Continued from Part 1
Google Webmaster Filters and Tools
Even though tons of webmasters know about Google Analytics, there are probably many who still do not possess a Google Webmaster Tool. A Google Webmaster Tool could assist you in determining what algorithm update targeted your website.
1) Search Query Information
There’s a tab inside the Google Webmaster Tool entitled ‘Traffic’ which carries a link for ‘Search Queries.’ The tab uncovers the clicks and impressions for queries which returned webpages inside search results. You could see impression information and click information right from the Google property. As Google Analytics will rely on clicks to your website, the information will display how many impressions your information will be getting for queries upon Google. We can see the rise or fall in clicks and impressions, for our purposes, as the different algorithm updates came about.
You might imagine, it’s a good method of seeing the impact of specific algorithm updates. Default view will be thirty days back, yet you now can choose a bigger time range. To repeat, let us check April 1 – May 15 to see clicks and impressions.
Example Search Queries Report within the Google Webmaster Tool:
You can, at this time, begin to identify click and impression problems. If targeted by Penguin, you may view a sharp drop-off upon April 24th then lower degrees beyond. If targeted by Panda, you may view a sharp drop-off upon April 19th then again upon April 27th. Here’s information taken from the Google Webmaster Tool for a website that was targeted by Panda two times.
2) Filter by Internet
Within my assessment of websites hit by Panda and Penguin, I saw something intriguing within the Google Webmaster Tool. For specific websites, utilizing the filters obtainable assisted a few webmasters in honing in upon their issue. There’s a ‘filters’ switch within the top left edge of Search Query report. It allows you filter results based upon numerous criteria. Let us filter by Google property, for our purposes. Tap on the dropdown labeled ‘Search’ and select ‘Web’. It’ll filter your information by Internet-only searches, as well as exclude Mobile, Video, Images, and so on.
Following performing this, you may view more pronounced falls during April 19th, April 24th, and April 27th. It’ll additionally allow you to see keywords which dropped from the web search without blending additional Google properties within, skewing the results.
3) Export Data
Even though the Google Webmaster Tool came out recently an update allowing you to see up to ninety days of search queries information, you cannot go further back… meaning you must export the present data to work with it, archive and assess it. You’ll see two buttons that are titled ‘Download this table’ as well as ‘Download chart data’ beneath the trending graph. Now you can export the data.
Conclusion
The most recent Panda and Penguin 1.0 updates were so very close, it is simple to think you were targeted by one, while indeed it could’ve been the additional one. Utilize the techniques listed here to assist you in deciding what update targeted your site. And form a strategy of attack understanding what cute animal you’re dealing with.
