Link Google Analytics & Webmasters
Google has just announced Webmaster Tools integration with Google Analytics is now available to everyone. The trouble with the announcement is, they don’t hell you how do you link them?!
What linking Google Analytics with Webmaster Tools gets you
Once linked, you can find the new reports under the “traffic sources” >> “search engine optimization” section of the new version of Google Analytics (click the featured image above for a screenshot). The new SEO reports include:
- Queries: impressions, clicks, position, and CTR info for the top 1,000 queries
- Landing Pages: impressions, clicks, position, and CTR info for the top 1,000
- Geographical Summary: impressions, clicks, and CTR by country
To enable the “Search Engine Optimization” reports for your web property, you must be both a Webmaster Tools verified site owner and a Google Analytics administrator of that Property. Once enabled, administrators can choose which profiles can see these reports.
Not sure what all this means? Download our Crash Course in SEO presentation and check out our Ethical SEO Best Practices article (no registration required for either).
Here’s how to link Google Webmaster Tools SEO data with Analytics:
The trouble with Google’s announcement is that they don’t tell you HOW to link the accounts. After a lot of troubleshooting, here’s the process we figured out.
- Log into Google Analytics (google.com/analytics)
- Make sure you’re using the ‘new version’ of Google Analytics
- Select your web analytics property
- Click the setting gear on the far right
- Select the “Web Property Settings” tab
- Under “Webmaster Tool Settings” (at the bottom) click “Edit”
- Select the Webmaster Tools property you want to link
- Click “Save” at the bottom
- Click “Apply” back in Google Analytics
Now when you’re looking at your Google Analytics, you’ll see “Search Engine Optimization” under your reports. Might also be a good widget to add to your dashboard, but that’s optional.
Comment your questions below. Happy optimizing!
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If I have multiple subdomains set up as different profiles in GA how can I link everything? Do I need to use a different site verification code for WMT for each subdomain?
Depends a bit on how many subdomains you have and what they are. Assuming there’s less than 5 and they are related, but not duplicate (such as “blog”, “mobile”, “crm”, etc.), I would recommend setting each up with it’s own WMT verification and then linking them one-by-one to their respected GA profiles.
Google’s pretty good about seeing the relationship. Linking them (I think) is simply a step toward decommissioning Webmaster Tools as a separate Google property and adding that functionality seamlessly into GA.
Does that help?
The new Google Analytics is so confusing. I miss the old one, but if I HAVE to update to link, I will.