The SEO customer funnel — Tory Gray // Gray Dot Company

Tory Gray, CEO and Founder of Gray Dot Company, connects the dots between SEO objectives, insights, and execution. Waiting too long to measure progress can hinder the success of an SEO program. Rather, by continuously monitoring SEO to identify problems quickly and course correct, SEOs can ensure initiatives are working and communicate the right things to stakeholders and clients at the right time. Today, Tory discusses the SEO customer funnel.
About the speaker

Tory Gray

Gray Dot Company

 - Gray Dot Company

Tory is CEO and Founder of Gray Dot Company

Show Notes

  • 02:04
    Taking a strategic approach to the SEO customer funnel and SEO reporting
    Focus on leading indicators at different stages of the SEO funnel for SEO reporting. Determine the metrics you should be paying attention to and break them down into awareness, consideration, purchase, loyalty, and advocacy.
  • 04:03
    The attributes used at different stages of the SEO customer funnel
    In the awareness stage, metrics like impressions, rankings, share of voice, and breakdown of branded and non-branded searches are important. It is also important to communicate these metrics in language that brand and executive teams can understand.
  • 06:22
    Bridging the communication gap with other teams and executives
    Without effective communication, the value of the work being done may not be understood, and lead to inadequate resources for future initiatives. So, beyond communicating results, the key is to find out how they feel about those results by bridging the gap with effective communication.
  • 07:02
    Tailoring reporting to specific business needs
    The attributes used for reporting vary between businesses and industries, especially in the later funnel stages. It's important to segment and filter data in ways that are meaningful to your specific business and report on metrics that matter to your business.
  • 08:55
    Reporting on revenue in SEO
    Reporting on revenue is necessary for SEO teams to show their value and contribution to the business. By having these conversations with different teams early and frequently, you can set expectations for results and ensure they understand the process and the progress being made.
  • 12:41
    The importance of early and continuous monitoring in SEO
    This approach is critical in order to identify problems from day one and course correct as needed. Report successes promptly, investigate failures to determine their causes, and collaborate with other teams to ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals.
  • 13:59
    Tailoring communication cadence in SEO to fit client needs
    The communication cadence for SEO reporting depends on the client's needs and the frequency of releases to their website. As a result, its vital to advise clients on the importance of frequent monitoring and set expectations for an appropriate budget allocation.

Quotes

  • "If all your revenue and all your results are coming into branded searches, your SEO is probably not doing the trick." -Tory Gray, CEO, Gray Dot Company

  • "If executives don't understand the value of what you're doing, then what you're doing doesn't matter." -Tory Gray, CEO, Gray Dot Company

  • "Should SEO be reporting on revenue? I'm very much on the side of you absolutely have to be or you're not a team member, you're not contributing." -Tory Gray, CEO, Gray Dot Company

  • "If you're reporting monthly, and not looking at the account to realize it's been busted for 28 days, it's too late. You have to understand the cadence of what's happening with your engineering team." -Tory Gray, CEO, Gray Dot Company

About the speaker

Tory Gray

Gray Dot Company

 - Gray Dot Company

Tory is CEO and Founder of Gray Dot Company

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