Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has changed dramatically in recent years. The KPIs we relied on back in 2020 aren’t going to cut it in 2025. This post will explore why we need new key performance indicators (KPIs) for 2025 and beyond and how you can coach your team and leadership to embrace this shift.
The rise of generative AI and the challenges of data scarcity and privacy changes have completely shifted the search landscape. If you’re still tracking keyword rankings and traffic alone, you’re leaving valuable insights and opportunities on the table.
Limitations of Traditional KPIs
Let’s start with rankings and organic traffic. These used to be the gold standards of SEO success. But user behavior has evolved.
- Rankings: In the age of zero-click searches, high rankings don’t guarantee traffic or engagement. Generative AI transforms how users search with AI-driven answers, often satisfying search queries without a single click. This means fewer visits to your site, even if you’re ranking well.
- Organic Traffic: Raw traffic numbers don’t reflect the quality or search intent of visitors.
- Keyword Performance: Limited keyword data makes attributing ROI to specific terms difficult. Remember when “(not provided)” in Google Analytics became a thing? We’re living in the extreme version of that world. Even after a year of adjusting to hidden search terms, marketers struggle to connect the dots between target keywords and ROI.
How can you optimize your traffic if you don’t know what’s driving it? Privacy updates between GDPR, Apple iOS changes, and cookie depreciation mean the data we used to rely on can be harder to access. If your KPIs are stuck in 2020, you’re not getting the full picture of performance.
The Shift in User Behavior
Several factors influence user behavior in search.
- Generative AI Impact: AI-driven answers satisfy queries without clicks, reducing site visits despite high search engine rankings.
- Zero-click Searches: Users often find information directly in search results, bypassing websites entirely and reducing click-through rates.
- Voice Search Growth: Increasing use of voice assistants changes how people interact with search results.
The Shifting Landscape of SEO: What’s Driving the Shift?
What’s driving the shift? Let’s look at three key factors that impact your SEO campaigns.
Generative AI
AI-powered answers from tools like ChatGPT and Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) provide rich answers directly within search results. This means fewer clicks to your website, but it also means that content has to deliver value in ways that align with these AI summaries.
Data Scarcity
We’re operating in a “dark search” environment where traditional KPIs like traffic don’t tell the full story. Most search data is now obscured, making it harder to identify high-performing terms. Between GDPR, Apple iOS changes, and cookie deprecation, the data we used to rely on is harder to access.
The Complex User Journey
A single search often includes multiple touchpoints: SERP features, videos, FAQs, social snippets, and more. If you’re not tracking how users engage with these diverse elements, you’re missing a huge piece of the puzzle. Understanding how users interact with these elements is crucial for developing effective SEO strategies.
New KPIs for 2025
What are these new KPIs? If the old ones are out, what should we be tracking instead?
User Engagement Metrics
Experts recommend focusing on SEO metrics, showing if your content resonates with the audience. This includes:
- Bounce Rate
- Scroll depth
- Time on page
- Interaction rates
According to Seer Interactive, tracking how users interact with your content, not just whether they visit your site, is key to optimizing for today’s search experience.
Search Experience Success
Instead of focusing on ranking for a single keyword, track your search visibility across SERP features:
- Appearance in knowledge panels
- Presence in FAQs
- Ranking in AI-generated summaries
These are the new battlegrounds for SEO success.
Revenue Alignment
Your KPIs must align with business outcomes. Focus on critical metrics that truly matter to the bottom line:
- Conversion rates
- Customer lifetime value
- Lead quality
As Seer Interactive states, SEO is no longer about traffic; it’s about contribution. How are we helping these businesses generate revenue? How can we reach our business goals?
How To Coach Your Team
Let’s talk about how to coach our team and company leaders through this change.
Education
Show leadership why traditional metrics are falling short. They’ve been addicted to metrics like rank tracking and organic search traffic for years. Data-driven decisions are crucial. Use case studies or generate new reports that showcase key metrics, explaining how focusing on engagement metrics like scroll depth can increase conversions significantly.
Training
Invest in learning all the different features available in analytics platforms to track engagement metrics and SERP visibility. Help your team shift their mindset from chasing search rankings to driving real outcomes. This involves mastering SEO tools like:
- Google Analytics 4 (GA4): For understanding on-site user behavior.
- Google Search Console (GSC): For search performance analysis and SERP feature tracking.
- Ahrefs: For competitive analysis and content opportunity identification.
- Screaming Frog: For identifying and resolving technical SEO issues.
This toolkit empowers your team to focus on impactful business outcomes rather than just keyword positions.
Celebrate New Wins
Make it a big deal when a campaign drives higher-quality leads and boosts customer retention. Ensure everyone sees the shift from old SEO performance to the metrics that matter today. The world of SEO is constantly evolving, but there’s an opportunity to get ahead of the curve. As we head into 2025 and beyond, we must refine what success looks like in search. Track what truly matters, coach your team and stakeholders to embrace these changes, and lead your organization to real, measurable growth.
Are you looking for a partner to develop KPIs for 2025 and maximize your SEO efforts? Contact us for a free consultation! And until next time, happy marketing!
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