Google Search Console Fails To Report Half Of All Search Queries

846 views

ZipTie Research Uncovers Major Blind Spot in Google Search Console Data

A new study by ZipTie highlights a significant gap in Google Search Console (GSC) reporting. According to the findings, nearly 50% of the search queries that drive traffic to websites are missing from GSC data, leaving marketers without a complete picture of their organic search performance.

The research, led by Tomasz Rudzki, co-founder of ZipTie, reveals that Google Search Console frequently fails to capture conversational search queries—the kind of natural language inputs users make when speaking to voice assistants or interacting with AI chatbots.

This missing data presents a challenge for SEO professionals aiming to optimize content based on user behavior and intent.

Simple Tests Confirm the Data Gap

Tomasz Rudzki began with a straightforward experiment on his own website.

Over several days, he typed the same conversational question into Google from different devices and accounts. Each time, the search led users to his site—something he verified using other analytics tools.

But when he checked Google Search Console for those exact search queries, there was no sign of them. As Rudzki described it: “Zero. Nada. Null.”

To confirm this wasn’t isolated to his site, Rudzki asked 10 other SEO professionals to try the same test. All received identical results: their conversational queries were nowhere to be found in GSC data, even though the searches generated real traffic.

Search Volume Likely Influences Query Visibility

The study suggests that Google Search Console may only report queries that meet a certain minimum search volume. If a term doesn’t generate enough searches, it might never appear in the data.

In tests run by Rudzki’s colleague, Jakub Łanda, they found that even when a query eventually becomes popular enough to be tracked, its earlier data seems to disappear, leaving no historical record.

Take, for example, how people search about iPhones:

“What are the pros and cons of the iPhone 16?”
“Should I buy the new iPhone or stick with Samsung?”
“Compare iPhone 16 with Samsung S25”

Each of these may only get 10–15 searches per month. But together, they represent hundreds of related queries around the same topic.

Despite this, Google Search Console often ignores these low-volume variations, which can collectively hold valuable insights.

Google Displays AI Answers but Doesn’t Report the Queries

Here’s where things get puzzling: Google clearly understands conversational queries. In his analysis of 140,000 “People Also Asked” questions, Rudzki found that Google provides AI Overviews for 80% of them.

Yet, these same queries often don’t appear in Google Search Console.

As Rudzki put it:

“Google is ready to show AI answers for conversational queries. But it still struggles to report those queries in one of the most important tools for SEOs and marketers.”

Why This Matters

When half of your search data is missing, making smart SEO decisions becomes a guessing game.

Content teams may end up writing articles based on keyword tools instead of addressing real questions users are asking. Meanwhile, SEO professionals focus on the queries they can see—missing out on valuable conversational searches that go unreported.

This data gap also makes performance analysis unreliable. A page might appear to be underperforming in Google Search Console, even though it’s attracting meaningful traffic.

And perhaps most critically, emerging trends are harder to spot early. Since low-volume queries often go untracked, marketers lose the chance to act on new topics before they become mainstream.

What’s the Solution?

First, recognize that Google Search Console only provides part of the story, and adjust your strategy with that in mind.

Instead of relying solely on the Query tab, use the Pages tab to see which content is attracting traffic—regardless of the exact search terms. Focus on creating thorough, helpful content that answers entire questions, not just targets specific keywords.

To better understand how users search, go beyond GSC. Use other research tools and think about how people interact with AI assistants and voice search. These conversational patterns are becoming a major part of search behavior—and they deserve a place in your SEO strategy.

What This Means for the Future

The gap between how people search and how those searches are tracked is growing. With around 20% of people worldwide regularly using voice search, and AI tools encouraging more detailed, conversational queries, search behavior is evolving rapidly.

But until Google improves its reporting, SEOs must adapt. That means relying on multiple data sources and strategies that account for the “invisible” half of search traffic—queries that drive real results but never show up in Google Search Console.

At Engage Coders, we understand that traditional SEO tools don’t always tell the full story. That’s why our SEO strategies go beyond surface-level data—leveraging multiple tools, conversational search trends, and user intent to drive real, measurable results.

Whether you’re looking to improve your organic traffic, uncover hidden keyword opportunities, or optimize for how people actually search today, our team is here to help.