I’ve noticed a funny thing: Google Analytics and Search Console data never match.
But rather than embrace this reality or even beat it into submission. Now I’ve taught myself how to make peace with it.
This is a silly problem. I track my content in both places, and I’m far from the only one who does this. We’re tracking more things these days. So any inconsistency between data sources is going to get more pronounced.
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Why is it that the analytics data I can see in Google Analytics and Webmaster Tools rarely match up?
I started to notice this about a year ago. Something interesting would happen whenever I launched a new blog or refreshed my UTM parameters for a program and my Google.
Analytics traffic would spike for a short period. Sometimes, it would be 5x standard on the same day my UTM parameters would supposedly take effect.
Conclusion: I searched my brand name to see if the page indexing was over.
So why is that weird? Well, generally speaking (in my experience), search engines love it when you search for your brand name on Google. And I don’t say optimize your brand with your name, and I suggest using your name as a search query.
Here is a Great Example-
Product: Roomi. The company can be well described by the following keywords: roommate finder, roommate matching, and roommate sharing.
Roomi is a roommate finder and matching service that helps people find compatible roommates and share living spaces. The company came into the presence to make finding a compatible roommate easy and convenient. It has since become one of the most popular roommate-finding services available.
When you run a search for your brand name on Google, what happens? You tell the search engine that you are interested in your brand. This signal is strong. Generally speaking, search engines love it when people take an interest in their brands, showing your activity and engagement with your brand and wanting to see it succeed.
The disconnection and why does it happen?
However, there is a disconnect between what Google Analytics tells you about your traffic spikes. In my experience, traffic spikes caused by searching for my brand name did not reflect actual interest or engagement from users. And instead, they were deceptive numbers caused by my actions.
This disconnect can be frustrating. It is essential to understand why it happens to avoid being misled by your Analytics data. Armed with this knowledge, you can interpret your analytics data more accurately and make better decisions about growing your business. It’s because I searched my brand name to see if the pages were yet indexed. So why is that weird? Generally speaking (in my experience), search engines love it when you search your brand name on Google. And I don’t mean you need to optimize your brand with your name. I am suggesting you use your name as a search query.
See Also: Google Clarified: They Don’t Use Google Analytics 4 For Ranking Purposes
When you search for your brand name on Google, you tell the search engine you are showing interest in your brand. This signal is strong. Search engines love it when people show interest in their brands. It shows your activity and engagement with your brand and wants to see it succeed.