Hey, Matthew here, co-founder of SEO Gets.
Google Search Console (GSC) is a tool for SEOs, providing insights into how our sites perform in search results.
People have been asking me why some queries in SEO Gets don’t match the click totals.
Spoiler alert: it’s the same in GSC. And it’s Google’s dirty secret.
The culprit? Anonymized queries.
Some queries (called anonymized queries) are not included in Search Console data to protect the privacy of the user making the query.
Anonymized queries are those that aren’t issued by more than a few dozen users over a two-to-three month period. To protect privacy, the actual queries won’t be shown in the Search performance data. This is why we refer to them as anonymized queries. While the actual anonymized queries are always omitted from the tables, they are included in chart totals, unless you filter by query.
I’ve been digging into this issue, comparing GSC data with our API and ahrefs traffic estimates. We took data from well over 1,000,000 clicks across 9 websites of all variable sizes.
The results were eye-opening and changed the way I view our data. (hint: I share my conclusion on how to better use GSC data at the end of this article.)
Case Study Methodology
We analyzed GSC data from 9 different websites (3 small sites, 3 medium sites, and 3 large sites), varying in size from small local businesses to large e-commerce sites. This range allowed us to see if site size affected the anonymized query issue.
We also broke it down by filtering with branded and non-branded traffic filters.
You can view our data source yourself here.
For each site, we examined five key metrics:
- Clicks & impressions from GSC from the query level.
- Clicks & impressions from GSC from the page level.
- Clicks & impressions from GSC’s API (SEO Gets) at the query level.
- Clicks & impressions from GSC’s API (SEO Gets) at the page level.
- Estimated traffic from Ahrefs during the same time period.
We pulled this data directly from GSC and compared it with data from the GSC API. This comparison revealed some interesting discrepancies.
To ensure accuracy, we exported data over a 3-month and 12-month period. This helped us identify any patterns or trends in how GSC handles anonymized queries.
We also cross-referenced our findings with data from Ahrefs to see how third-party tools compare to GSC’s reporting.
By examining these metrics across different site sizes and over time, we aimed to uncover the true extent of the anonymized query issue and its impact on SEO analysis.
This methodical approach set the foundation for our key findings, which we’ll dive into next.
Key Findings
1. Query visibility varies dramatically across sites.
Our analysis revealed significant disparities in query visibility across different site sizes:
- Small sites: Query visibility ranged from 0% to 37%, with an average of 18.3%.
- Medium sites: Showed a wider range, from 21% to 61%, averaging 39.7%.
- Large sites: Demonstrated the highest visibility, ranging from 63% to 88%, with an average of 76.3%.
This variance isn’t just between size categories. Even within the same category, we observed substantial differences.
For medium sites, for instance, we saw visibility rates of 37%, 21%, and 61% in traffic order.
2. The GSC API consistently reports more click data than the interface.
The difference ranges from 0% to 12.5% more clicks at the query level. However, there appears to be a direct relationship to the size of the website.
My guess is that is has to do with GSC having a 1k row limit, whereas SEO Gets allows for 50k rows.
3. At the page level, both GSC and the API show closer to 100% of clicks.
When analyzing data at the page level, we found that both GSC and the API provide a more complete picture:
- Small sites: Page-level data showed 97.2% to 101.5% of total clicks.
- Medium sites: Ranged from 98.7% to 102.3% of total clicks.
- Large sites: Demonstrated 99.1% to 103.8% of total clicks.
Interestingly, we observed instances where page-level data exceeded 100% of reported clicks. This over-reporting, ranging from 0.2% to 3.8%, is likely due to the data being tracked at the URL level and not the domain level.
This means if it’s a branded search, they may get 3-5 impressions at the url level, but only 1 at the domain level.
4. Filtering reveals an interesting quirk.
If you have 1,000 total clicks but only 600 visible due to anonymization, filtering for branded and non-branded terms will sum to 600, not 1,000. This aligns with Google’s explanation that anonymized queries are omitted when filters are applied.
