If a customer or your boss ever asked you to put Google Analytics on their website to help improve rankings, please raise your hand?
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Google Analytics is not just for website data, Oh no-this is to improve our keyword rankings, they said.
But is there any legitimate research to support these claims?
It turns out that many SEO experts have discussed this topic.
So is Google Analytics used as a ranking factor as a fact or fiction?
Keep reading to find out.
Disclaimer: Google Analytics as a ranking factor
You may have heard that removing Google Analytics from your website will damage your search engine rankings and may even cause Google to penalize you.
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Or, you may have heard that Google uses your Google Analytics data to rank your website.
There are many assumptions, but I am giving up some knowledge here.
evidence
Is Google Analytics a ranking factor?
Before we begin, let’s solve the obvious problems:
No, Google Analytics is not a ranking factor.
Google Analytics is a tool This allows you to measure the return on investment and better understand your customers. As early as 2005, Google clearly stated this point. Acquisition of Urchin network analysis, Now called Google Analytics.
Matt Cutts, former head of the Google Webspam team Answered the question In the 2010 video:
Katz said:
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“Google Analytics is not used in any way for the search quality of our rankings”
Then, Google’s Gary IIlyes solved this problem again in 2017:
Author screenshot, July 2021.Not convinced?Let’s listen to Google’s John Mueller again, this time through Twitter in 2018.
Author screenshot, July 2021.He continues to clarify any confusion Google Analytics is not required for search.
Will I be penalized for using Google Analytics on Google?
I know it’s hard to understand what can and cannot be punished on Google-especially when you read articles like this This is from a competitor of Google Analytics.
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Bill Hartzer, SEO consultant and my long-time SEO idol, step in Ask Mueller what he thinks of this work.
Author screenshot, July 2021
Author screenshot, July 2021This has also been confirmed In 2010, again written by Matt Cutts. He said:
Author screenshot, July 2021“The answer is no. Webspam does not use Google Analytics. I checked it some time ago. Search quality generally does not use Google Analytics in rankings.
So, you can use Google Analytics, you can’t use Google Analytics, it will not affect your ranking in Google search results. “
Author screenshot, July 2021Does Google use Google Analytics to improve indexing?
The myth of another ranking factor is shattered: Google does not use Google Analytics for indexing.
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I’m from Google’s John Mueller himself:
Author screenshot, July 2021Google Analytics as a ranking signal: our judgment
You have it! Google Analytics is not a ranking factor.
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If your SEO agency tells you that your website needs it to rank, you should look for another SEO agency.
The conspiracy theories you hear about Google wanting your SEO team to use Google Analytics to get more detailed information about your strategy are completely wrong.
Google’s algorithm is more than just pulling its own products into the algorithm, at least for now.
Featured image: Paul Bobita
