How to Find the Benchmark for SEO Organic Traffic in GA4

Investing in SEO but not sure if it’s actually working?

You’re driving organic traffic to your site, but how do you measure its impact without getting lost in the data?

Here’s the good news: Google Analytics 4 (GA4) can show you exactly how your SEO efforts are performing – without the hefty price tag of premium SEO tools.

While GA4 might seem complex at first, with a little guidance, you’ll be able to track key SEO metrics, measure your site’s performance, and refine your strategies for better results.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through using GA4 to analyze your SEO performance and ensure your investment is paying off.

What is Google Analytics 4?

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the latest version of Google’s powerful analytics tool, helping marketers and business owners track website traffic, user behavior, and conversions. But how do you know if your SEO efforts are paying off? That’s where benchmarking comes in.

Benchmarking your SEO organic traffic in GA4 allows you to compare your performance against past data or industry standards. By setting proper benchmarks, you can determine what’s working, what needs improvement, and how to grow your organic search visibility effectively.

In this guide, we’ll walk through the steps to find benchmarks for SEO organic traffic in GA4 and use that data to optimize your strategy.

What Is Benchmarking in SEO?

Benchmarking in SEO is the process of measuring your website’s organic search performance against previous periods, competitors, or industry standards. It helps answer critical questions like:

• Is my organic traffic increasing or decreasing?
• How do my key SEO metrics compare to industry averages?
• What areas should I focus on to improve my search rankings?

Unlike goal-setting, which focuses on future targets, benchmarking provides a real-time performance analysis based on historical and comparative data.

Understanding Organic Traffic in GA4

What Is Organic Traffic?

Organic traffic refers to visitors who land on your website through unpaid search engine results. It’s a crucial indicator of SEO success, as it reflects how well your content ranks for relevant keywords.

How GA4 Tracks Organic Traffic

GA4 uses an event-driven model to track user interactions rather than the traditional session-based approach used in Universal Analytics. This means organic traffic data in GA4 may look slightly different, but it still provides key insights into:

• The number of visitors from search engines
• User engagement levels
• Conversion rates from organic search

Organic Traffic vs. Other Traffic Sources

GA4 categorizes traffic into different sources, including:

• Organic search – Visitors from unpaid search results
• Paid search – Visitors from PPC campaigns
• Direct traffic – Users who type the URL directly
• Referral traffic – Users who arrive via external links
• Social traffic – Visitors from social media platforms

How to Access Organic Traffic Data in GA4

To view your organic traffic in GA4:

• Go to the GA4 Dashboard and select your website property.
• Click on Reports → Acquisition → Traffic acquisition.
• Under Session default channel group, look for “Organic Search.”
• Analyze metrics like users, sessions, engagement rate, and conversions.

For deeper insights, use Exploration Reports to create custom analyses.

How To Connect Google Analytics 4 with Google Search Console 

Integrating Google Analytics 4 (GA4) with Google Search Console (GSC) allows you to access essential SEO data directly within your GA4 reports. This integration helps you analyze organic search traffic, track keyword performance, and optimize your content strategy based on actual search queries. 

Before you can connect the two softwares, ensure you have created a property/stream in both under the same email address.

Steps to Connect GA4 with GSC:

1. Open Google Analytics 4:
   

   • Go to your GA4 property and navigate to the Admin panel (gear icon in the lower-left corner).

2. Select Property Settings:
   

   • Under the Property column, click Search Console Links.

3. Add Link to Search Console:
   

   • Click the Link button, then select Choose accounts to pick the Search Console property you want to connect.

4. Select Web Stream:
   

   • Choose the GA4 data stream you want to link to GSC, then click Next.

5. Review and Submit:
   

   • Verify the details and click Submit to finalize the connection.

What Happens After Integration?

Once connected, you’ll find new reports under Reports → Acquisition → Search Console, where you can see:

• Queries: The search terms users typed into Google to find your site.
• Landing Pages: Pages that received organic traffic from search engines.
• Countries: Geographic locations of your organic visitors.
• Devices: Devices used by visitors from search engines.

Why Integrate GA4 with GSC?

• Unified Data: View SEO and website performance data in one place.
• Keyword Insights: Identify top-performing search queries and optimize your content accordingly.
• Performance Analysis: Understand which pages rank well and which need improvement.

This integration gives you a comprehensive view of your SEO performance, helping you make informed decisions to boost your organic traffic.

Key Metrics to Track for SEO Benchmarking in GA4

Users and Sessions

Track the total number of users and sessions from organic search. A steady increase indicates effective SEO efforts.

Engagement Rate and Average Engagement Time

Higher engagement rates suggest that visitors find your content valuable.

Bounce Rate and Exit Rate

If these metrics are high, it may indicate poor content quality or irrelevant search traffic.

Conversions and Goal Completions

Measure how many organic visitors take desired actions (e.g., sign-ups, purchases).

Pages per Session and Session Duration

These metrics indicate how engaged users are with your content.

Setting Up Benchmark Comparisons in GA4

• Compare your current performance with past months or years.
• Use Exploration Reports to track trends over time.
• Set custom alerts for significant traffic changes.

Industry Benchmarks and Competitive Analysis

• Google’s Industry Benchmarks (available in some GA4 reports)
• SEMrush and Ahrefs for competitor analysis
• Google Search Console for additional organic traffic insights

How to Improve Organic Traffic Based on Benchmarks

On-Page SEO Enhancements

• Optimize meta titles and descriptions
• Improve internal linking

Content Optimization for Better Rankings

• Target high-volume, low-competition keywords
• Update old content with fresh information

Technical SEO Improvements

• Improve website speed
• Ensure mobile-friendliness

Link Building Strategies

• Acquire backlinks from authoritative websites
• Utilize guest blogging and digital PR

Common Issues in GA4 Organic Traffic Benchmarking

• Data discrepancies between GA4 and Universal Analytics
• Excluding bot traffic and internal visits
• Understanding GA4’s event-based tracking

Future of SEO Benchmarking in GA4

With AI-powered insights and predictive analytics, GA4 will continue evolving, making SEO benchmarking even more data-driven.

Conclusion

Benchmarking your SEO organic traffic in GA4 is essential for measuring progress, identifying growth opportunities, and refining your strategy. By leveraging GA4’s advanced reporting features, you can set meaningful benchmarks and make informed SEO decisions.

FAQs

1. How often should I check my SEO benchmarks in GA4?
   

   • Monthly reviews are ideal, but weekly checks help identify trends.

2. What is a good engagement rate for organic traffic?
   

   • An engagement rate above 50% is generally good.

3. How do I filter organic traffic by landing page in GA4?
   

   • Use the Landing Page report under Engagement.

4. Can I compare my organic traffic in GA4 with Universal Analytics data?
   

   • Yes, but expect some differences due to GA4’s event-based model.

5. What are the best tools to supplement GA4 for SEO benchmarking?
   

   • Google Search Console, SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Screaming Frog.