Introduction to the Issue with Google Search Console
New research from ZipTie has uncovered a significant problem with Google Search Console (GSC). The study reveals that approximately 50% of search queries driving traffic to websites never appear in GSC reports. This means that marketers are left with incomplete data regarding their organic search performance, making it difficult to track the effectiveness of their SEO strategies.
The Study and Its Findings
The research was conducted by Tomasz Rudzki, co-founder of ZipTie. Rudzki’s tests show that Google Search Console consistently overlooks conversational searches, which are the natural language queries people use when interacting with voice assistants or AI chatbots. To demonstrate this, Rudzki performed a simple experiment on his own website. He searched Google using the same conversational question from different devices and accounts, which directed traffic to his site. However, when he checked Google Search Console for these specific queries, he found no data.
Simple Tests Prove the Data Gap
Rudzki’s experiment was not isolated to his site. He asked 10 other SEO professionals to try the same test, and all received identical results: their conversational queries were nowhere to be found in GSC data, despite generating real traffic. This suggests that GSC has a significant blind spot when it comes to tracking conversational searches.
Search Volume and Query Reporting
The research suggests that Google Search Console uses a minimum search volume threshold before it begins tracking queries. A search term may need to reach a certain number of searches before it appears in reports. According to tests conducted by Rudzki’s colleague Jakub Łanda, when queries finally become popular enough to track, historical data from before that point appears to vanish. This means that marketers may be missing out on valuable insights into their website’s search traffic.
Examples of Conversational Searches
Consider how people might search for information about a new iPhone:
- "What are the pros and cons of the iPhone 16?"
- "Should I buy the new iPhone or stick with Samsung?"
- "Compare iPhone 16 with Samsung S25"
Each question may receive only 10-15 searches per month individually, but these variations combined could represent hundreds of searches about the same topic. GSC often overlooks these low-volume variations, despite their significant combined impact.
Google’s Approach to Conversational Queries
Here’s the confusing part: Google clearly understands conversational queries. Rudzki analyzed 140,000 questions from People Also Asked data and found that Google shows AI Overviews for 80% of these conversational searches. However, GSC struggles to report these queries, leaving marketers in the dark.
Why This Matters
When half of your search data is missing, strategic decisions turn into guesswork. Content teams create articles based on keyword tools instead of genuine user questions. SEO professionals optimize for visible queries while overlooking valuable conversational searches that often go unreported. Performance analysis becomes unreliable when pages appear to underperform in GSC but draw significant unreported traffic.
The Solution
To overcome these limitations, marketers should acknowledge that GSC only shows part of the picture and adjust their strategy accordingly. Switch from the Query tab to the Pages tab to identify which content drives traffic, regardless of the specific search terms used. Focus on creating comprehensive content that fully answers questions rather than targeting individual keywords. Supplement GSC data with additional research methods to understand conversational search patterns.
The Future of Search
The gap between how people search and the tools that track their searches is widening. Voice search is gaining popularity, with approximately 20% of individuals worldwide using it on a regular basis. AI tools are training users to ask detailed, conversational questions. Until Google addresses these reporting gaps, successful SEO strategies will require multiple data sources and approaches that account for the invisible half of search traffic.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the study by ZipTie has highlighted a significant issue with Google Search Console’s ability to track conversational searches. By understanding the limitations of GSC and adjusting their strategies accordingly, marketers can gain a more complete picture of their website’s search traffic and make more informed decisions. The future of search will require a more nuanced approach to tracking and analyzing search data, one that takes into account the growing importance of conversational searches and voice search. By staying ahead of the curve and adapting to these changes, marketers can stay competitive in the ever-evolving world of search engine optimization.