5 Under-the-Radar SEO Metrics You Should Be Tracking (But Aren’t)

Let’s be real—most marketers obsess over pageviews, bounce rates, and keyword rankings like they’re the holy trinity of SEO.

5 Under-the-Radar SEO Metrics You Should Be Tracking (But Aren’t)

Let’s be real—most marketers obsess over pageviews, bounce rates, and keyword rankings like they’re the holy trinity of SEO.

While everyone’s busy shouting about these big-ticket numbers, there are a few under-the-radar SEO metrics that can actually give you a secret edge in optimising your strategy. In this post, we’ll uncover five lesser-known metrics that you should be tracking (but probably aren’t), and explain why these hidden gems could be the key to unlocking better performance and smarter decision-making for your website.

Forget about just staring at the obvious stats; it’s time to dig deeper, get a bit edgy, and find out what’s really going on beneath the surface of your data.

1. Scroll Depth: How Far Are Visitors Really Going?

Most of us know that getting visitors to your site is one thing—but are they actually engaging with your content, or just scrolling by like a bored zombie? That’s where scroll depth comes into play. This metric measures how far down a page your visitors scroll, providing insight into how engaging and well-structured your content truly is.

Why It Matters

If users are bailing out halfway through your posts, something’s clearly off. Perhaps your content is too dense, or your page layout isn’t inviting enough. Knowing your scroll depth helps you pinpoint where you lose readers, so you can tweak your design and content to keep them hooked.

How to Use It

  • Identify Drop-Off Points: Use tools like Google Analytics’ event tracking or specialized plugins to see where most visitors stop scrolling.
  • Test Different Formats: Experiment with shorter paragraphs, more visuals, or interactive elements to encourage deeper engagement.
  • Adjust Your CTAs: If users aren’t reaching your call-to-action, it might be time to reposition or rephrase it.

Scroll depth is like a health check for your content—it tells you if your pages are engaging enough to keep visitors around for the whole show.

2. Time on Page: Beyond Just Session Duration

Sure, overall session duration is a classic metric, but what about time on page? This metric dives into the specifics: how long does a user spend on a particular page? It’s a more granular look at engagement that can reveal which content pieces are truly captivating your audience.

Why It Matters

Time on page can indicate the quality and relevance of your content. If your pages have a high bounce rate but the ones that stick around show strong time-on-page numbers, you might have a few gems that are worth replicating. On the flip side, if your best pages have low time on page, it might mean visitors are not fully absorbing your content.

How to Use It

  • Compare Different Content Types: See whether blog posts, product pages, or landing pages hold attention better. Use this data to guide your content strategy.
  • A/B Testing: Try different headlines, formatting, and layouts to see what increases time on page.
  • Enhance Readability: Optimise content for clarity and engagement. Consider breaking up text with visuals or interactive elements.

Time on page isn’t just a number—it’s the pulse of your content’s engagement. If it’s low, you know you’ve got work to do.

3. Click-Through Rate (CTR) on Internal Links

We all focus on CTR for our paid ads and search results, but what about the click-through rate on your internal links? This metric shows how effective your internal linking strategy is at guiding visitors to more content on your site.

Why It Matters

Internal links are the lifeblood of site navigation. A high CTR on these links means visitors are interested in exploring more of what you have to offer, which can boost overall engagement and reduce bounce rates. Conversely, a low CTR might indicate that your internal links are buried, poorly placed, or simply not enticing enough.

How to Use It

  • Test Link Placement: Experiment with different positions for your internal links—within the content, as a sidebar widget, or as part of a “related articles” section.
  • Optimize Anchor Text: Use clear, compelling anchor text that tells visitors exactly what they’ll get when they click.
  • Monitor User Flow: Use analytics to see how users navigate through your site and identify potential roadblocks in your internal linking structure.

Improving the CTR on internal links can turn your website into a well-oiled content machine, guiding users smoothly from one valuable page to another.

4. Engagement Rate on Interactive Content

If you’re not tracking engagement on your interactive content (think quizzes, polls, videos, and infographics), you’re missing out on a key indicator of user interest. While traditional metrics like pageviews and time on page are important, interactive content requires its own set of measures to gauge effectiveness.

Why It Matters

Interactive content is designed to engage and entertain, and its success should be measured by how much interaction it generates. High engagement rates on quizzes or polls, for instance, indicate that your audience isn’t just passively reading—they’re actively participating. This kind of engagement can also boost social sharing and, ultimately, conversions.

