Hiring someone to handle your SEO can feel like a big leap. You want your business to grow, your website to perform better, and your time to be used where it matters most. But once you’ve handed it over, how can you be sure your SEO expert is actually making progress? Without clear updates or numbers, you might start wondering what’s really going on behind the scenes.
Maybe you were promised more clicks, higher rankings, and better leads. A few months go by, and suddenly it’s not clear if anything’s really changed. You find yourself staring at your site, checking your inbox for leads, and thinking, is this working? You’re not alone. Lots of small business owners across the UK have the same questions. Here’s how you can start getting some answers.
Checking Traffic Trends
One of the simplest ways to check if your SEO expert is moving things in the right direction is to look at your website’s traffic. This doesn’t just mean the bouncing numbers on a dashboard. You want to look at the right kind of traffic, and you want to give it a bit of time. SEO doesn’t happen overnight.
Start by asking for access to tools like Google Analytics or Search Console, if you haven’t already got them. Your expert should be using these to track how many people are landing on your site, when, and from where.
Look for:
- An increase in users coming from search engines rather than ads or direct typing.
- Growth in the number of people visiting pages linked to core services.
- Steady movement upward over weeks and months, not just sudden jumps.
It’s easy to get distracted by overall traffic figures, but it’s organic traffic that matters most with SEO. That’s the traffic that finds you through Google searches, not from paid ads or social media links. If that part is improving over time, it’s usually a sign your SEO strategy is working.
Here’s an example. Let’s say you’re a florist in Leeds, and three months ago you started working with an SEO expert. You look at your Google Analytics and see that visits to your bouquet delivery page have increased from search traffic. You also notice that those visitors are coming from people searching phrases like same day flower delivery in Leeds. That’s what SEO should do – bring in visitors who are already looking for what you offer.
If you're not seeing those kinds of patterns or aren’t given any clear reporting at all, it's time to ask more questions.
Keyword Performance
Good SEO isn’t just about traffic numbers. It’s also about showing up when people search for specific things related to your business. So checking keyword performance is key.
Your SEO expert should be tracking which keywords are bringing people to your site and where you rank for the ones that matter most. If you run a local bakery, for example, you probably want to appear when someone types in fresh sourdough near me or best bakery in Bristol.
Keep an eye out for:
1. A rise in rankings for the phrases that match your actual services or products.
2. Placement on page one of search results, especially the top five spots.
3. Results coming from keywords that show buying intent, like order, online, or nearby.
Over time, you should see your website start ranking higher for a small group of focused terms. If you’re still ranking on page three or beyond for important phrases after several months, that could be a sign that something’s off.
At the same time, be realistic about how fast those rankings can move. It’s common for keyword improvements to take a few months, especially for newer websites. What matters most is progress in the right direction, not perfection straight away.
Just make sure the keywords being tracked actually match your business goals. If your SEO report highlights traffic for terms that don’t relate to what you sell, then that traffic won’t convert. Quality over quantity is the rule here.
User Engagement Metrics
Traffic and keyword rankings tell you part of the story, but if users land on your site and quickly leave, something’s likely off. That’s where user engagement metrics come in. These help you understand what people do once they arrive, and whether your SEO work is pulling in the right crowd.
A few key metrics to keep an eye on:
- Bounce rate: This shows how many people leave without clicking anything or visiting other pages. If it's high, users might not be seeing what they expected.
- Time on site: If people stick around and explore, it’s a good sign the content is meeting their needs.
- Pages per session: The more pages someone visits, the more engaged they probably are.
These don’t just paint a picture of how your website performs. They also help you spot if your SEO targeting is aligned with what real users actually want. For example, if your blog about affordable wedding catering Surrey gets views but has a high bounce rate, you might be ranking for the wrong search intent or need to improve the page layout and content.
An SEO expert should not only track these numbers but talk you through what they mean. They should help you understand why someone might be leaving quickly or not moving through your site. Sometimes, small changes like improving page speed or rewriting a headline can make a big difference over time.
More importantly, this feedback loop shows whether things are kept up to date or just left running in the background. Good SEO evolves as behaviour trends shift, so these metrics offer a window into both user habits and your expert’s approach.
Conversion Rates And Return On Investment (ROI)
This is the moment of truth. SEO that brings in clicks but no conversions isn’t helping as much as it should. The goal isn’t just views or rankings. It’s getting enquiries, calls, sign-ups, or sales, whichever action means a win for your business.
Understanding how to link SEO efforts to the actual money-making side of your business helps clear up any uncertainty. You need to feel like the return matches your investment.
To see if your SEO strategy is producing real results, ask:
1. How many leads or sales have come directly through organic search?
2. Are specific pages driving those conversions, and can they be improved further?
3. Has the average customer journey from click to contact become shorter or more consistent?
For example, say you run a plumbing business in Manchester. Before SEO, most customers might’ve phoned after seeing an ad. But now, they’re clicking your site from Google searches like 24 24-hour plumber Manchester and filling out your online booking form. That switch is trackable with the right tools, and your SEO expert should be showing that shift clearly.
ROI in SEO isn’t about a number being thrown at you. You should be able to see what’s changed, what’s working, and what’s worth doing more of. If the focus is stuck on traffic alone without tying it to conversions, that’s when you know it’s time to dig deeper.
Recognising Progress And Making Adjustments
Even when things are mostly improving, no SEO effort pans out perfectly from the start. Progress often comes with ups and downs. What matters is how your expert responds when results slow or get stuck.
Good SEO isn’t set-and-forget. It involves regular monitoring, small tweaks, and trying new things when something stalls. Your SEO expert should be consistently reviewing performance, communicating updates, and suggesting next steps, even if it’s just testing a different call to action or creating new blog content based on trending questions.
Ask your SEO expert how they measure results beyond rankings. Do they run regular audits? Are old pages being refreshed rather than forgotten? Is there a content plan in motion for the next quarter that matches your goals?
Also, be open to setting realistic expectations. It’s one thing to expect growth, another to expect instant wins. SEO takes time. If your expert is clear, responsive, and always working on the next move, that’s usually a good sign they’re trying to build something sustainable.
You don't need to check every detail each day, but it's smart to meet every month or so to go through updates. This sort of back-and-forth shows your SEO partner treats your business like a long-term project, not a one-off job.
Making Sure Your SEO Efforts Are Paying Off
Staying on top of your SEO expert’s progress isn’t about micromanaging. It’s about knowing what to look for and being able to notice whether things are truly moving forward. Traffic, keyword improvements, engaged visitors, and steady conversions all show that your SEO is doing its job.
But if months are passing with no clear signs of change, or worse, no clear updates at all, it’s perfectly fair to question what’s really going on. You don’t need to know all the technical terms to understand if your business is growing, but a good SEO expert should guide you through the right measures.
Keep asking questions and checking the numbers that matter. A good SEO strategy isn’t guesswork. You deserve proper updates, plain language answers, and confidence that your expert understands your business. If you're still unsure after checking these signs, it might be time to bring in someone who can help you figure out what to do next.
If you’re ready to ensure your business thrives online, our SEO expert services can help you track the right metrics and drive stronger results. At Small Business Superpowers, we’ll work with you to attract more qualified leads and turn visits into real conversions.