Google Search Console vs Google Analytics: What's the difference?

If you're in search of an analytics-based platform to help your website's performance You've likely heard "use Google Search Console" or "use Google Analytics" millions of times.

Each is operated by Google Both are operated by Google, and these apps may seem similar on the surface. However, are they? The short answer is "no," but the "why" is complex. To help you navigate both tools, this article will dive into Google Search Console vs Google Analytics and describe how they work and what they can do and the ways they differ from one another.

Let's go!

Google Search Console Overview

These people are still those who use Google Search Console today.

In January 2018, Google replaced the old Google Search Console with a updated version. Google completely retired the old version in September 2019 which means that you are able to only utilize the new Google Search Console.

Google Search Console currently offers numerous features, such as:

• Crawl rate monitoring Your crawl rate represents how many times Google's crawlers have to make for your website per second.
•    A listing of internal and external links for the domain:  
• This section shows how your pages perform using real-world data.
• Monitor keywords. This includes what are the keywords that people use to locate your site.
• Speed of websites: This feature can assist you in speeding up your site (which is essential to keep the traffic flowing, because Google research on 3,700 web sessions on mobile devices has shown that five-thirds of people abandon a site if the site doesn't load in 3 minutes).

Google Analytics Overview

Google Analytics is available to the public since August 2006 (Google launched it with a small network before that however it was not scalable.). Google made major changes to the platform in 2011 and rolled out another version ("Universal Analytics") in the year 2012. Google continued to roll out numerous additional versions that included Google Analytics 360 in 2016.

Since 2020, people have used Google Analytics 4 (sometimes nicknamed "GA4").

Here are some of the most popular Google Analytics functions:

• Custom reports: Google Analytics lets create reports for every marketing channel so that you can watch the metrics that are important to you.
• Visualizations: These can help you monitor developments.
• Goal monitoring: You can use this feature to set goals and track progress toward the goals.
• Auditor monitoring: Google Analytics can show you information about your visitors, including their gender, location, and their age.

How Do Google Search Console and Google Analytics How Do Google Search Console and Google Analytics Work Together?

Though the two tools might appear to be rivals, many people use Google Search Console and Google Analytics together. Particularly, they include information from Google Search Console as a source for Google Analytics.

Connecting the two tools is quite easy. Simply:

1. Log in to Google Analytics.
2. Click "Acquisition" and then "Search Console." Select from the four choices listed ("Landing Pages," "Countries," "Devices," and "Queries").
3. Enter "Set the Google Search Console Data Sharing." Input your property settings and press "Save." Then you'll get a note that says "Success."

Key Differences Between Google Search Console vs Google Analytics

Now that you understand the background, similarities, and basic use scenarios of Google Search Console and Google Analytics. With these things in mind we can begin a comparison of how the two apps differ.

1. Data/Measurements

The first major point of comparison is the data each platform collects for the user.

Google Analytics tracks dozens of measurements, but most users just use a few. The most notable metrics include:

• Unique pageviews: Google Analytics defines a normal pageview as every view of your website. The term "unique pageview" refers to the amount of pageviews minus all the views from users who have visited your page repeatedly in a single session (for instance, by loading the page).
• Average session duration: This is how people who viewed your site's content per session. Google Analytics gets this figure by subdividing the number of sessions by the duration of sessions, measured in seconds.
• Demographics of the audience: Google Analytics classifies users by age, gender affinity categories, market segments, and other categories. Here's how Google Analytics defines each of those:

The measurements Google Search Console tracks relate more to your website rather than your target audience. Notable metrics and measurements are:

• Impressions. The number of people who saw your link through Google.
• Clicks: The number of users who have clicked on your hyperlink.
• Keyword questions: This metric covers the keywords your pages rank for (and what people search for to reach your page).
• Backlinks number: These are links which point to your site.
• Internal links: The number of links directing people between the pages on your site.
• Index coverage reporting. This collection of measures shows how Google's crawlers use your website.
• Average position. This is the standard position you have within Search results pages for engines (SERPs). It is ideal to achieve a high rank, considering that 55.2 percent (55.2%) of Google users visit one of the first three results.

2. Clicks and Sessions

Google utilizes standard definitions of specific words (like "location") throughout Google Analytics and Google Search Console. "Clicks" as well as "sessions" aren't those terms -- thus they are a major point of difference between Google and Search Console.

Google Search Console defines a "click" to be any type of view to a page, no the number of occasions a user has clicked a link inside the same browser session. Alternatively, Google Analytics counts only one click (or like we mentioned in one. Data/Measurements, a "unique pageview") per session.

To give you a real-life scenario, imagine that you have a visitor click on your site after which the site loads, leaves, then presses the link again. Google Search Console would count three clicks. Google Analytics would only count only one.

You can imagine that this logic also extends to sessions. Google Search Console defines a session as any action that happens in a click of a search engine. Google Analytics defines a session as anything someone does within the first 30 minutes following visiting a web site.

So, in the context of the previous example Google Search Console would record two sessions. Google Analytics would only record one.

