Google Webmaster Tools is, without a doubt, a great tool for content and marketing departments as it makes it easier for them to generate an array of data which they can use to craft a more intelligent seo campaign. If you are already using Google Analytics, it is high time that you started using Webmaster Tools.
While Analytics looks at who is coming to your website and what they are reading, Webmaster Tools makes it possible for you to see your website as Google does, highlighting problems with links, code, or crawl. The difference between the two is that Webmaster Tools helps you create strategic campaigns to attract more prospects while Analytics makes it possible for you to gather information about your current audience.
The beauty of using Webmaster Tools is that you get vital information on things like traffic trends based on your content, keyword ranking data, keyword insights, and other things like Google Authorship statistics. As a webmaster, there are a couple of ways that you could use this tool to make the most of your marketing endeavors. Here is a look at how you can some of this tools features to improve your SEO campaign.
By using the tools Search Queries option, you get access to average and current keyword rankings plus the click-through rate and organic search impressions for each keyword. Use this option to analyze how search queries move to see which keywords are providing opportunities or how a specific set of keywords is affecting click-through rate and ranking.
Apart from averaging the position of top search queries, which eventually leads web users to your site, Webmaster Tools also averages the ranking position of individual pages on your site, including your blog posts. This way, you can easily identify valuable data on things like the click-through rate for each content page, which content is ranking well, and which one isnt, and which content has great click-through rates but a much lower average ranking. This data comes in handy when trying to identify what subjects or content is getting more traffic and ranking well in search engines.
When optimizing specific keywords, viewing individual keyword search queries reveals which pages on your site are ranking highest for the specific keyword. To see this data, simply click on a keyword on the Search Queries table. You can use this info to understand which pages on your website Google thinks are relevant to your site for each keyword. From what you find out, you can optimize these pages further, according to best SEO on-site practices, and tactically select the pages you will focus on first as you start your SEO campaign.
A websites speed is increasingly becoming an important factor of consideration in Googles ranking algorithm. This great thing about using Google Webmasters Tool is that it allows users to track GoogleBots download time. This is a great way to test page speeds and to get speed metrics straight from Google. It is important to note that speeds below 500 milliseconds are acceptable; anything above this and impatient users start leaving your site.
Through website speed metrics, keyword analysis, search queries, and things like authorship data, Google Webmaster Tools can provide you with the sort of detailed data you need to make the most of your SEO campaign.