Getting the Google search terms from a https Google search

Question

I want to get the search terms that user typed on Google to get to my long-tail landing page (and use them on that page).

Getting the the "q" variable from the query string using the response referrer (in ASP C#) works well but only if the referring Google page was not loaded as https.

This is obviously a problem due to the fact that almost everyone is logged in to their Google accounts on their browsers all the time and, if they are, all Google pages will be automatically loaded (and redirected) to use https.

When a user (on https://www.google.com) searches for something and clicks on a search result, Google seems to redirect the user to an intermediate page that strips the request of its query string and replaces it with a different one that pretty much only contains url that the intermediate page should redirect to (i.e. the url to my long-tail landing page).

Is there any way that I can get the original search terms that were used on https://www.google.com anyway? Maybe if JavaScript could access the browser history or something similar?

Answer 1

Is there any way that I can get the original search terms that were used on https://www.google.com

No, the full text of the https session is secured via SSL this includes headers, urls etc. In your scenario, for security reasons browers tend to omit the referer header therefore you won't be able to access it (unless the destination URL is also secured via HTTPS). This is part of the HTTP spec - 15.1.3 Encoding Sensitive Information in URI's.

The only thing you can do is put a disclaimer on your site to say it doesn't work over https.

Answer 2

Since it is Google, it is not possible because there is not shared link with your website.

Once you are on HTTPS - it does not allow sending of REFERRER headers. I am sure you are aware that headers can be manipulated and cannot be trusted but, you may trust Google. However, due to privacy policy any activity done on Google by Google users are not shared by 3rd party. Link

Again, in server side languages you can find functions for HTTP Referrer but not HTTPS referrer. That is for a reason !

Unless and until you do not have a collaboration with the originating server who may create an exception in their RFC thing to allow HTTP REFERRER ONLY for your website. It isn't possible.

Hope that helps! (in moving on) :)

EDIT: Wikipedia Link See Referrer Hiding (2nd last line)

Answer 3

To see the referrer data you need to be either a paying google ads customer (and the visitor come via an ad-click) or have your site in HTTPS as well. Certs are cheap these days or you could use an intermediary like CloudFlare to do the SSL and have a self-signed cert on your site.

You can also see queries no matter the method used, with Google Webmaster tools.

I wrote a little about this here: http://blogs.dixcart.com/public/technology/2012/03/say-goodbye-to-keyword-tracking.html