The great thing about search engine optimization is that it can provide great long-term results and positive ROI for a relatively small investment. The bad thing about search engine optimization is that many companies simply have no idea how to measure their success. With that in mind, Range Online Media's Todd Friesen has put together an excellent article that outlines five key metrics that you'll want to measure when tracking your organic optimization campaigns.

The five metrics are all pretty simple in concept, but Friesen does a nice job of explaining both why you should track them and HOW you should track them. For example, when it comes to revenue tracking, Friesen says it's not enough to simply measure increases over time.

>>Revenue. Of all the metrics, it is most important to compare revenue generated from natural search annually. It's not completely fair to credit SEO with a monthly revenue gain. However, if your overall revenue is significantly greater in the current month relative to the same period last year, you can give your SEO campaign a pat on the back (or maybe even a budget boost).

To catch Friesen's thoughts on tracking rankings, traffic, ROI and exposure, you can read the entire article over at MediaPost Publications.