Why Do Search Console and Analytics Differ in Discover Reporting?

In the Office Hours Hangout, Google’s John Mueller addressed a question about the discrepancy between Google Search Console (GSC) and Google Analytics when it comes to reporting on Google Discover traffic. Mueller explained why this occurs, as well as why Analytics Discover reporting is different.

Disagreements Between the Search Console and Analytics

The distinction between Search Console and Analytics perplexes search marketers. It would appear that the reporting should be consistent, but this is not always the case.

There is a distinction, particularly for Discover.

The following is the question:

My question is regarding the performance measurement of Google Discover.
I have a client whose site has been up for seven or eight years and they have great content.
What I’m seeing is for a particular day and for a particular page, if Search Console is showing let’s say 100 clicks and if you check that particular page and particular date on analytics, …it shows …discrepancy in the sessions and the clicks.
There it is showing around 20 sessions …in analytics.
So there is a lot of discrepancy.
What is the good way to measure the Google Discover performance?”

The Search Console Tracks Discover Accurately

In response to the question, John Mueller stated that Search Console is more accurate than Analytics for tracking Google Discover traffic.

John Mueller responded, saying:

“I think the only way to measure it is in search console. Because in particular in Analytics, the traffic from Discover is almost always folded into Google Search and then you can’t separate that out.
So it’s only in Search Console do you see …the bigger picture.”

Why Analytics Doesn’t Track Discover Accurately

The person who asked the question went on to ask why Analytics tracked Discover in a way that didn’t differentiate it from Google Search.

The content on Google Discover is not the direct result of a search. It just appears.

However, one could argue that it is an indirect result of a user’s search history that reveals a user’s interest in certain topics.

Some of the topics of interest revealed by search history are then displayed in Google Discover.

Because Google Search plays a role in the content that is surfaced in Google Discover, it may be sufficient to fold Discover traffic into Google Search traffic and not distinguish between the two.

That, and the fact that it’s trackable in Search Console.

Mueller didn’t go into specifics, but it’s possible that the Discover team will have more to say about it.

Mueller’s response:

“In particular Discover, we see as a part of Google Search so we don’t separate it out.
…At least the Discover team they basically decided well, Discover is a part of Search so we’re not going to separate it down.”