Adsense Search Box

How to track what was searched

[no9t9]

is there a way to track what was entered into the adsense search box without "modifying" the adsense search code (since it is against the TOS)?

i would like to know what my visitors are searching in the search box.

[AZEvil]

Get ahold of one of the AdSense tracking scripts...I can't post any specific ones, but you should be able to Google it and shop around.

[Jenstar]

Include a logo on your search results page. You can see the referring URL in your logs when it calls the image.

[Nikke]

Great tip Jenstar!

Doing it via a php file that includes the logo image you could even add the searches into a database in real time.

[level80]

I was tracking searches through the logo before even the Adsense search was around ;). ;) Finding out what people searched for and didn't find a page for (ranking their unsuccessful searches by popularity) is a good way to get ideas on pages to add to your site without people even realising you're using them (or even additions to existing pages).

I found Analog a good tool to process the raw logfiles into an HTML graphical report just for the specific logo graphic by keyword/ phrase popularity etc. Remember to use a graphic only for this with a seperate filename and nothing else to make it easier to track it. If you use the same logo file for other things you would have to filter it based on the Google Adsense for search URL generated by your site.

[creepychris]

Brilliant Jenstar. Soooo simple, yet soooo overlooked (by me).

[no9t9]

thanks, I am gonna try the logo thing. that seems like the easiest way.

[level80]

Please remember Google has a size limit on both the dimensions (height/width) of the logo and the filesize (before someone expects their beautiful 600x90 logo of 156k in 24-bit colour rivalling the beauty of the Sistine Chapel to work ;) ).

[PuReWebDev]

In response to no9t9's question. Yes there is a Adsense tracking script that also captures what the user searched for. It doesn't alter Google's code and it doesn't violate the TOS. The same script will tell you the page and the ad that the user clicked on, very beneficial in knowing what gives you good epc and what your visitors are looking for.

Anyone interested in the script, just send me a private message (as links aren't allowed, even though beneficial,lol).

PuReWebDev