26 October 2011
Google has recently announced changes to the way in which search query information will be handled by it's search engine.
Users who are signed in to their Google account will be passed to a secure version of the search engine where queries will be encrypted by SSL. Referral data at the keyword level will no longer be available and keyword queries entered by these users will not be shown in Google Analytics.
According to Google, the reason behind these changes is to increase the privacy and security of web searches. However, the move has resulted in widespread criticism from across the search and analytics industry with many commentators questioning the logic of Google's decision.
Mixed Messages
Google has been criticised for it's lack of consistency in introducing these changes. For starters, keyword data will still be passed where users are searching via Google but not logged in to their Google account. This means that some keyword data will still be available within Analytics while other data will be hidden. Google estimates that the percentage of people logged in is likely to be less than 10%. However, some industry pundits think this figure could already be higher and that it will increase as Google+ attracts more users.
Interestingly, Google AdWords will not be affected by the new system so keyword data will still be available for customers using pay-per-click. For many commentators, this fact in itself contradicts the privacy argument espoused by Google as the primary motivation for search query encryption.
Commercial Interests
Many commentators see this less as a matter of privacy and more a case of Google protecting it's own commercial interests. For some, the move has been seen as an attempt to shut out competing ad networks by making it harder for them to measure and quantify traffic quality.
Implications
Not just Google Analytics but all web analytics programmes will be affected by Google's move towards encrypted search.
Keyword data is important within web analytics because it shows how many visitors arrived at your site after searching for a particular keyword. Read in conjunction with other metrics such as bounce rates, number of pages viewed and time spent on site, keyword data can provide a fairly detailed picture of visitor behaviour. This information in turn can be used to improve the website for specific search queries, thereby enhancing the visitor experience and (hopefully) increasing conversion rates.
The fact that Analytics users will no longer have full access to this crucial piece of the jigsaw will make it harder to gain meaningful insight into the keyword queries from organic search results. Although, for the time being, the majority of keyword data will still be available, this is likely to decrease in the future as more people sign up to services such as Gmail and particularly Google+ where users may be permanently logged in.
Analytics users who wish to measure the impact of these changes should read the following post and instructions from analytics guru Avinash Kaushik.
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