Should I use Google webmaster tools?

[dmxsta]

Well the title says it all really...
I've never used GWT for previous websites but I could see how it comes in handy...
I've always been worried about using GWT if i'm using BlackHat links from the SEO Section on here..

So what do you guys think, should I give GWT a try or could it be risky?

 

[mindlesswizard]

I use GWT even though i use some black hat techniques. That should be ok to start with

 

[tony_d]

I take the view that WMT is risky, and have stopped using it on sites that I care about... there's no real advantage, except for perhaps the submit to index, but that's just a benefit if you're impatient.

 

[scorpion king]

Use GWTs the black hat way then. Create separate GWTs for each of your domain. Even if one of your domain got punished other's won't affect.

 

[Gyuman82]

My view is if you don't use other Google products then don't use it (ie Analytics, Adsense)

However on my sites where I use either Analytics or Adsense, I just say "F$#% it, they already know this is my site" and just roll with it and just try to hang on lol

 

[dmxsta]

Yeah thanks for the help guys, think i'm going to steer clear of it.
Was only thinking about using it because some of my prev websites lost there SERPS, would be handy to know if i was hit by update or not.

 

[Notion]

I have all my clients use it. Not that I dabble in BH tactics. But I still think it's important for on site practices

 

[mindlesswizard]

My view is if you don't use other Google products then don't use it (ie Analytics, Adsense)

However on my sites where I use either Analytics or Adsense, I just say "F$#% it, they already know this is my site" and just roll with it and just try to hang on lol

Is that serious ? I was not aware of that.

 

[gamingmaster42]

The way I kind of see it, is that they already have all that information, using GWT just gives it to me.

 

[Gyuman82]

Is that serious ? I was not aware of that.

The issue really only comes when you're say using less than "white" SEO tactics.

For example perhaps your sites are propped up via some private network or link scheme, where if a manual review goes down then something like webmaster tools/analytics etc. can easily link all your sites.

However sometimes this is unavoidable. For example if you do a lot of site flipping, lots of buyers like to purchase sites where they can just mindlessly slap on Adsense, so pretty much once you do that Google knows where all your site are anyway so might as well use the tools. Furthermore when you sell sites, people want to see Google Analytics stats, they don't want AW stats or some other 3rd party statcounter. So you're kind of f$@@ed in that respect.

However if you don't use Adsense, then I don't really see the point of webmaster tools or analytics. I feel webmaster tools offers very little help to an "advanced webmaster" and there are alternatives to Google Analytics. Just my opinion though.

 

[manny521]

Yeah thanks for the help guys, think i'm going to steer clear of it.
Was only thinking about using it because some of my prev websites lost there SERPS, would be handy to know if i was hit by update or not.

Well, they will only tell you if you were hit with a manual penalty.

 

[manny521]

The way I kind of see it, is that they already have all that information, using GWT just gives it to me.

This is true. The only disadvantage to using GWT is if you have 50 sites and they all use Blackhat methods then its really easy to see the other sites too...

 

[mindlesswizard]

The issue really only comes when you're say using less than "white" SEO tactics.

For example perhaps your sites are propped up via some private network or link scheme, where if a manual review goes down then something like webmaster tools/analytics etc. can easily link all your sites.

However sometimes this is unavoidable. For example if you do a lot of site flipping, lots of buyers like to purchase sites where they can just mindlessly slap on Adsense, so pretty much once you do that Google knows where all your site are anyway so might as well use the tools. Furthermore when you sell sites, people want to see Google Analytics stats, they don't want AW stats or some other 3rd party statcounter. So you're kind of f$@@ed in that respect.

However if you don't use Adsense, then I don't really see the point of webmaster tools or analytics. I feel webmaster tools offers very little help to an "advanced webmaster" and there are alternatives to Google Analytics. Just my opinion though.

Have you ever used GWT for ecommerce site ? With GWT basically, it helps me find the duplicates of META information like title, description etc. Also on top of that some people do now know that there are always two version of URLS. www version and the non www version.

https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/44231?hl=en

For other stuffs i use don't use GWT but for these kind of things, GWT is very helpful for me

 

[Gyuman82]

Have you ever used GWT for ecommerce site ? With GWT basically, it helps me find the duplicates of META information like title, description etc. Also on top of that some people do now know that there are always two version of URLS. www version and the non www version.

https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/44231?hl=en

For other stuffs i use don't use GWT but for these kind of things, GWT is very helpful for me

Again GWT will be helpful for some, and like you said maybe if you owned an e-commerce site it could be helpful, but it really comes down to a judgement call especially when you're trying to manipulate SERPs.

 

[termi]

I use WMT for my sites and there are much more + then - for example it is nice way to searcher for long tail keywords that are easy to rank and Google already think that your website is correct for this keywords.

 

[mindlesswizard]

Again GWT will be helpful for some, and like you said maybe if you owned an e-commerce site it could be helpful, but it really comes down to a judgement call especially when you're trying to manipulate SERPs.

Got ya ! Thanks for the effort