Back in 2006 when I started this blog on Typepad, one of the top values delivered was using my analytics to better understand how and why new customers came to my web site. If those new customers / readers spent significant time on my site, it was always both intriguing and useful to learn what key words brought them onto NorthStarNerd.Org. However in the increased world of online data privacy Google now encrypts and makes private almost all search queries. Thus, upon browsing my blogs analytics, or a more extensive review via Google Analytics, the words "not provided" appears in my keyword search tables over 67% of the time. Thus, for more than 2/3 of my users I now have zero intelligence in terms of what attracted them to my blog.
Thankfully, there is also Google WebMaster Tools. What Google takes away with one hand is returned with the other. This service is provided at no charge, and can even be dynamically linked to your Google Analytics account. Please take a few moments to review these screenshots from both my Google Analytics and Google Webmaster Tools accounts. You'll see that although my analytics account provides little or no value as it relates to keyword results, my Google Webmaster Tools account provides a wealth of information.
NorthStarNerd.Org - Organic Search Results
- Three screenshots (click upon to view at full size)
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NorthStarNerd.Org - Google Webmaster Tools Results
- Six screenshots (click upon to view at full size)
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Login
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Dashboard
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Search Queries
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Links to Your Site
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Internal Links
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Index Status
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Content Keywords
End of Post.
Great insight Rich. Watching the percentages of not provided increase has been frusterating. Google Webmaster tools has become a more critical tool than ever before.
Posted by: Chris | April 05, 2014 at 07:29 AM