12 replies to this topic

[blandon]

I wanted to add a post to this thread, but it's locked.
http://www.highranki...entage-growing/

Keywords Unavailable jumped from 12% to 22% in March. What does Google want us to do?

Two sites I manage jumped from an average of 12% keywords not reported (Jan & Feb) to 20% and 26%, respectively, in March. GWT queries reports only 40% of all of the actual natural clicks to these two sites.

What does Google expect honest search marketers to do when we can no longer accurately report the natural keyword segmentation of traffic? We search marketers are held accountable for time and effort we invest in increasing site traffic for the most relevant keyword phrases.

How will we be able to measure natural keyword traffic accurately in the future?

At this rate, we're only a few months away from most of the keywords being blocked.

[Michael Martinez]

I wanted to add a post to this thread, but it's locked.
http://www.highranki...entage-growing/

Keywords Unavailable jumped from 12% to 22% in March. What does Google want us to do?

They want you to authenticate your Websites with Google Webmaster Tools and download the data through their API.

[blandon]

[/left]

They want you to authenticate your Websites with Google Webmaster Tools and download the data through their API.

As indicated, I compared GWT clicks for March vs. Omniture. GWT only reports 40% of the keywords that WEREN'T blocked. The actual number of searches is even higher. You can't rely on GWT queries/clicks either.

[Jill]

Actually, it's very close to the right numbers, although it's difficult to say for sure. I just checked on a specific article of mine.

GWMT says it had 90 clicks Google Analytics shows about 112. That's relatively close and fills in many of the blanks of the (not provided) keywords.

I think I'm going to write about this in this week's newsletter/blog article, so stay tuned...

[Michael Martinez]

You're not going to see an exact match between any two tools because they rarely line up their reporting timelines/windows at the same point on the clock.

Third-party tools may provide greater detail than Google Webmaster tools in terms of clicks and impressions because GWT rounds down.

Nonetheless, you asked what Google wants people to do and I told you what (so far as I know) they have said they want people to do. You DO see the query data in GWT.

[Jill]

Here's the promised article. Basically, things are a lot worse than I thought. GWT is not much help as @blandon noted above.


Measuring Natural Keyword Traffic in the Age of (Not Provided) Secure Search

The first and most important thing to understand is that Google doesn't care whether you or I or anyone else can measure their natural (organic/free) search traffic. Google is an advertising company that uses their search engine as a medium to show their clients' ads. Period. The reality is that it's of no concern to Google whether businesses can improve their visibility in the free search results.

[OldWelshGuy]

Nice article. This is Google preventing keyword based marketing. clearly they are ensuring that the only real data is provided from their paid platform. This means that the same practice many of us have used previously (using paid search to test keyword conversions), will become more widespread, which in turn will push up the cost per click.

[chrishirst]

On the plus side, it should dramatically reduce the "highest paying keyword" MFA splogs that get created.

[Michael Martinez]

On the plus side, it should dramatically reduce the "highest paying keyword" MFA splogs that get created.

Not necessarily. People who see the most dramatic increases in "(Not provided)" referrals tend to be very active on Google+, or encourage their visitors to click on Google +1 buttons.

I have Websites that are still not seeing much growth in "(Not provided)" referral traffic because I'm not marketing them to people who are on Google+. Remember that only a small subset of Web users are actually logged in to Google at any given time. The more technical your audience, the more likely they will log in to Google.

[blandon]

Not necessarily. People who see the most dramatic increases in "(Not provided)" referrals tend to be very active on Google+, or encourage their visitors to click on Google +1 buttons.

I have Websites that are still not seeing much growth in "(Not provided)" referral traffic because I'm not marketing them to people who are on Google+. Remember that only a small subset of Web users are actually logged in to Google at any given time. The more technical your audience, the more likely they will log in to Google.

The site has a high-tech software developer audience. There is no Google+ promotion on the site. I don't think the site has a large Google+ audience.

[piskie]

I see where you are coming from MM, but I don't think that is universally correct.
More techy types (IMO) are more likely to have their own Email associated with a domain than a Gmail account.
I reckon ordinary types are more likely to have Gmail thus log in to Google.
I know that has nothing to do with G+, but I think Gmail numbers probably swamp G+ users.

Entirely my thoughts and personal quantification, so pleasae correct me if I am way off line.

[Jill]

Agree. G+ has very little to do with it. It's gmail and google analytics and adwords. Tons and tons and tons of people are logged into those every day. And it's not like you are automatically logged out when you're not on them.

All sites are being affected. Granted some more than others. But wait until the browsers are all encrypted too. Then we're pretty much sunk regardless.

[Michael Martinez]

Most of the SEOs I know use Gmail but that's a pretty small sampling.

Nonetheless, SEO Theory receives far more "(Not provided)" referral traffic than my science fiction Websites. That is also a small sampling.

Any other data I may have access to is under non-disclosure.

I think you're all correct about Gmail and other Google services being more influential than overt Google+ features. I just tend to think of it all as a great big Google+ world now, and yet most users are probably just logging in to check their email without logging out.