Last week, Google made a change to encrypt all search activity -- except for clicks on ads. This means marketers won't even be able to get keyword data for searches conducted by users who aren't even signed in. (Cue marketers everywhere raising their fists in fits of rage.) What would drive Google to Encrypt ALL Keyword Searches ?
When approached by Search Engine Land, Google reportedly confirmed the switch, saying the following:
I know what you may be thinking. This sounds like a ton of technical jargon, but in plain terms, it has one critical ramification for search marketers, business owners, and marketing professionals: You will no longer be able to identify which keywords a person logged into Google.com searched for before they arrived at your website.
This means that website and marketing analytics packages like HubSpot, Omniture, and even Google's own analytics platform will no longer be able to report on the keywords that were searched by those logged-in users. There are a few potential reasons why Google has implemented this, and important things for marketers to know.
So Google says, the reason for the switch is to provide “extra protection” for searchers. Search Engine Land, however, suspects that Google may also be attempting to block NSA spying activity -- since Google was accused of giving the National Security Agency access to its search data back in June (which it has strongly denied). We also can't help but think that, because Google is encrypting search activity for everything but ad clicks, this is a move to get more people using Google AdWords.
There is also a strong competitive benefit for Google to do this, as noted by Joost de Vaalk on the SEOBook blog last night , in that Google can also protect more of its user data and search result data from other advertising networks that seek data, such as Chitika and Chango. These networks want to use more of Google's data to help them sell their own ads and retargeting advertisements, which will be much harder to do following this change.
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When approached by Search Engine Land, Google reportedly confirmed the switch, saying the following:
"We added SSL encryption for our signed-in search users in 2011, as well as searches from the Chrome omnibox earlier this year. We’re now working to bring this extra protection to more users who are not signed in."
I know what you may be thinking. This sounds like a ton of technical jargon, but in plain terms, it has one critical ramification for search marketers, business owners, and marketing professionals: You will no longer be able to identify which keywords a person logged into Google.com searched for before they arrived at your website.
This means that website and marketing analytics packages like HubSpot, Omniture, and even Google's own analytics platform will no longer be able to report on the keywords that were searched by those logged-in users. There are a few potential reasons why Google has implemented this, and important things for marketers to know.
Google to Encrypt ALL Keyword Searches
Bad News for Marketers Everywhere !
Why, Google ... Why?!
So Google says, the reason for the switch is to provide “extra protection” for searchers. Search Engine Land, however, suspects that Google may also be attempting to block NSA spying activity -- since Google was accused of giving the National Security Agency access to its search data back in June (which it has strongly denied). We also can't help but think that, because Google is encrypting search activity for everything but ad clicks, this is a move to get more people using Google AdWords.
There is also a strong competitive benefit for Google to do this, as noted by Joost de Vaalk on the SEOBook blog last night , in that Google can also protect more of its user data and search result data from other advertising networks that seek data, such as Chitika and Chango. These networks want to use more of Google's data to help them sell their own ads and retargeting advertisements, which will be much harder to do following this change.
