Advanced SEO Filtering Techniques

Advanced Filtering: By Country, Query Type, and Device

In this section, we’ll focus on how to use advanced filtering to gain precise, actionable SEO insights by country, query type, and device using Google Search Console, BigQuery, and Looker Studio. This approach helps you refine your data and gain a more targeted understanding of your SEO performance.

1. Why Advanced Filtering Matters for SEO

Advanced filtering allows you to break down SEO data in ways that are not possible with basic Google Search Console filters alone. By combining BigQuery's SEO filtering capabilities with Looker Studio's visualization tools, you can:

Target specific regions (SEO by country) to evaluate the effectiveness of localized SEO efforts.
Filter by query type, enabling insights into what users are searching for and which types of searches drive the most traffic.
Analyze by device to see how performance varies across desktop, mobile, and tablet users, allowing you to optimize for device-specific trends.

This level of detail provides a clear picture of how different segments contribute to your SEO outcomes, empowering you to make well-informed decisions for your strategy.

2. Setting Up Advanced Filters in BigQuery

To unlock advanced filters, you'll need to store and query your Google Search Console data in BigQuery. Here’s how to set up a few basic filters by country, query type, and device:

Step 1: Access Your Google Search Console Data in BigQuery
- Link your Google Search Console account to BigQuery.
- Create a BigQuery dataset for your SEO data.
Step 2: Filter by Country
- In BigQuery, use SQL queries to filter by country, allowing for SEO by country analysis. For example:
```
SELECT
  query,
  country,
  clicks,
  impressions,
  device
FROM
  `your_project.your_dataset.search_data`
WHERE
  country = 'US'
ORDER BY
  impressions DESC;
```
- This query filters data to show only results from the United States. You can modify the country code for other regions, enabling you to target insights geographically.
Step 3: Filter by Query Type
- To focus on different query types, adjust your query to include specific terms or exclude branded terms:
```
SELECT
  query,
  clicks,
  impressions,
  device
FROM
  `your_project.your_dataset.search_data`
WHERE
  query LIKE '%buy%' -- Example for transactional queries
ORDER BY
  clicks DESC;
```
- This approach lets you segment queries, helping you understand which types of searches (informational, navigational, transactional) are driving traffic.
Step 4: Filter by Device
- To view performance across devices, add a filter for device type:
```
SELECT
  query,
  device,
  clicks,
  impressions
FROM
  `your_project.your_dataset.search_data`
WHERE
  device = 'MOBILE'
ORDER BY
  clicks DESC;
```
- This filter lets you analyze mobile-specific performance, highlighting areas for mobile optimization.

3. Creating Visualizations in Looker Studio

Once you’ve filtered your data in BigQuery, you can bring it into Looker Studio for clear, intuitive visualizations that reveal trends and actionable insights.

Step 1: Connect BigQuery to Looker Studio
- In Looker Studio, select BigQuery as your data source and connect to the specific dataset you've created.
- Add the filtered fields (e.g., country, query type, and device) to Looker Studio.
Step 2: Visualize SEO by Country
- Create a map or chart displaying impressions and clicks by country. This visualization shows you where your search traffic originates, highlighting areas of potential growth or localization needs.
Step 3: Visualize Query Types and Device Performance
- Set up bar charts or line graphs to display data based on query type and device. This setup can help you understand, for example, which queries drive the most mobile traffic or if a specific device performs better for particular keywords.

Example: A bar chart comparing mobile and desktop impressions for high-traffic keywords reveals that certain queries may be optimized further for mobile.

4. Using Advanced Filters for Targeted SEO Insights

These advanced filters provide targeted insights that help you:

Understand SEO performance by country, enabling you to allocate resources effectively for international SEO.
Identify high-value queries, distinguishing between informational, transactional, and branded searches, so you can refine your keyword strategy.
Optimize for device-specific trends, ensuring your website performs well across all devices by adjusting content, structure, and page speed based on user needs.

Summary

By mastering advanced filtering in BigQuery and creating visualizations in Looker Studio, you can perform highly targeted SEO analysis. This approach allows you to refine your SEO strategy by focusing on key segments like country, query type, and device, making it possible to tailor efforts for specific audiences and maximize the impact of your SEO activities.

Published 11 Nov 2024