Understanding Clicks and Indexing Across Google's Platforms
Understanding Indexed vs. Non-Indexed Pages and Click Differences in Google Search Console and Google Ads: A Guide for High-Ticket E-commerce Store Owners
Running a high-ticket e-commerce store means staying on top of various digital tools to understand how customers find and interact with your website. One common point of confusion for many e-commerce store owners, especially those using platforms like Shopify, is understanding the difference between indexed and non-indexed pages and how tools like Google Search Console and Google Ads track clicks.
In this article, I’ll clarify the key distinctions between these concepts and provide additional insights to help you manage your online presence efficiently.
What is Google Search Console?
Google Search Console is a free tool provided by Google that helps website owners monitor and maintain their site’s presence in Google search results. It allows users to track how Google crawls, indexes, and ranks their site, offering insights into the site’s search performance. Through the platform, you can identify issues such as crawling errors, broken links, and page indexing problems, which can impact your visibility in search results.
One of the key features of Google Search Console is its ability to show which pages are indexed and appearing in search results, along with the keywords driving traffic to the site. It provides valuable metrics such as clicks, impressions, click-through rates (CTR), and average rankings for different search queries. The tool also offers suggestions for improving your site’s SEO by identifying areas like mobile usability and Core Web Vitals that may need optimization.
Additionally, Google Search Console helps you submit sitemaps, track manual actions, and receive alerts on security issues, making it an essential tool for anyone looking to optimize their site’s search performance and ensure that it’s fully accessible to Google’s search engine. For e-commerce store owners, in particular, it can be a powerful resource for improving organic traffic and ensuring a smooth customer experience.
1. Indexed vs. Non-Indexed Pages: What’s the Difference?
Indexed Pages
Indexed pages are pages that Google has crawled and added to its search index, which means they can appear in Google’s search results. For any e-commerce store, indexed pages are crucial because they represent the content that is visible to potential customers through organic search.
Non-Indexed Pages
Non-indexed pages, on the other hand, are those that Google has either not crawled yet or has chosen not to include in its index. These pages will not appear in search results, which is why it’s important to understand what non-indexed pages are and whether any critical content is missing from the index.
The reason for non-indexing could vary, but a common issue for Shopify users involves “canonical” pages. Shopify often creates canonical tags automatically to deal with duplicate content. Canonical tags point Google toward the preferred version of a page, and while Google may crawl multiple versions of a page, only the canonical version will be indexed.
This is generally a good thing since it helps Google consolidate duplicated content across different URLs that lead to the same product page. However, it’s important to occasionally check your non-indexed pages to ensure that no important content (like new product listings or blog posts) is being excluded from Google’s index.
Actionable Tip for High-Ticket E-Commerce Owners:
Pay attention to Google Search Console alerts, particularly regarding 404 pages or broken links. These errors can harm your store’s quality score and affect your rankings. Use Google’s guide on consolidating duplicate URLs here to understand how canonical tags work and how to address indexing issues.
2. Why Do Clicks Differ Between Google Search Console and Google Ads?
It’s common for e-commerce store owners to see different numbers for clicks in Google Search Console and Google Ads, leading to confusion. Here’s a breakdown:
Google Search Console Clicks
Search Console tracks clicks from organic search results. These are unpaid clicks that come from users finding your site through regular Google searches.
Google Ads Clicks
Google Ads, on the other hand, measures clicks from paid advertisements. These are clicks from users who saw your sponsored ad on Google’s search results or display network.
The key distinction here is the source of traffic:
- Search Console = Organic Traffic
- Google Ads = Paid Traffic
Thus, the clicks you see in Search Console and Google Ads will almost never match because they come from entirely different traffic streams.
3. Why Do Click Metrics Differ Across Tools?
In addition to the differences between Search Console and Google Ads, store owners may notice discrepancies between clicks and sessions across various analytics tools like Google Analytics and Google Ads. Here’s why:
Google Analytics vs. Google Search Console:
Google Analytics tracks user behavior after they land on your site. For example, if a user clicks on your site but the page fails to load, that visit may not be recorded in Google Analytics, but the click will still be counted in Search Console.
Google Search Console tracks how well your site performs in Google search results, including click-through rates, impressions, and the position of your pages.
Google Analytics vs. Google Ads:
Google Ads counts a click as soon as someone clicks on your ad. However, Google Analytics might only register a session once the landing page has fully loaded. If there’s a delay or the user leaves before the page loads, Google Ads will record a click, but Analytics won’t show a session.
Other factors that may lead to discrepancies include differences in attribution models, tracking methodologies, and data processing times. Understanding these nuances is crucial for high-ticket e-commerce store owners as it helps to make informed decisions based on accurate data.
What You Should Do as a High-Ticket E-commerce Store Owner
1. Monitor Indexed and Non-Indexed Pages:
- Use Google Search Console to regularly check which pages are indexed and identify any important pages that are missing. Non-indexed pages may include canonical tags, and while they are usually not a cause for concern, make sure they aren’t critical pages like product listings or essential blog content.
- Address 404 errors immediately, as these can harm your Google ranking and lead to a poor user experience.
2. Differentiate Between Organic and Paid Traffic:
- Understand that Google Search Console focuses on organic traffic, while Google Ads deals with paid traffic. Keep an eye on both to track overall performance and optimize accordingly. While organic traffic is cost-effective in the long run, paid traffic allows for targeted campaigns and immediate results.
3. Cross-Check Data Across Analytics Tools:
- Use Google Analytics to monitor user behavior after they land on your site and track conversions and other key performance indicators.
- Remember that there will always be some discrepancies between the data in Google Ads, Search Console, and Google Analytics due to the way each tool measures and attributes clicks. Focus on trends and overall performance rather than exact numbers.
4. Leverage Insights for Better Decision Making:
- For high-ticket items, understanding where your traffic is coming from and how visitors engage with your site can help refine both your organic SEO strategy and paid advertising efforts. Utilize A/B testing on product pages, optimize site speed, and ensure your high-ticket items are easy to find and purchase.
By understanding how different tools track your store’s performance and the differences between indexed and non-indexed pages, you’ll be in a much better position to make strategic decisions for your high-ticket e-commerce business. Keeping a close eye on your site’s organic and paid performance will help you improve visibility, customer experience, and ultimately, sales.