Google is encrypting the search terms that people use to find your website, and it is going to complicate your life as an internet marketer. In this episode, Mark explains what Google's encrypted search means for your keyword data, why the change is happening, and how to adapt your SEO strategy when the analytics data you have relied on starts disappearing. He also handles excellent listener feedback from Brian, a new listener who built a site with three articles in his first week.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• What Google encrypted search is and how it affects your analytics
• Why your keyword data is showing as “not provided” and why it will only get worse
• Three theories for why Google is making this change
• Practical workarounds for getting keyword intelligence without Google's referral data
• Why mindset and patience matter more than tactics for long-term success

Episode Summary

Mark records from Dallas, Texas with a few housekeeping items before diving into the main topic. He addresses the challenge of maintaining a weekly podcast schedule and talks honestly about the gap between intention and execution — a theme that resonates with anyone building a business in the margins of a busy life.

The episode handles listener feedback from Brian, who discovered LNIM through Pat Flynn and listened to the entire catalog in one week. Brian's voicemail is notable for his attitude: he acknowledges he is at the kindergarten level, recognizes that advanced content will become relevant later, and has already launched a website with three articles. Mark highlights this growth mindset as a key predictor of success and recommends Evernote as a tool for practicing just-in-time learning — saving valuable content for when you actually need it.

The main topic is Google's decision to encrypt search queries for all users, not just those logged into Google accounts. This means the keyword data that internet marketers have relied on to understand their organic search traffic is progressively disappearing from analytics tools. Mark explains the technical mechanism — the switch from http to https in Google's URLs — and discusses the impact on WordPress stats, Google Analytics, and other analytics tools.

Mark outlines three possible motivations: user privacy, resistance to NSA data demands, and a strategic move to increase the value of paid search advertising. He offers practical workarounds including using Bing and Yahoo keyword data as a proxy and running paid keyword experiments, while acknowledging that neither is a perfect substitute for the organic keyword data being lost.

The episode also includes links to Mark's appearances on Cliff Ravenscraft's Podcast Answer Man show and information about Podcamp Dallas.

Key Takeaways

• Google encrypted search hides the keywords visitors use to find your site from your analytics
• “Not provided” keyword data will grow until organic keyword referral data is completely gone
• Google Search Console remains the best free source for understanding which queries drive traffic to your site
• Your mindset and consistency matter more than any single tactic or tool
• Use just-in-time learning: save advanced content for when you are ready for it instead of trying to absorb everything at once

What's Changed Since This Episode

Mark recorded this in October 2013, and the encrypted search transition he discusses is now fully complete. Every concern he raised has materialized, but the industry has adapted in ways that were not yet visible.

“Not provided” is now 100% of organic keywords in every analytics platform. The gradual erosion Mark described reached its conclusion years ago. No organic keyword referral data flows from Google to any analytics tool. This is the permanent state of affairs.

Google Search Console is now the primary keyword intelligence tool for organic search. It shows which queries your pages appear for, along with click-through rates, impressions, and average positions. While it does not provide the per-visit keyword data that analytics tools used to show, it gives you enough information to guide content strategy and identify optimization opportunities.

GA4 replaced Universal Analytics in 2024, fundamentally changing how web analytics works. The session-based model that Mark's listeners would have been using is gone, replaced by an event-based model. Marketers who have not migrated to GA4 no longer have any active analytics data collection.

Third-party SEO tools filled the gap. Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz developed sophisticated keyword research and rank tracking capabilities that do not depend on your own analytics data. These tools estimate keyword volumes, track ranking positions, and analyze competitors, providing the strategic intelligence that organic referral data used to offer. For most serious internet marketers, one of these tools is now considered essential.

The Feedburner service Mark mentions as a dying product has since been effectively discontinued by Google, with most publishers having migrated to dedicated hosting platforms years ago.

Resources Mentioned

• Google Search Console — free keyword and search performance data
• Ahrefs — SEO and keyword research platform
• Learn How to Podcast — Cliff Ravenscraft's free podcasting course
• Evernote — note-taking and information management
• LNIM Podcast

Related Episodes

If you found this episode helpful, you might also enjoy:

• LNIM062 Transcript — Full Google Encrypted Search Discussion
• LNIM064 — Niche Site Building: Strategy and Challenges
• LNIM102 — How to Perform a Site Content Audit

Listen and Subscribe

Listen to Late Night Internet Marketing on Apple Podcasts or subscribe at latenightim.com/internet-marketing-podcast/. Have a question for Mark? Call the digital recorder at 214-444-8655 or drop a comment below.