More data in Search Console from July 14 – onward
Google recently updated the information that they aggregate in their Search Console Search Analytics. The update is a pretty big deal – if you’re a huge data nerd.
Search Analytics stores Google organic search data from the last 90 days for you without the need for analytics or any other site program. This tool is invaluable. The data stored includes Clicks, Impressions, Click Through Rate, and (average) Position for all search strings that have been entered at Google that has resulted in one of your web pages being shown. This data is aggregated as long as you are shown in the top 350 positions and after that, the data black hole opens up where nothing escapes.
The main change that Google has advised us of, is that this data set will now include data down to the top 450 positions.
How does this affect you?
Here’s a snapshot of one of our clients’ data;
Look at it. Just look at it! It’s gone all wobbly!
“An incremental improvement in Google’s logging system now provides better accounting for results in lower positions. This change might cause increase in impressions, but also a decrease in average positions. This change only affects Search Console reporting, not your actual performance on Google Search.” – Google Search Console
Whilst this doesn’t actually change your performance at Google, with the increase in online competition across all business sectors and industries, this feels like a natural next step for Google, opening up additional levels of detail, of the data available, so that we can all have a greater visibility on the performance of our websites.
In the above example, it appears that the number of impressions has risen in recent days, which has had the normal knock on effect of a lower average position (more search terms are shown at lower rankings) and lower click through rate – due to the lower positions rarely being seen by human eyes and even rarer, being clicked that deep into the Google Search Engine Results Page.
What’s Next?
All imexpert staff will be taking this in our stride and advising all of our clients that there will be a natural period of adjustment but that this is certainly something to be aware of moving forward. We like the added amount of data and are looking forward to being able to run our campaigns and reporting with more information. The more data the better, Google. Please keep it coming, because it’s only with proper, full data and information, that we’re able to make proper, informed decisions to help our clients. Without it, we’re just stumbling around in the dark.