So you can’t filter down to try to gain more information. It’s the same # of query and page clicks (if not sometimes less).
There’s no clear pattern to query anonymization based on site size or traffic volume. This inconsistency makes it hard to predict data limitations across different projects.
These findings have significant implications for SEO analysis. The discrepancies between query-level and page-level data can lead to misinterpretation of site performance.
So What Does it Mean for SEO Analytics?
So, what’s the real takeaway from all these GSC data quirks? Let’s break it down into actionable steps:
Focus on measurable KPIs:
Traffic is great, but it’s not everything. Zero in on KPIs that directly impact your bottom line - revenue and leads.
A flood of organic traffic is useless if they’re not the right users. Track conversion rates and revenue per visitor to ensure your SEO efforts are attracting quality traffic.
Leverage page-level data:
We see much more comprehensive data at the page level in GSC. Use this to your advantage. Identify high-performing pages and underperforming ones.
Then, make decisions based on topics rather than individual keywords. This approach aligns with how search engines understand content nowadays.
Think in topic clusters:
Instead of obsessing over individual keyword rankings, focus on topic clusters. This strategy not only helps you create more comprehensive content but also aligns with how GSC presents data.
We have easy, built-in topic cluster and content group tracking with SEO Gets.
Find content gaps:
Utilize features like our “People Also Ask” filter in SEO Gets to identify questions you’re getting impressions for but not properly answering. This is a goldmine for content opportunities that can quickly boost your organic performance.
Trust GSC for your own data:
While tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs are great for competitor analysis, GSC (or SEO Gets - wink, wink) is your go-to for insights into your own websites. It’s direct from Google and more reliable for your site’s performance (especially when looking at the page level).
Compare your GSC data with GA4, Plausible, Simple Analytics, GBP insights, or other analytical tools.
For example, while GSC might show limited data for a particular query, web analytics could reveal more about user behavior once they land on your site or a more accurate picture of the organic users experience.
Keep a close eye on your Google Business Profile insights alongside your GSC data. This will give you a more holistic view of your local search performance.
Remember, no single tool has all the answers. It’s about piecing together the puzzle from multiple sources.
Look for patterns and trends:
Given the inconsistencies in GSC data, focus on patterns and percentage changes over time rather than exact numbers. Consistent trends are more reliable indicators of performance than raw figures.
ie. What are these spikes and why do we keep getting them?
Or what happened here?
The query data for clicks isn’t always there, but you’re looking for patterns and trends to see if you can determine what happened (good or bad) and fix it.
Tell a story with your data:
Don’t just report numbers. Use your SEO data to tell a story about your site’s performance. How do changes in rankings or traffic relate to your content strategy or site updates? This context helps in making informed decisions.
By applying these strategies, you can turn GSC’s limitations into opportunities. Remember, the goal isn’t to have the most impressive GSC numbers - it’s to drive meaningful traffic that converts and grows your business. Use the data available to identify areas where you can make the most impact on your bottom line.
Focus on the big picture
Look, Google Search Console isn’t perfect. It’s got its quirks and limitations, and that “dirty little secret” of anonymized queries can throw a wrench in your data analysis. But don’t let that discourage you. By understanding these limitations and applying the strategies we’ve discussed, you can still squeeze valuable insights from GSC.
Remember, in the world of SEO, it’s all about piecing together the puzzle from multiple sources. GSC is just one piece – an important one, sure, but not the whole picture.
Want to dive deeper? Check out our free SEO forecasting tool at SEO Gets. It’ll help you make sense of your keyword data and predict future traffic, even with GSC’s limitations.
Keep questioning, keep analyzing, and most importantly, keep optimizing. Your SEO game will thank you for it.
Until next time!
Matt
Ps. If you make any observations worth noting that haven’t been mentioned, email me at matt@seogets.com and I’d love to add helpful perspectives to this article.
✨ Interested in simplifying your SEO analytics workflow? Try SEO Gets for free.
