Site Search Tracking: Google Analytics Reveals A Wealth of Information
Posted by Linda in Internet Marketing, Marketing Research, tags: site search tracking: google analyticsSite search tracking: Google analytics reveals a wealth of information about how your site or blog is being indexed and searched. And if you have an online business, pursuing search traffic is a vital part of marketing.
So I decided to do a short series of posts on using Google analytics to help you attract search traffic to your site or blog. This series will include three related topics:
I’ll cover the first of these topics in this post and the remaining ones in my next two posts.
Site Search Tracking
Google Analytics Reveals
Which Pages Or Posts
Aren’t Indexed
Monitoring your Google analytics can help you determine which pages of your blog or site are being searched. If they’re not being searched it’s because:
- Google hasn’t indexed your pages or posts.
- No one searches for the keywords or phrases used, or
- There’s too much competition for those keywords or phrases.
Google Hasn’t Indexed
The Pages Or Posts
If Google hasn’t indexed some of your pages, it may be because you haven’t made it easy for the Google bots to find them. Either you don’t have a bot-friendly site map or you haven’t done a good job of internal linking.
For example, I had failed to do internal linking of my blog posts, and was getting almost no search traffic. I spent a day linking as many as logically fit with other posts and pages. Within a week, my search engine traffic tripled.
That was a couple of months ago, and my search engine traffic continues to grow. Still when I analyzed Google analytics for September, I discovered that a third of my posts are still not being searched. I have a bot-friendly site map so I have to look at the remaining two reasons to explain why those posts aren’t being searched.
No One Searches For
The Keywords Or Phrases Used
Conducting keyword research is necessary for every post/page that you publish. If you don’t bother with keyword research, you run into one of two problems.
The first problem is that no one searches for the keywords or phrases that you used. If you don’t use well-researched keywords, it’s likely that your post/page will never appear in search results.
If you aren’t doing keyword research, you need to get a good keyword tool and start immediately. I like and use Nichebot. I used to use WordTracker, but Nichebot includes WordTracker, Google, and several other keyword tools.
It also enables you to do Latent Semantic Index (LSI) research for your keywords to assure that Google considers what you write relevant to the keyword phrase. Plus you can spy on your competitors with it. And you get it all for about what you’d pay for WordTracker. I’ve been pleased with and recommend Nichebot for doing keyword research.
You can read about some of my LSI results by clicking on the link above. And if you want to try Nichebot’s, 14 day trail for just $1, click Nichebot.
There’s Too Much Competition
For Those Keywords Or Phrases
The second problem is that your competitors are doing a better job with the keywords than you are. If enough competitors have better onsite and off site SEO, your page/post will appear so far back in the search results that no one will find it.
This site is not about SEO, and I’m certainly not an SEO expert, but there are many blogs and sites that provide free SEO information. In fact, Google provides much helpful information that you can use to improve how well your blog/site competes for keywords.
Site Search Tracking
Google Analytics Reveals
Which Pages Or Posts Aren’t Indexed
Conclusion
If Google analytics reveals that you have posts or pages that aren’t bringing you search traffic, investigate which one or combination of the three possible causes above is the culprit.
Then make changes to improve your search results for the posts or pages not presently getting any search traffic.
You can get a top ten search result from Google. The Google Spot Web Marketing System makes it possible for a fraction of the cost of hiring an SEO company to do it for you.
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Posted 10-03-08:
Site Search Tracking: Google Analytics
Reveals A Wealth of Information
Entries (RSS)
I’m new to blogging and all the stuff that goes with it. But thank you for the info, I didn’t even realize GA existed. I’m an avid reader now!
JKefs last blog post..What Can You Do to Stop Panic Attacks?
Hi JKef,
I’m glad you liked this post. I hope you will come back often.
Warmly,
Linda
Hi Linda! Thanks for this great series. Once again, you are very thorough. I think I will have to join you and spend an afternoon linking more of my pages. That’s a great idea! Deb
Go beyond Google Analytics and use additionally a web service that reveals the company names of your website visitors.
That’s useful information for your lead generation as you can contact these companies to find out if there is a real demand for your products or solutions.
Wow, another great post! I’ve bookmarked your site and will return on a regular basis. I have a blog tha’t not getting the traffic I think it should be getting and I think I’m going to work on the linking. What a great idea, and for some reason, I never thought about that before.
Thanks again!
Debbie, Engago and Clint,
Thanks for your comments. I’m glad you learned from my experience on internal linking.
Engago, tell us more about the service that identifies visitors by name.
Warmly,
Linda
Linda: The information you share is fantastic. I use google analytics but really learned the power of it once I dove deeper into it. Its powerful & FREE ;~)
Arizona SEOs last blog post..Check out These Youngest Bloggers
Hi Arizona,
I agree that Google analytics is powerful, but wonder if you know more about using it than I do. Would you be interested in doing a guest post on all that you’ve learned since diving into it deeply?
If so let me know.
Warmly,
Linda
A fantastic read….very literate and informative. Many thanks….what theme is this you are using and also, where is your RSS button ?
Hi Check Pagerank,
Sorry, you didn’t find my RSS button. It was on there but has apparently been removed.
My greatest weakness in this business is my lack of technical skills. I did have a technical assistant who handled such things for me, but I had to let him go.
I’d like to find someone who will do technical tasks for me in return for me writing for him/her. If you know anyone that’s interested in such a trade of skills, please have them contact me by telephone. The number is on my about page at http://StrategicMarketSegmentation.com/contact.php.
Warmly,
Linda
@Jenna, you look like you know what you’re talking about. Would you care sending me your mail address? I would like to chat more with you.
Hi Finance,
My name is Linda not Jenna. You can find my email address on my contact page.
Warmly,
Linda
I think google analytics is a great tool. It’s nice tool to help figure out whats working and whats not working. Bounce rate is one thing that helped me learn to develop better article format.
Cole LI´s last blog ..Updates Our Auto Quote System
Hi Linda, I use both Google Analytics and Piwik Analytics for my tracking and I make new pages on many of my sites based on the keywords that people find me for. Great post! I think that, with all of the information that there is on search optimization, there are not enough people teaching others to locate and use these keywords. It’s one of the more important bits of information that I share with my subscribers.
Dave´s last blog ..Arizona SEO Experts Against Racism
Hi, I just came from Google and wanted to take my time to thank you for adding this to the website. It is very informational on curing panic attacks and it has helped me understand more about them. I will be sure to see what else you have to offer. Thanks once again!
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