How Google.com Search Referrals Are Changing

Writing by Nick Stamoulis Tweet

If you use Google Analytics then this won’t affect you, but Google.com is starting to use a different URL to report referrals from its search engine. If you are using a third-party analytics software or developing your own then this information is pertinent. Be on the look out!

You can read the full story on the Google Analytics Blog, but in essence the change goes like this:

Old Reporting – http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=flowers&btnG=Google+Search

New Reporting – http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=7&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.example.com%2Fmypage.htm&ei=0SjdSa-1N5O8M_qW8dQN&rct=j&q=flowers&usg=AFQjCNHJXSUh7Vw7oubPaO3tZOzz-F-u_w&sig2=X8uCFh6IoPtnwmvGMULQfw

See the difference? I mean, besides the new URL being longer?

The real significant difference is what follows immediately after .com. The old way of reporting the referral was to append /search? at the end of the Google domain name. Now, Google will begin using /url? instead.

Why the change? I don’t know. Google doesn’t say. But it may have something to do with more effective tracking from dynamic URL pages within the Google.com website. But just consider this a heads up. Again, this won’t affect Google Analytics users, but it will affect users of third-party analytics programs like Quantcast and Compete.com as well as developers who create their own analytics packages.