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Easy Measure Analyse SEO With Google Analytics

Figures in Google Analytics To Choose and Generate SEO Report

We have been reading through what web masters and guru’s being writing about SEO, now I can safely conclude that, SEO is not about being at the top ranked pages in search engines (SERP’s). Being ranked high is not actually the measurement towards a successful SEO. It goes beyond that. So what would be the easiest and non painful way to help you measure your SEO. Thanks to Google Analytics, now we can safely see how your site's SEO through the search engine’s eyes, Google.

You’ll probably asking, "whoah, there like tonnes of figures in Google Analytics, I’m totally confused with this figure and that figures". So, the key here is to simplify them. Gather the most important measurements, for you to evaluate the SEO techniques you have implemented. Find the correct measurements and figures for you to quickly analyze and strategise your SEO techniques. Even webmasters having hard times finding the key element of informations from Google Analytics. So, let’s simplify them for time sake, for you and maybe for reporting to your clients and bosses.

Thanks to Jill Whalen, the SEO Guru from High Rankings, this tutorial will show you some of the best secrets from SEO masters. It’s simple enough, easily understood, and the best part, you do not have to be too technically driven in providing the SEO measurements and informations.

What would be the best information to measure your SEO success?

If you really do not have the super spare time, in figuring out Google Analytics figures, the best measurements needed to cover your web pages SEO would be:

1. Organic keyword traffic

2. Landing pages from organic search

It's just basic, so, probably you or maybe your client can easily understand the figures. Luckily, both these measurements can be acquired in Google Analytics and it will be the key elements for measuring your SEO. Keep in mind that the feature from Google Analytics is still under development, but at the time of this article, it is workable and manageable. 

So, login to your Google Account and head over Google Analytics website, and I presume you have already registered your site and verified. If you don’t, you can start register and insert the provided code’s for Google to verify your blog or your website. You can find the tutorial here on registering your website or blog with Google Analytics.

How to find Organic Keywords That Bring Traffic?

Where we can find these measurement in Google Analytics? To get these figures you can start by clicking: Standard Reporting > Search > Organic > Primary Dimensions: Keyword. It will show something like the below image.

The above image will show you sample overview of keyword phrases that brings direct organic search engine traffic to your website.

Where is the Landing Pages That Receive the Direct Organic Traffic?

To see exactly which pages these keywords they landed on, you can click the “Landing Page” link as the Primary Dimension. That will show you something like a sample image above.

Here's the trick. From there, you can take both of these reports and add them to an “SEO Dashboard” that you would easily create in your dashboard. You can have a quick look on a daily basis for this information when logged in to your Google Analytics account later.

Adding your new My SEO Dashboard Feature

Hover above and click the “Add to Dashboard” link and a box will pop up to select which dashboard you want to add it to. You will create a new one for example “My SEO Dashboard” (Note: You can have numerous dashboards names if required.) Add both the keyword and landed pages report in the same dashboard that you have created. After Adding you can click the "Home" and your new dashboard has been created like the below image.

Important: Check both the Timeline and the Table.

Unfortunately, not quite all the data gets transferred over to your dashboard, but it’s still good enough for quick looks when you don’t have time. You wil also want to add the previous keyword report to that dashboard so that you can look at both keyword and landing page information at the same time in your customised dashboard.

Now our “SEO Dashboard” provides a quick view of which keywords that brings organic search engine visitors as well as which pages of the site they first landed on.

Merging both keywords and landing pages data

But the best report of all is merging both keyword data with the landing page data via “Secondary Dimensions.”

If you are at "Home", go back to Standard Reporting > Search > Organic , you then click: Secondary Dimension > Traffic Sources > Keyword , which is located below the given graph report.

Then you’ll be able to see exactly which keywords brought organic search engine traffic to which specific pages of the site. Like shown in image below.

Unfortunately, you cannot save the reports provided within the secondary dimensions to your customised dashboard. However, Google Analytics introduced a new method (in Beta) to save this type of report called “Shortcuts.” All you have to do is click the new "Shortcut"  link at the menu bar above (besides dashboard link). Add a unique name for the "shortcut"  which is to recognisable for example "Keyword Landing Analysis", like the sample image below.

Your saved report will now show up in the left-side bar under a new “Shortcuts” area: Every time you want to see the larger report, just click that shortcut link and you’ll have the report using whatever time period your Google Analytics is set for when you’re viewing it. (Normally Dayly, Weekly Monthly, Yearly)

Automate Reports via E-mail

Want to email this report to yourself, client or boss? Just click on the email button at the top. A pop-up e-mailer will be shown.

Fill out the required sender e-mail address , and choose the format (various spreadsheet formats eg PDF, CSV etc). You can choose to send automatically on a regular basis (such as each month) or you can just send this report copy only once. Be sure to also leave a short message, or Google will provide a prompt for you to do so. A sample e-mailer to be filled and sent to is shown as below image.

Click Send, and whomever you sent it to will have their copy of the report delivered immediately as an attachment in their e-mail inbox.

We hope, with this SEO trade secret, shared by SEO guru’s would improvise your future evolvement in measuring your SEO success. This is just a few of the features that you could easily obtain from Google Analytics. But, the best part, if you are new to Google Analytics and SEO or so, at least it could be a jump start in learning the SEO curve the smart way.