It's hard to get anyone's attention when you are talking about analytics and data. Often I'll go in to a meeting with a really exciting analytics report. When I start speaking about the data the CEO will say something like, ”Anyyyyyway, moving right along.” And then I’ll say, “But don’t you want to hear me talking about the data?” Then the CEO says something like “Errrrrr.....maybe next time.”

It’s not that CEOs don’t like data. The problem is that the average CEO has to manage data overload. They’ve got data coming at them from every department and every staff member. CEOs have learnt the great skill of selective data absorption, and if you present them with information they don’t think is immediately useful, they will more than likely reject it. So over time i’ve learnt some of the data that the CEO needs to know, wants to know, likes to know.

1. Advertising performance. The CEO loves this data. Because they more than likely have a plethora of people trying to get them to spend on any number of advertising initiatives, the power of the data (especially comparative data between different campaigns) you as an SEO can provide will be impressive. Tell the CEO which campaigns were more effective by way of conversion rates, visitor numbers, page views, and time on site. They love this stuff because it helps them in making decisions about where to spend their adverting dollars next.

2. Organic growth. If the CEO is spending on SEO, they are going to want to know if there was any growth in organic traffic. If there isn’t, they are going to want to know why. Practice your excuses beforehand. Seasonality only works the first year around.

3. Where are the conversions coming from? CEOs need to know this because it tells them so much about the bottom line. If all their inquiries and sales are coming from a particular key phrase or a particular segment of their business, let them know. The data will help them make decisions about which aspects of the business (and website) are buoyant and which aspects may need a little more work.

Even though it's nice to try and impress and sometimes bamboozle the boardroom with your knowledge of the data, try to tone it down. First teach them about the metrics that matter and then give them updates from time to time so the CEO has the right info to make the best decisions for the business.