3. Verification Method

If you are using Google Search Console You are able to sign-up by logging into your Google account and clicking this link. Follow these steps to register your site and confirm the domain you have registered:

1. Choose your property type. There are two choices: "Domain" or "URL Prefix." If you choose "Domain," Google Search Console will work on all your subdomains and protocols prefixes (so it's the choice we suggest). In contrast, if you select "URL Prefix," Google Search Console will only check the traffic for your specific domain.
2. It is now time to confirm the ownership of the domain. If you have selected "URL Prefix," verify your website using HTML tag, HTML file, Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager. Also, if you choose "Domain," select your DNS provider. Copy the text provided, and place it on the screen that reads "DNS."
3. Select "Verify." It may take between 72 and 72 hours to verify your site.

To use Google Analytics, you can get started by logging into the account you have created in your Google Account and clicking here. After that, follow the prompts to connect each of your data sources individually (including the social media accounts you have as well as your website and advertising channels).

4. Intentional Use and Audience

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In essence: Google Search Console refers to websites and Google Analytics = all things digital marketing.

5. Reporting

There are many differences in the methods Google Search Console and Google Analytics handle data that relate to reports.

In contrast, a single Google Analytics account can report data on multiple domains (though should you choose to add Google Search Console as a data source, you'll only be able to access data on the specific domain attached to Google Analytics account).

  Link

The default reporting dashboard on each software differs. This is what Google Search Console's "Overview" page looks as in the case of Google Search Console:

This is what Google Analytics "Home" page looks in Google Analytics:

6. Error Monitoring

Additionally, it has it has a "Security Issues" tab, which scans your site for three things:

1. Hacked content (content that a third party put there)
2. Malware
3. The signs of social engineering

7. Daily Record and Query Limit

Google Analytics currently reports on an unlimited number of URLs per day. So, if you have 1,500 blog articles, it will gather data on each one for you. Google Search Console takes a different method. It has an daily limit for records of 1000 URLs per site.

In terms of the number of queries you can make, Google Analytics limits the number of queries daily per project . You can also limit it to ten inquiries per second (QPS) for each IP.

Google Search Console also limits the amount of queries you can make at one time. Google Search Console's load limitations are calculated in QPS, queries per minute (QPM), and daily queries (QPD). Limits are:

• 500 QPS and 1,200 QPM on each website
• 500 QPS and 1200 QPM for each user
• 100,000,000 QPD for each the project (Google defines a project as "calls made using the same Developer Console key")

If you're an average user, these restrictions will not affect you, nevertheless, it's helpful to be aware that they exist.

8. Videos

Put simply, Google Search Console shows videos and web data in a separate way The latter is displayed separately, whereas Google Analytics doesn't. Google made this change in 2018, so the creators of videos could check the way their videos are ranked on Google. It is possible to find the "Videos" option beneath the "Enhancements" selection.

9. Integrations

Google Search Console and Google Analytics both Google Search Console and Google Analytics work with other software and allow you to share data across different tools.

As of early 2022 the most popular Google Analytics integrations include:

• Salesforce
• Google Ads, Google Ad Manager, Google Cloud, and Google Play
• Zendesk
• Facebook
• Marketo
• Hootsuite

Google Search Console integrates with Google Analytics (as covered in "How Do Google Search Console and Google Analytics Integrate?"). It also provides an API to those who want programmatic access.

10. Pricing

Google Search Console is currently free -- though it has usage limits. Google Analytics is also free for most users, but if you want additional features, you'll have to purchase Analytics360. Analytics360 includes premium features, such as the ability to predict data through machine learning (ML) deep insights as well as a tool that can answer questions concerning the data you have.

Analytics360 is for large businesses as well as those that need to process large quantities of data. Google makes use of custom pricing to facilitate Analytics360.

11. Bot Activity

How do Google Analytics and Google Search Console deal with bots? Google Analytics has a "Bot Filtering" option that looks for any activity that isn't akin to human behavior. users. If you find suspicious bot activity with set patterns (like a location) You can sort it out by hand.

Google Search Console filters out robot activity on a regular basis.

12. Traffic From Google My Business

13. JavaScript as well as Ad Blockers

Google Search Console collects data that is not JavaScript. If you're using both programs, your data could be slightly different.

14. Time Zone Default Time Zone

In addition, both applications handle time zones slightly differently. Google Analytics uses your time zone, but Google Search Console uses Pacific Daylight Time (UTC -08:30).

Users who are using both programs must be aware for this as if the applications use different times, your monthly traffic numbers could not correspond.

There's no method to alter the time zone of Google Search Console So you'll need be aware of it when reporting data.

Summary

Google Search Console and Google Analytics are commonly confused because they are both Google-owned marketing tools for data-savvy website administrators.

Although they have a lot in common, they aren't the same. Google Search Console helps you keep track of your site's performance both in general and in search engine results. Google Analytics helps you learn more about your customers and their interests, such as their names, where they found you, and the way they interact with your website. Google Analytics' reach expands beyond your site and extends into advertisements as well as social media.

The two tools also differ in the following areas:

• The metrics they assess
• How they measure activity
• How do they manage how they handle data
• How you can use them

With that said, we'd like to turn the mic into your hands. Do you utilize both of these tools or do you use just one? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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