Are your keywords not provided? Google recently announced it would no longer pass keyword referrer information from logged-in users. This means that publishers who use Google Analytics will no longer have access to the keywords that searchers used to reach their site, provided that searcher was logged into a Google account. Google announced this should impact 10% of all organic search queries, but many webmasters fear a larger impact.
Below are some of the top articles surrounding this event.
- Official Google Announcement – From the Webmaster Central Blog
- Google To Begin Encrypting Searches & Outbound Clicks By Default With SSL Search – By Danny Sullivan of Search Engine Land
- Google Hides Search Referral Data with New SSL Implementation – Rand Fishkin does a Whiteboard Friday about the issue and what webmasters can do.
How many keywords are affected?
- Quantifying the Impact of Google’s Keyword Referral Data Shutdown – Results from SEOmoz survey data show that “not provided” keywords are much higher than what Google led webmasters to believe.
Reactions from around the globe
- Dear Google: This is War – Ian Lurie of Portent Interactive offers one of his famous rants
- Google Invests in Privacy for Profit – Rhea Drysdale of Outspoken Media offers her perspective.
- Google Whores Out Users with False Privacy Claims – Joost de Valk tells it like it is on the SEO Book blog.
- Google Puts a Price on Privacy – Danny Sullivan of Search Engine Land
- Reactions From SEOs Come Loud, Fast & Often Angry To Google’s Switch To Encrypted Search – A roundup from Matt McGee of Search Engine Land
Tips for dealing with (not provided)
- Overcoming (not provided) by BlueGlass – Tips from Alan Bleiweiss and Marty Weintraub on how to handle the loss of (not provided) referral data
- #seochat notes on (not provided) – Great tips from Marty and others on dealing with (not provided)
Interested in letting Google no how you feel? Find the online petitions here.
