Google’s SSL Encryption: protecting your privacy or killing off competitor Ad Networks?

"Do no evil"

What’s happened?

On Tuesday 18^th October Google told us that searches made by users that are signed-in would, by default, be made via the SSL version of Google (https//www.google.com). As a result, webmasters will no longer be able to see the search query (keyword) that sent their visitors to their websites. Most, but not all, of search marketers are less than pleased with the change.

 Why have they done this?

Google say this change is part of their on-going “commitment to provide a more secure online experience” and is primarily a feature to protect the privacy of their users. An odd justification, if you ask me, considering the same data they are withholding “to protect users’ privacy” is still available for those who are willing to pay Google for the privilege. Yes, search query data will still be served to webmasters for paid search results!

Funnily enough, not everybody in the SEO sphere is utterly convinced that privacy protection is the real reason behind this change. Most notably, Ian Lurie, has declared full on war with Google arguing that it couldn’t possibly be down to privacy when they serve adverts according to the body of emails and have photographed almost every inch of the world for anybody to view online. Lurie goes on to categorically state that the only reason for this change by Google is to shut out competing ad networks. Previously, third-party ad networks have relied on the referring query string containing the keyword referral data to serve relevant targeted ads. Now the query string is missing this vital piece of information (keywords), these ad networks will almost certainly suffer. It can’t be long before a law suit is filed against the search giant, surely?

 It’s not all bad

Here at Passion Digitalwe’re not big on whinging. Whilst we can definitely see the impact this change is going to have, there’s really not a great deal we can do about it. First things first, you need to be tracking the numbers of these ‘referral data-less’ visitors. Here’s a great custom report to do just that in Google analytics (an early Christmas present):

https://www.google.com/analytics/web/permalink?type=custom_report&uid=wMnfQd0jQCiALMwSjQC6wg

Once you’re tracking the visits coming from those (pesky) signed-in visitors the future doesn’t look all that bleak after all. Considering that these signed-in users will have come from a SERP that was heavily customised to that individual person based on various factors such as browser history, social activity etc. the data from these visitors, in actual fact, wouldn’t have been that useful anyway. Now that we’ve separated the types of visits we can concentrate on those that have arrived from the main Google search algorithm. After all, this will still be the source of the (vast) majority of all organic visits to a website, and is the only algorithm we can really optimise for.

What can we do?

• Try and kick up a fuss – write a snotty letter to Google asking them to revert the changes as it’s making your life harder. (Good luck)
• Give up.
• Change your entire site to run behind the https protocol.
• Get on with it:
  • Remember messrs Yahoo and Bing are still giving us our data (for now).
  • Use internal search data more in our website analyses.
  • Concentrate and optimise for visitors who have arrived via the main Google algorithm.

Adwords Extensions – Sitelinks Extension

Have you ever sat in front of your computer, staring blankly at the rows and rows of exported Adwords data and wondering what you’ve done to your life and what your skills would amount to in the inevitable zombie apocalypse? Me neither – I love this job!

Also - I got my zombie problem solved.

 [Image via unrealitymag.com]

One of the best parts of this industry is that it seems to advance at a fast enough rate to keep you constantly on your toes, which is especially true, if you’re trying to be competent in SEO and PPC on several search engines. This post was supposed to go out on the week of June 6 2011 but got a bit delayed, and then Google started testing a new version of sitelinks and then it got delayed a bit more.. you get the picture. Anyway – Google Adwords Extensions..

Here’s an at-a-glance guide to Adwords Extensions. And the posts about longer titles in Adwords and Location extension.

Regarding the Sitelinks extension- let me make this as clear as possible:

YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE NOT TO USE SITELINKS EXTENSION IF YOU’RE ADVERTISING ON GOOGLE SEARCH.

Search Data in Google Analytics May Become a Reality

Get your party hats out! Seems that Google has finally made the decision to go ahead with something that webmasters have been praying for – merging Google Webmaster tools data into Google Analytics.

Let the festivities ensue!

Google +1 Launches Website Button

When Google launched their +1 experiment in March, I was a bit sceptical about them trying to muscle in on Facebook ‘like’ turf.

Above: the button

In any case it seems that the experiment has gone better than expected and almost three months later they’re launching the +1 button for websites.

As far as I understand, the websites that will have their pages +1′d will have the benefit of the colourful icon added to their Adwords ads. And with Google Checkout badge for ads being discontinued, this may be the next best thing.

Adwords Extensions – Location Extension

As mentioned in last weeks post, the Location extension in Google Adwords can be a great way to attract more potential clients from the local area. The best bit is that you can link it with your Places page and get the full version, which adds a nice touch to your ad:

Location Extension in action

Here’s how to do that:

Adwords Search Ad Title Extension

Last week, while doing research for a client on Google I noticed a peculiar ad along the lines of:

Replace 'in Toronto' with 'Petroleum Industry' and 'Workopolis.com' with 'Reed.co.uk'

Didn’t think much of it at the time, with Google playing mind games all the time, but then I came across this post. Google’s rolling out a new addition of Adwords ads in the search results – adding domain names to the title. At the moment it’s reserved to select ads that show up above the organic search results.

But back to the point – yesterday I posted an article about the use of Adwords ad Extensions and it ended on a cliffhanger. Here’s a reminder:

Let’s say you’re using the extensions already (or don’t wish to use them) and want to increase the prominence of your listing in other ways. There is, of course the good old ad optimisation, where you try to find the best possible ad for a query, but you don’t want to look at the percentages and goals and all that boring stuff – you want your results NOW!

Here’s a simple method that not many advertisers are using: longer titles.

Getting Results in Google Adwords Part 2 – Extensions

Got 100’000’000’000 impressions but a click ain’t one? Unless your client asked for that specifically (which would mean that you’re servicing Dr. Evil), you need to raise the visibility of your ad.

100 Billion Impressions!!!

Enough with pop-culture references.. Here’s how to use Google Adwords nifty ad add-ons:

Google Analytics Tips and Tricks

This post is about Google Analytics (GA)– if you don’t have an account set it up now… How to Set Up Google Analytics.

Imagine that one day Google decided to go into politics and run for president/prime minister/clan leader of your local government. Knowing that most elections are won by whoever can dig up more dirty secrets about the other candidates, there’s only one way that would end:

I, for one, welcome our new search engine overlords.

And it’s all thanks to Google Analytics – the single largest data gathering system on the web today. It’s free and it gives lots of information to website owners and managers – and if you know how to customise it this information can become even more useful.

April Fools Shenanigans

Each April 1st, the internet becomes a much more fun place to explore as the denizens, websites and even corporations try to either make you laugh or trick you.

This year is no exception, with Google taking the lead so far:

gBlimp – new ad serving method

Not as subtle as the Display network, but way more targeted if left on its own

http://www.google.com/adwords/blimpads/

Tools for Online Marketing – Charity Edition

Charities, like any organization can and should engage in online marketing activities, especially, since in most cases it’s much easier for them to attain results with smaller investment.

Take Twitter, for example- a charity can generate a strong following much faster than a commercial company just by virtue of people being more emotional and interested about a good cause than they are about an iPad (in most cases at least).

Who needs pandas anyway? It’s not like they can connect to Wi-Fi..

Every charity should ask themselves ‘Are we gaining the maximum benefit from online presence?’ For many charities the answer would be a definite ‘no’ and that’s a pity, because now, more than ever, there’re more low cost tools and resources at a charity’s  disposal than ever. Here are some of them: