your website and online presence for local search. This includes creating and optimizing local business listings on platforms like Google My Business, using location-specific keywords, and collecting and showcasing positive reviews. Focusing on local SEO will help you attract leads from your target regions and increase the chances of converting them into customers.

Want to learn more on local SEO and Global SEO? Check out this blog Local SEO vs Global SEO: A Comprehensive Guide.

Unfortunately, many agencies still chase vanity metrics, leading to superficial successes that don't necessarily translate to actual business growth. Here at Freshboost, we take a different approach. We work closely with clients to understand their specific needs and objectives, and then craft customized SEO strategies that drive high-quality leads, improve conversion rates, and ultimately, boost revenue. If you work with us, you will be investing in a B2B SEO strategy that delivers real, meaningful results.

Start with our B2B SEO audit to know how we work.

Read more:

• Why SEO is More than Just Numbers: The Psychological Factors and Storytelling Skills at Play
• Four ways you can use storytelling to make SEO content stand out

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