Google Applies “Not Provided” to Paid Search Ads

Following up on its SSL encryption for signed-in searches, Google is extending the “Not Provided” arm of influence to cover paid search ads.

In an announcement on its blog, Google declared that it is removing the query from the referrer on ad clicks stemming from SSL searches on Google.com.

Google has assured advertisers that the latter will continue to have access to ad performance data and be able to optimize campaigns and landing pages. You will be able to draw crucial ads data from:

• The AdWords Search Terms report, which will give you access to the search queries that generated ad clicks along with key performance data.
• The Google Webmaster tools Search Queries report that will provide aggregate information about the first 2000 queries that generated organic clicks every day.

If you used queries in the referrer for reporting, automated keyword generation or landing page optimization, Google has provided alternative routes:

• To generate reports or automate keyword management with query data, you can use the AdWords API Search Query Performance report or the AdWords Scripts Report service.
• To customize landing pages, you can use the keyword that generated the ad click rather than using the query. The keyword and match types can be passed on to your web server by using a Value Track parameter in your URLs.

Position²’s POV

Application of “Not Provided” to paid ads will not impact our optimization since we will get actual search queries using AdWords Search Query reports. This is what our Head of PPC, Sudheer Dhayanand had to say about this move by Google:

• It will have an impact on dynamic query insertion on landing pages. But, we can insert keywords instead of search queries.
• It may have an impact on third party analytics tools because of unavailability of search queries.
• This will definitely impact companies who do not use AdWords tracking since they will not know which query has actually converted.