Are you searching for a method to view ‘not provided’ keywords in Google Analytics Universal Analytics (UA)?
Google Analytics is an essential tool that reveals how users find and engage with your website. However, when attempting to see the keywords that lead users to your site, you may encounter ‘not provided’ in the older Universal Analytics (UA) reports.
In this article, we will clarify what ‘not provided’ keywords mean in Google Analytics UA and explore if there are ways to access this information.
What Does ‘Keyword Not Provided’ Mean in Google Analytics?
Google Analytics gathers data about visitors to your WordPress site and presents it in user-friendly reports. It provides insights into the demographics of your visitors and their actions on your site.
In 2011, Google implemented a more secure search experience for users. To enhance user privacy, Google began encrypting the searches of users logged into their Google accounts, preventing website owners from identifying individual visitors.
In 2012, Google released a new version of Google Analytics known as Universal Analytics (UA), which offered detailed reports on the number of visitors arriving at your website through specific keywords.
Google combines keyword statistics under the label ‘not provided’ when users are logged into their Google accounts and their specific keywords cannot be identified. We will explore this topic further in the next section.
Launched in 2023, Google Analytics 4 (GA4) introduced significant changes, including a revamped reporting system and new metrics. GA4 processes data differently compared to Universal Analytics (UA).
In GA4, you won’t find ‘not provided’ keywords since it does not provide keyword data for organic traffic. However, there are alternative methods to access this data, which we will discuss in the final section of the article.
How to Access Your Previous Google Analytics UA Data
If you have been using Google Analytics for some time, you can still access the data collected by the previous version, Universal Analytics (UA).
Although your old Google Analytics properties are no longer collecting new data, the historical data remains accessible. This enables you to review website statistics gathered before transitioning to Google Analytics 4.
In your list of Google Analytics properties, Universal Analytics properties will have tracking codes that begin with ‘UA’.
To find out which keywords were used to discover your site, visit theAcquisition » All Traffic » Source/Mediumreport.
You will encounter the ‘not provided’ label if any of your website traffic originated from secure searches.
You might be curious if there is a way to access the ‘not provided’ keywords to uncover the search terms that led users to your content. Let’s explore that now.
Is it Possible to Access ‘Not Provided’ Keywords in Google Analytics UA?
Regrettably, for most users, the answer is no. You will not be able to retrieve the specific keywords associated with the ‘not provided’ data.
Previously, this was achievable by utilizing Google Search Console (formerly known as Google Webmaster Tools), a free tool that independently tracks your site’s traffic apart from Google Analytics.
You can link Google Search Console to Google Analytics UA by clicking the Admin gear icon in the bottom left corner and selecting ‘All Products’. On that page, you will see a button titled ‘Link Search Console’.
However, if you create a Google Search Console account now, it cannot retroactively track keywords. It will not be able to identify which keywords were used to discover your site during the time that Google Analytics UA was gathering data.
Your only option would be if you had previously linked the two services. In that scenario, you could access the ‘not provided’ keywords by visitingAcquisition » Search Console » Queriesin Google Analytics Universal Analytics.
Important Note:Google Search Console retains data for the past 16 months, meaning the keyword statistics available to you will be limited.
The positive aspect is that you can integrate Google Search Console with Google Analytics 4 to monitor your keywords moving forward. We will explore this next.
What Is the Most Effective Way to Monitor Keywords for My Website Today?
The most effective method to track your keywords today is through Google Search Console.
You can link this tool with Google Analytics 4 and even access its keyword reports directly from your WordPress dashboard using plugins like MonsterInsights.
MonsterInsights allows you to view your Google Analytics and Google Search Console data within your WordPress dashboard, including traffic sources, your top 50 Google search terms, eCommerce analytics, and more.
After you add your website to Google Search Console, you can utilize WordPress SEO tools to monitor your keywords and enhance your site’s ranking.
Follow our comprehensive guide to discover how to view the keywords that lead visitors to your WordPress site.
Top Resources for Discovering and Monitoring Keywords
Having grasped the concept of ‘not provided’ keywords in Google Analytics, explore our additional guides on effectively utilizing keywords in WordPress:
- A Complete Guide to Conducting Keyword Research for Your WordPress Blog
- How to Verify If Your WordPress Blog Posts Are Ranking for Relevant Keywords
- Step-by-Step Instructions for Adding Keywords and Meta Descriptions in WordPress
- Beginner’s Guide to Effectively Using Focus Keyphrases in WordPress
- Comparison of the Best Long Tail Keyword Generators
We hope this tutorial has clarified the concept of ‘not provided’ keywords in Google Analytics UA and equipped you with the best methods to identify the keywords that attract visitors to your WordPress site. Additionally, check out our guide on analyzing keyword density to enhance your rankings or our expert recommendations for the best keyword research tools for SEO.
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