When Google first launched Webmaster Tools (now known as Google Search Console), I was more than skeptical of its value. I had a hard time buying into XML sitemaps as a must-have SEO asset, and the original results for keyword data were never close to what could be found in web reporting tools.
Fast forward to the new year, and we all know Google Search Console has evolved significantly. One of the key areas where the platform has become essential is in the Search Analytics dashboard.
With nearly all organic keyword data blocked due to “not provided,” this dashboard has become more important in helping SEO campaign management.
And while Search Analytics data is still not reliable for connecting individual keywords to direct leads, the opportunity to build out content marketing campaigns through keyword research is significant.
In this column, I am going to showcase three tactical applications of Search Analytics data analysis that can be applied to make more meaningful, SEO-centric content marketing decisions.
Search Analytics Overview
Per Google help reference, the Search Analytics Report shows how often a website appears in Google search results. Information provided can be filtered and grouped by categories such as search query, date or device.
By default, the Search Analytics Report shows top keywords, based on clicks to the website, over a four-week period.
While this information is interesting, when marketers integrate additional parameters and manipulate the data-based comparisons, keyword insight actually becomes actionable.
A few key recommendations for enabling actionable insight from search analytics data:
Obtain all information possible (Clicks, Impressions, CTR, Position).
Consider filtering based on search type (the default is “Web”).
Assuming you’re in it for the “long haul,” periodically download ALL available information, since Google only keeps 90 days’ worth of keyword information accessible to site owners.
For the scenarios below, we also export a month’s worth of search analytics data, including clicks, impressions, CTR and average position, for use in spreadsheet format.
From there, we use spreadsheet filters and sorting functions to focus on specific subsets of information that are designed to develop SEO-centric content marketing recommendations.
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