Keyword Not Provided in Analytics – Why do I Keep Seeing This?

More and more recently we have noticed an increase within Google Analytics and WordPress Site Stats that the keyword or search terms being used by visitors to your website are now listed as ‘Keyword not provided’.

Obviously this is pretty challenging when you are trying to optimise your website in favour of your more effective keywords. It’s also hard to tell what’s working for you if you are producing a lot of unique content and articles.

So why is this happening?

So firstly, some of this is out of Google’s/WordPress’s hands. Some global search engines choose to not reveal search terms for ‘privacy reasons’. Secondly, since September 2013 Google has started to rapidly increase the number of searches that it encrypts. According to Hubspot this could eventually become the case for every single search that any user performs on any Google search engine.

Of course official reasons for this are sketchy and mostly dance around the ‘privacy reasons’ as mentioned earlier, but many of us can’t help but think that given that search terms will still be provided on Google Adwords paid clicks, that this is a move by Google to steer us more towards paid advertising. I also think there is a valid reason to assume it’s an effort to crack down on over-optimised sites by putting the emphasis firmly back on unique, high value content that is there for public consumption and not just old school Search Engine Optimisation.

So in summation, certainly any client of Tann Westlake shouldn’t have anything to worry about, given that we encourage and promote the use of natural and organic inbound marketing, through the use of relevant and engaging content.

If you have any questions about this or how it may affect your website or in-bound marketing, please give your Tann Westlake Account Manager a call and we can help you understand the implications a little more. 

How does this effect WordPress Stats in JetPack?

WordPress Stat’s/Jetpack users – Instead of ‘Keyword not provided’ you will see ‘Unknown search terms’. This is essentially the same thing as for Google Analytics users. WordPress.com has some more info for you regarding this listed here.