154: Measuring Progress

Stop Comparing. Start Improving: A Smarter Way to Measure SEO Progress

If you've ever typed your target keywords into Google just to see where your site lands, you're not alone — and you're also not helping yourself. In this podcast episode, Meredith's husband explains why checking your rankings manually is misleading and how it sets you up for frustration. Instead, he introduces a better way to measure your progress: compare your site today to how it was yesterday.

This mindset shift is rooted in the principle of 1% gains, inspired by a British cycling coach who transformed a bottom-tier team into world champions. The idea is simple: focus on small, consistent improvements. Over time, those micro-wins compound into massive results — not just in cycling or SEO, but in life.

Rather than obsessing over competitors or chasing perfection, he suggests focusing on what’s within your control — your own website. Here are a few actionable tips he recommends:

• Simplify your navigation: Keep key pages out of dropdowns to make them easier for users, Google, and AI bots to find.

• Clarify your headings: Use clear, direct language to guide users (and search bots) through each page.

• Use simple, specific CTAs: Avoid cleverness; tell users exactly what to do next.

• Write for clarity, not cleverness: Avoid overly “cheeky” language that can confuse users or AI crawlers.

These aren't massive overhauls. They’re tweaks — 1% gains — that make your site more effective, more usable, and more findable. And they add up. If you make a tiny improvement every time you revisit your site, you'll eventually build a site that works harder for you.

So the next time you’re tempted to peek at what your competitors are doing, stop. Open your own site instead and ask: Is this page better than it was yesterday?

Next Episode:

Stay tuned for the next episode on AIO (AI Optimization) and how to get your website picked up by language models like ChatGPT and Gemini.