In a move announced today on the Google Blog , Google announced that it will be blocking referrer data for all referrals from those signed in to a secure SSL. Oh… Apart of course from Google Adwords.
Various reasons have been given for this, but I think this is probably all about Google making it more difficult for marketers and site owners to get data about their own visiters. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done about this, which is yet another reason to be concerned about the nigh on Monopoly that Google has on search.
I for one have real concerns about the way Google is introducing change, that in no way benefits the site owner, but in many ways pushes them towards paid search via Google adwords system. Is this good for site owners? Well of course it isn’t. What google have done is effectively removed the ability to track converting phrases (AGAIN other than through paid search). NOTHING on this earth will convince me that this isof any benefit whatsoever to site owners.
Anyone want to buy some adwords? going cheap at the moment, but set to rise massively as people turn to them to get conversion data 🙁
Yes there is something you can do about it! You can speak out about what they are doing in public. Referrer is not owned by Google… is existed long before they came around and now they are blocking it from the public yet supplying wherever it benefits THEM. This is not right!