Table of Contents
- Introduction
- The Challenges of Personalized Search Results
- Method 1: Using Chrome Incognito Mode
- Method 2: Keyword Insights
- Method 3: Thruuu
- Conclusion
- FAQ
Introduction
In today’s digital landscape, personalized search results from Google are the norm, tailoring responses based on individual user preferences, history, and location. While this personalization optimizes user experience, it poses challenges for merchants, marketers, and SEO professionals who need to understand how their content ranks universally. How can one access generic search engine result pages (SERPs) without the influence of personalization? Below, we discuss three effective methods to achieve depersonalized Google SERPs.
The Challenges of Personalized Search Results
Google’s algorithm personalizes search results to provide the most relevant content for each user. This customization is influenced by several factors including a user's previous searches, clicks, location, and device used. Consequently, what a merchant views might not align with what a potential customer sees, leading to varied and sometimes misleading insights into their SEO performance.
Method 1: Using Chrome Incognito Mode
One of the simplest ways to gain a depersonalized view of Google’s SERPs is through the use of Chrome's Incognito mode.
What Incognito Mode Does
When browsing in Incognito mode, Chrome omits saving browsing history, cookies, site data, and form-completion information. This restricts the influence of past interactions from distorting current search results. Incognito mode removes personal search history, click data, and Search Console properties from the equation, giving a fairly neutral search result. However, it’s important to note that Incognito mode does not mask your location and browser settings.
How to Access Incognito Mode
Accessing Incognito mode is straightforward:
- Open Chrome.
- Go to the menu and select “File.”
- Click on “New Incognito Window.”
Once in Incognito mode, you can conduct searches to see more generic SERPs.
Enhancing Results with Third-Party Tools
To delve deeper, consider using third-party SERP extractor tools like Serpsonar or SEO Minion. These tools can export SERP data into Excel files, capturing ranking URLs, titles, and descriptions. Such functionalities can help you analyze and compare search results more comprehensively.
Method 2: Keyword Insights
Keyword Insights is another potent tool for depersonalizing SERPs. Its freemium SERP Explorer feature can extract comprehensive search results.
Extracting Depersonalized SERPs
Keyword Insights’ SERP Explorer can pull up to 100 results per query, including all essential SERP components, not just the organic results. This tool stands out because it allows users to get location-specific results without needing a VPN or proxy services.
Starting a SERP Explorer Project
To start using the SERP Explorer:
- Enter the desired keyword (e.g., “buy laptop”).
- Specify the location and language preferences.
- Initiate the extraction process.
With up to five free daily searches limited to the top 10 desktop results, Keyword Insights offers sufficient functionality for basic needs. For advanced use, such as full-feature access, upgrading to the professional tier at $145 per month is required.
Method 3: Thruuu
Thruuu offers a comprehensive approach to keyword discovery, SERP analysis, and content creation.
Features of Thruuu
Thruuu leverages AI to extract up to 100 results on both mobile and desktop devices. It provides detailed data for each listing, such as the number of words, number of images, publication date, on-page schema types, page type, and page rank. Additionally, Thruuu includes other significant SERP components like local packs, videos, and “People also ask” sections.
Downloading and Analyzing Data
Users can download the extracted SERP data in Excel format, making it easier to analyze and compare results. Thruuu provides four free credits for initial analysis with paid plans starting at $19 per month.
Conclusion
Depersonalizing Google SERPs is crucial for anyone needing an unbiased view of search engine performance. Using tools like Chrome’s Incognito mode, Keyword Insights, and Thruuu can substantially aid in obtaining more generic and universally applicable SERPs. These methods ensure that SEO strategies are based on accurate and comprehensive data, providing a clearer picture of a website’s actual performance on Google.
FAQ
Q: Why are personalized search results problematic for SEO analysis? A: Personalized search results can distort the true ranking of keywords because they are tailored to an individual’s past behaviors and preferences. This makes it challenging to understand how content genuinely performs in generic searches, crucial for accurate SEO analysis.
Q: Is using Chrome’s Incognito mode enough to fully depersonalize SERPs? A: While Incognito mode eliminates search history, click data, and Search Console data from distorting the SERPs, it does not hide your location or device-specific settings. For a completely depersonalized view, using additional tools like Keyword Insights or Thruuu may be necessary.
Q: Can Keyword Insights be used without a paid plan? A: Yes, Keyword Insights offers a freemium plan that includes up to five daily searches, limited to the top 10 desktop results. For more extensive features and unlimited searches, upgrading to a paid plan is required.
Q: What additional benefits does Thruuu offer over other SERP extraction tools? A: Thruuu provides not only organic search results but also other SERP components such as local packs, videos, and “People also ask” sections. It also offers detailed insights for each listing, including word count, images, publication date, and more, allowing for a more comprehensive analysis.
