Google Analytics Conundrums for SEOs

Nikki Rae

GOOGLE ANALYTICS CONSULTANCYGoogle Analytics Specialist

Agencies and ClientsGoogle Analytics Trainer

@analyticsgirl

Lack of Formal Training

What you See is Not Always What You Get

When paid search campaigns are not tracked

SymptomKeywords that you know you don’t rank for

appear in GA Organic report

When is Organic Search not Organic Search?

CauseUntracked paid search campaigns including

Adwords, Bing and Yahoo

FixCheck Adwords is auto-tagged/ manual taggedCheck any other paid search source is manual

tagged

When paid search campaigns are not tracked

SymptomDirect traffic landing on varied pages with

difficult to remember URLs

When is Direct Traffic not Direct Traffic?

CauseWhen campaigns are not tracked

When server redirects strip manual tagging

FixSocial Media tagged?

Email Campaigns tagged?Any links in offline docs tracked?

Server set to carry over query parameters in URLs?

Example

Obscure Landing Pages

When paid search campaigns are not tracked

SymptomYour site is showing as a referrer to itself

When a referrer is not a referrer #1?

CauseWhen sub/ cross domains are using incorrect or inconsistent

codeTwo or more sets of GA tracking on a page

Redirect is stripping away cookie information for cross domain URLs

FixUse Google Tag Assistant

Manually view the source codeTest the code using GA Tracking Code

Debugger

Example

Sub domain e.g. blog.futureinsightanalytics.comCross Domain e.g. analyticstraining.co.uk and

futureinsightanalytics.com

View tracking source to see if code has been

amended

When paid search campaigns are not tracked

SymptomSearch engines are showing as referrers

When a referrer is not a referrer #2?

CauseWhen Google Analytics recognises a search

engine as a website

FixManually view the referrers report for any

potential new/ obscure search enginesAdd the search engine by using code

Example

Use _addOrganic() method

_addOrganic(newOrganicEngine, queryParamName, opt_prepend)

When paid search campaigns are not tracked

SymptomGoogle shows in referrer report

When Google shows as a referrer #3?

CauseThe acquisition source Google does not mean

a visit has come via organic search or Adwords

FixManually view the referrers report

Ensure that if looking to view organic or paid traffic, the medium is organic or cpc

Example

Actual Links on Google Sites

When paid search campaigns are not tracked

SymptomKeywords are showing in GA that you don’t

rank for

When a Keyword is not your Keyword #1?

CauseYour tracking code is on someone else's site

FixManually view the hostname report

Use filters to ensure only traffic on your domain is going into the report

Example

This should be your domain name

When paid search campaigns are not tracked

SymptomThe keyword report and matched query

Adwords report are different

When a Keyword is not your Keyword #2?

CauseYou are viewing the Adwords Keyword report

rather than the matched queries report

FixIf looking for keyword inspiration from

Adwords, view the matched search query report

Example

Broad/ Phrase Matched Keywords

Actual Keywords Typed

When paid search campaigns are not tracked

SymptomYou have not segmented out brand traffic

When a Keyword is not your Keyword #3?

CauseYou are viewing brand search traffic in silo

FixBrand traffic is direct traffic, or direct traffic is brand traffic so ensure analyses recognises

that

When paid search campaigns are not trackedKey Takeaways

What you see in Google Analytics is not always what you get

• Check tracking code is on every page of the site

• Check the tracking code contains correct methods for sub /cross domains

• Ensure all campaigns are manually tagged• Ensure redirects are passing query

parameters• For Adwords, use matched queries report• Check hostname report for rogue domains• TEST TEST TEST!

When paid search campaigns are not trackedTools

Screaming Frog SEO SpiderGoogle Analytics DebuggerGoogle Tag AssistantGoogle Analytics URL Builder

When paid search campaigns are not trackedFurther Education

Google’s Analytics AcademyGoogle Analytics Help CenterGoogle Analytics BlogGoogle Analytics ForumGoogle Analytics Solutions Gallery

Thank You