How to Use It

  • Track Shares and Comments: Look at social engagement metrics to see how often your interactive content is shared or commented on.
  • Measure Completion Rates: For quizzes or surveys, track how many users finish the content. A high drop-off rate might signal that the content is too long or not engaging enough.
  • Use Event Tracking: Implement event tracking in Google Analytics to capture clicks, interactions, and other forms of engagement.

Engagement rate on interactive content is a powerful metric that tells you whether your content is truly resonating with your audience—or if it’s just another piece of fluff in a crowded digital space.

5. Organic Conversion Rate by Landing Page

While conversion rate is a standard metric, drilling down to the organic conversion rate by landing page can provide deep insights into how well your content is performing in driving desired actions. This metric tells you what percentage of organic visitors are completing a specific goal (like signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase) after landing on a particular page.

Why It Matters

Different landing pages perform differently, even within the same campaign. By analysing organic conversion rates on a page-by-page basis, you can identify which pages are truly converting visitors into leads or customers, and which ones might need a little extra oomph.

How to Use It

  • Compare Landing Pages: See which pages convert best and try to understand why. Is it the content, the CTA, the design, or something else?
  • A/B Testing: Use this metric to test different versions of a landing page. Small tweaks in layout, colour, or copy can have a big impact on conversion rates.
  • Refine Your Strategy: Allocate more resources to the pages that perform well and rework those that are lagging behind.

Organic conversion rate by landing page is the ultimate indicator of how well your SEO and content strategies are working together. When you know which pages are winning, you can replicate their success across your site.

Bringing It All Together: The Hidden Goldmine of SEO Metrics

When it comes to SEO, the standard metrics are only the tip of the iceberg. The real magic lies in those under-the-radar metrics that many marketers overlook. By tracking scroll depth, time on page, internal link CTR, engagement on interactive content, and organic conversion rate by landing page, you can gain a 360-degree view of your website’s performance. These metrics reveal not only how well your site attracts visitors but also how effectively it keeps them engaged and converts them into customers.

The key is to integrate these metrics into your regular reporting and strategy sessions. Don’t just glance at the numbers—dig into the data, look for patterns, and use those insights to refine your content and design. It might sound like a lot of work, but the payoff is a deeper understanding of your audience and a significantly improved SEO strategy.

Imagine having a dashboard that not only shows you your overall traffic but also breaks down how deeply visitors engage with your content. You could see which pages capture attention, how effectively your internal links guide users, and even which interactive elements make people stop scrolling. That level of insight allows you to fine-tune every aspect of your site, ensuring that every piece of content is optimised for maximum engagement and conversion.

It’s time to stop settling for surface-level metrics. The future of SEO lies in understanding the nuances of user behaviour. By focusing on these under-the-radar metrics, you can make informed decisions that drive real results. Whether you’re a seasoned SEO pro or just starting out, incorporating these advanced metrics into your strategy can give you a competitive edge.

The digital landscape is constantly evolving, and so should your approach to SEO. Just as you wouldn’t ignore the hidden features of a smartphone that make it truly powerful, don’t overlook the less obvious metrics that can elevate your website’s performance. It’s not enough to know that people are visiting your site—you need to understand what they’re doing once they’re there. That’s where these metrics come into play.

Every click, every scroll, every interaction tells a story. These stories, when pieced together, form a narrative that can guide your optimisation efforts. It’s a bit like being a detective, uncovering clues about what your audience truly values and then using that information to craft a website that not only attracts visitors but keeps them coming back for more.

In the end, the goal of SEO isn’t just to boost your rankings—it’s to create a website that delivers value to your audience and drives conversions. And that’s exactly what these under-the-radar metrics help you do. They provide a more complete picture of your site’s performance, allowing you to see beyond the basics and understand the deeper dynamics at play.

So, if you’re ready to unlock the hidden potential of your website and take your SEO strategy to the next level, start by incorporating these advanced metrics into your routine. The insights you gain could be the difference between a mediocre site and a high-performing digital powerhouse.

Ready to Uncover Hidden SEO Gold?

If you’re tired of only scratching the surface with your SEO metrics and want to dive deep into what truly drives engagement and conversions, we’re here to help. Our team specialises in turning under-the-radar insights into actionable strategies that propel your website to new heights.

Contact us today for a free consultation, and let’s start unlocking the hidden potential of your SEO strategy. Because when it comes to optimisation, every detail counts—and we’re ready to help you make every click work for you.