Should we stop chasing rankings and focus solely on conversions?

Does Google really expect SEOs to ignore rankings?

No, and this is where the nuance becomes critical. Google is not saying that ranking is unimportant. It emphasizes that measuring rankings alone without analyzing what they yield in terms of business is mere vanity metrics.

A site that holds the top positions for low commercial intent queries can show flattering traffic while generating a catastrophic ROI. Conversely, capturing a third position on a transactional query with an 8% click-through rate and a 4% conversion rate may prove to be much more profitable.

Why is Google stressing conversions now?

Because Google's advertising ecosystem is based on the measurable performance of advertisers. If companies heavily invest in SEA because SEO doesn’t show clear ROI, Google benefits. But if SEO becomes a profitable and measurable acquisition channel, budgets will balance differently.

This statement also comes in a context where SERPs are fragmenting: featured snippets, People Also Ask, SGE, local cards. The classic #1 position captures fewer clicks than before. Therefore, Google is pushing practitioners to think in terms of value rather than rank.

What does “trophy keywords” really mean?

These are generic high-volume keywords that everyone covets for ego or internal reporting reasons, without a real analysis of their contribution to revenue. “Shoes”, “insurance”, “CRM”: these massive queries often attract unqualified traffic.

A law firm ranking first for “lawyer” without geographical or thematic precision is likely to draw non-convertible visitors. It’s better to target “tax lawyer Lyon” with 120 monthly searches but a conversion rate of 12%.

• Ranking remains an acquisition lever, but it is not an end in itself
• Conversions and ROI should become the main KPIs in client reporting
• Transactional queries with low volume can outperform high-traffic generic ones
• User journey analysis from SERP to conversion becomes essential
• Tracking tools (GA4, CRM, multi-touch attribution) must be properly configured

Does this statement really reflect the ground reality?

Yes and no. For e-commerce and transactional sites, measuring conversions from SEO is relatively straightforward with properly set up GA4 tracking. You can clearly see which category page or product sheet generates sales.

But for B2B sites with a long sales cycle, it’s another story. An organic visitor may view 8 pages over 3 months before filling out a contact form, which leads to 4 business exchanges before signing. Attribution becomes blurry. Google simplifies a complex issue without providing sufficiently granular analytical tools.

What nuances should be added to this position?

First, traffic remains the fuel for conversions. Without organic visibility, there are no visitors to convert. A conversion rate of 10% on 50 monthly visitors generates 5 conversions. The same rate on 5,000 visitors generates 500. [To be verified]: Google does not specify whether conversion optimization should occur at a constant or increasing traffic volume.

Next, this statement can serve as a pretext to neglect technical SEO. A slow, poorly crawled site, or one filled with 404 errors will never convert well, even with the best copywriting in the world. Ranking and conversion are not opposed, they complement each other.

In what cases does this rule not apply?

For media or editorial sites whose model relies on display advertising, traffic volume takes precedence. Here, rankings remain the central KPI since monetization depends on ad impressions, not direct conversions.

Similarly for institutional or government sites whose aim is to disseminate public information. “Conversion” is hard to measure when it’s simply about informing citizens. Google generalizes a principle that is primarily valid for commercial sites.

How can you rebalance SEO reporting KPIs?

Start by segmenting your queries according to their intent: informational, navigational, transactional, commercial. Assign different weights to each segment in your dashboards. A #1 position on an informational query might be worth less than a #5 on a transactional query.

Configure GA4 with custom conversion events: add to cart, download brochure, request a quote, qualified session duration (>3 min + 3 pages). Link these events to organic traffic sources by landing page. If you sell B2B services, integrate your CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce) to track conversions up to the signed deal.

What strategic choices to make in content production?

Rather than multiplying SEO content on generic high-volume queries, focus your resources on pages that target clear purchase intents. A guide on “best CRM for SMEs” converts better than an article on “what is a CRM”.

Analyze your best-ranked organic pages that generate traffic but zero conversions. Either the intent of the query doesn’t match your offer (in which case optimize down or remove), or the page itself fails to convert (UX, copywriting, CTA issues). Optimize what already captures traffic before chasing new rankings.

How to avoid the pitfalls of this approach?

Do not fall into the over-optimization bias of conversions at the expense of visibility. If you neglect technical SEO, link building, and on-page optimization under the pretext that “only conversions matter,” your traffic will plummet. Less traffic = fewer conversions in absolute terms.

Be cautious of seasonal side effects. A rising conversion rate may simply reflect a commercial peak (Black Friday, back-to-school) rather than an SEO improvement. Isolate variables using A/B testing and adjusted period-over-period comparisons.

• Segment queries by intent and weight KPIs accordingly
• Configure GA4 with granular conversion events and organic source tracking
• Link your CRM to SEO data to measure ROI up to customer signature
• Audit high-traffic / low-conversion pages to identify UX or copywriting barriers
• Prioritize content production on transactional queries with commercial intent
• Maintain a balance between conversion optimization and traffic acquisition