Google – the world's largest search engine and most visited internet search browser remain a playground and central hub for creatives, digital marketers, and everyday internet users. It connects its users from different corners of the globe with several products that are linked together with a few clicks. YouTube, Gmail, Hangouts, and Gmail are some of its core products that make its services increasingly irresistible. Still, Google receives several sticks on grounds of spying.
There are several contents online indicating how Google spies on users of its products and browsers. And this growing concern is also visible within webmasters, digital marketers, and owners of websites. But the big question remains whether Google is truly spying on your page or site. If yes, how does Google spy on your site or page, and how can you benefit from such data? This article answers core questions surrounding the data that Google collects and how you can make the most of it.
Does google spy on your site or page?
This is one question that many users keep asking. The answer is a simple 'Yes.' Still, Google is not solely responsible for this. Website owners and digital marketers also have a part in this. Ranking on Google requires some common tools to track the performance of keywords and other core metrics. Webmasters and digital marketers integrate such tools as Google Analytics and Google Search Console to get the most of their websites. So, how does spying works with these tools? Here is how.
How does google spy on your site or page?
Google Analytics and Google Search Console give insights into the activities on a website. As they are both Google products, it is easy to point one's fingers at Google. Well, here is how they operate and get website data:
Google Analytics
More than half the websites on the planet have integrated Google Analytics to determine the traffic on a website and understand user behaviors on the site. This free service by Google began in 2006 and has since led the pack of metrics measurement platforms.
Google Analytics allows for the tracking of blogs, social networks, and websites. It provides users with custom reports to make critical decisions concerning the website or business. The insight acquired from using Google Analytics on a website includes the traffic information with respect to the audience classification, acquisition, behavior, and conversions.
Generally, Google Analytics operates on several core processes. This includes data collection, processing, and report generation.
Data Collection
In collecting data from websites, Google Analytics employs the use of a Javascript code. On request for a webpage, several servers get to work. Eventually, the browser loads the page and sends a file to the Analytics platform. The collected code creates cookies and sends the information to the Google Analytics server.
Processing Data
After collecting data from the websites, this tracking platform commences the process of transforming raw data into vitals that give insight.
Reporting
Google Analytics bases its report on comparing fields. Generated reports are available on the Analytics dashboard or other tools that integrate Analytics.
Compared to other tracking tools, Google Analytics remains a dominant force for data and performance metrics. It reveals several details of the website's audience. These include keywords, most visited sections, and technical information about the devices that visit the site. Such technical details like phone models and web browsers. The number of visits, browsing duration, time and date, traffic sources, and visited pages of users are also some of the core elements indicated by Google Analytics.
Google Analytics has four primary objectives. These are:
Destination: It defines the specific locations of the website’s users
Duration: It takes note of the length of each browsing session
Pages per session: This includes every page visited by a user for each browsing session
Event: It allows for the activation of several actions when an event occurs
Google Search Console
This is another product of Google that reveals information about your website that you cannot find elsewhere online. Formerly known as Google Webmaster Tool, this Search Engine tool is one to give you insight into how Google sees or spies on your site. From your Search Console's dashboard, you can spot errors, confirm indexing, and scan for broken pages. There is even more as this is where Google directly informs you of relevant messages to your website. This can be a warning about a detected hack, malware attack, mobile responsive issue, or to notify you of any policy infringement.
With Google Search Console, you can:
Submit a sitemap ( learn about sitemap's )
Detect and fix several bugs and errors
Identify search queries and relevant keywords used in locating your business
Ensure the performance of structured data
Identify devices and top pages visited by your audience
See other websites linking to your site
Google Search Console also reveals the interactions of others with your website. Here are some of the data you stand to get with Google Search Console:
Keywords your website ranks on Google
The number of web visitors coming through the door via Google results
Your average website rank in the Search Engine Result Page (SERP) for the keywords you rank.
Google gathers enough insight into your website with these two powerful tracking tools – Google Analytics and Google Search Console. And this can be a good thing. In fact, getting a good hold of these tools can be used to your advantage as measurement breeds improvement. Here is what you stand to gain from using Google tracking tools.
Google’s tracking tools can benefit you
They help define Key Performance Indexes (KPIs) of your website and business using Google Analytical tools.
They encourage value creation through cost reduction and revenue increment.
They improve website and page quality for a better browsing experience.
Improve rankings, click-through rate, and creating keyword opportunities.
Final thoughts
As everyone wants to rank on the world’s largest search engine -Google- it is common practice to use tracking tools that monitor activities on the webpage. This reveals the actions and activities of web visitors on certain pages or the entire website.
Knowing one's customers leads to the improvement of services, fostering stronger relationships, cost control, and revenue generation. And Google's spying tools can help you detect the traffic coming through your website or page. Such information can help you achieve your marketing goals and enhance the experiences of users on your websites.
Google bots constantly scour the internet and will eventually find your website. You can accelerate this process by submitting your website to the search engine to increase your rank and search visibility. You can do this by using Google Search Console amongst its several features. Google Analytics helps you set and monitor goals. It helps you adapt your website to the needs of the right audience.
Both tracking tools give insight into how Google spies on your website or pages. Good thing? Yeah, when you are in charge.
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