What You Need to Know About Google Encrypted Search
As you know, Google is making search more secure with encrypted search using SSL (secure sockets layer). This will happen when users search on Google.com, but only if they are signed into Google with a secure connection. How many searches does this involve? Danny Sullivan reported that Google estimates single-digit percentages of all Google searchers on Google.com will be involved, although many SEOs believe that estimate is low.
Google encrypted search will protect searches from being watched or captured while users navigate the Internet. Encrypted Google search is not completely private, but it helps individuals and businesses ensure sensitive information is not available to people snooping around. This is a significant change, and it’s a good idea to be aware of the implications of encrypted search and the secured browsing experience. Below is more information on Google Encrypted search.
Google Keyword Data: Organic Vs. Paid Search Results
Normally, web browsers report “referrer” data when users navigate from one website to another. This data tells the destination site how it was found — from a link on another website or a search term entered into a search engine.
With encrypted search, referrer data in organic results will be blocked, so site owners will lose valuable data that helps them understand how their sites are found through Google. They will still know if users come from a Google search, but they won’t know what the search query was. While SEO traffic in general remains trackable, conversion analysis down to the keyword level will not be possible.
However, referrer data will not be blocked for Google ads. If a user clicks on an ad, the advertiser site still receives the same information currently provided with non-encrypted search. Why? Because Google feels advertisers need this additional data to evaluate their campaigns
Search Terms from Google Webmaster Central
As an alternative to the loss of referrer data, Google Webmaster Central allows websites to find the terms people use to reach their sites. Google recommends that site owners go to Google Webmaster Tools where they can get an aggregated list of the top 1,000 search queries that sent traffic to their sites over the past 30 days.
Benchmarking Keyword Search Data
Another alternative to the loss of referrer data is to start benchmarking the performance of your historical and current keyword search data. Metrics to consider include:
• General organic keyword referral reports.
• Specific breakout for primary keyword targets and competitive keyword phrases. For example, if you targeted “wholesale jewelry,” track specific referrals for the term along with the number of times this phrase is used in overall search referrals to your website.
• Percentage of “not provided” data via Google Analytics since Google encryption change.
• Conversion metrics, traffic from link building initiatives and new vs. return visits via organic search.
You can track these metrics once a month and then measure year-over-year improvements and changes.
Third-Party Analytics Tools
Google Analytics reports this change to web marketers with the “not provided” benchmark in keyword reports; however, other third-party tools used by B2B marketers may be slow to address this change. Contact your vendor to find out how it is handling this change. Below are some third-party vendor announcements regarding encrypted search.
• Omniture: The Impact of Google Encrypted Search
• Web Trends: Our Response to Google’s Query String Security Announcement
• Coremetrics & Unica: Google Making Search More Secure
In conclusion, secured browsing and protecting user privacy along with security are improvements that help secure the privacy of B2B marketers’ sensitive information. However, since referrer data in organic results will be blocked, site owners will lose the data that helps them understand how their sites are found through Google. They must either benchmark their keyword search data or get the data from Google Webmaster Tools.
