Google Analytics Search Console Queries Report Now Hiding Query Data

Yesterday I reported on the Search Engine Roundtable that the Google Analytics Search Console Queries report under the “Search Engine Optimization” section is now hiding query data from webmasters.

If you look at the report, which Google has promised would contain query data because it is safely passed via the Google Search Console and not via the HTTP referrer, you will see that your top keyword is listed as “not set.” Sound familiar to Not Provided? Indeed.

Here is a screen shot, but you should also be able to see this if you linked your Google Analytics to your Google Search Console:

If I had to guess, this is a bug, a bug that surfaced after Google migrated to the new Search Analytics report from the Search Queries report. Maybe Google forgot to switch the data path or something?

Search Engine Land did email Google for a statement on this over 24 hours ago. Google told us they are looking into it, but we have yet to hear back on the change and why it happened.

Postscript: It turns out this is not a bug but rather how Google Search Console calculates differently than Google Analytics.

About The Author

Barry Schwartz

Barry Schwartz a Contributing Editor to Search Engine Land and a member of the programming team for SMX events. He owns RustyBrick, a NY based web consulting firm. He also runs Search Engine Roundtable, a popular search blog on very advanced SEM topics. Barry's personal blog is named Cartoon Barry and he can be followed on Twitter here.