GBP: What's the difference between searches and views in GPB/GMB Discovery Insights?

[mattstephenskc]

I'm looking for a good-faith explanation of the difference between "searches" and "views" in GBP/GMB's "Discovery Insights." The conundrum lies in Google's own definition of each:

• Total searches: Number of times customers found this listing by searching on Google Search or Maps (emphasis mine)
• Total views: Number of times this listing has been viewed on Google Search or Maps (emphasis mine)

If these definitions are accurate, the difference in the stat categories must lie in the difference between "finding" and "viewing" a listing. However, their definitions do nothing to clarify what that difference might be.

Have any of you seen documentation from Google explaining this difference?

The reason it's important that I understand the difference correctly is that there is a major difference between the numbers. YOY, we experienced an 8% drop in Total Searches (181,032), but a 14% increase in Total Views (261,912) over the same 6-month span.

And I'm further confused that our views are approximately double the searches that presumably led to those views.

Please help me understand what is going on here, with substantiating evidence.

Thanks in advance!

 

[mattstephenskc]

I'm looking for a good-faith explanation of the difference between "searches" and "views" in GBP/GMB's "Discovery Insights." The conundrum lies in Google's own definition of each:

• Total searches: Number of times customers found this listing by searching on Google Search or Maps (emphasis mine)
• Total views: Number of times this listing has been viewed on Google Search or Maps (emphasis mine)

If these definitions are accurate, the difference in the stat categories must lie in the difference between "finding" and "viewing" a listing. However, their definitions do nothing to clarify what that difference might be.

Have any of you seen documentation from Google explaining this difference?

The reason it's important that I understand the difference correctly is that there is a major difference between the numbers. YOY, we experienced an 8% drop in Total Searches (181,032), but a 14% increase in Total Views (261,912) over the same 6-month span.

And I'm further confused that our views are approximately double the searches that presumably led to those views.

Please help me understand what is going on here, with substantiating evidence.

Thanks in advance!

In case anyone is unfamiliar with Discovery Insights and Phone Call Insights, they're reports you can export from your Google Business Profile Manager dashboard as CSV files.

 

[JoyHawkins]

Searches = number of searches that returned your listing on Google (unique per device)

Views are useless IMO and I dig into why here: 3 Reasons Why You Should Ignore the Views Metric in Google My Business Insights - Sterling Sky Inc

 

[mattstephenskc]

Searches = number of searches that returned your listing on Google (unique per device)

Views are useless IMO and I dig into why here: 3 Reasons Why You Should Ignore the Views Metric in Google My Business Insights - Sterling Sky Inc

Thank you. I'll check out your article. Seems strange that views would be higher than searches, but I'm sure I'll figure it out.

 

[mattstephenskc]

My 12-month changes across 5 service area locations for 2022 vs. 2021 were:

• Total searches: -8%
• Direct searches: +70%
• Discovery searches: -20%
• Total views: +14%
• Search views: -24%
• Maps views: +109%
• Total actions: +8%
• Website actions: +13%
• Direction actions: +54%
• Phone call actions: -2%

Should I be looking for a new job?

 

[Marcin Karwowski]

As @JoyHawkins explained in the article, the number of impressions can definitely be more than the number of searches, because impressions accrue incidentally. Even if someone is just browsing a map of the area and sees your business, they didn't have to look for it and are not interested in it at all.

 

[mattstephenskc]

As @JoyHawkins explained in the article, the number of impressions can definitely be more than the number of searches, because impressions accrue incidentally. Even if someone is just browsing a map of the area and sees your business, they didn't have to look for it and are not interested in it at all.

Makes sense now. The Search metric relates to intent, whereas the Views metric is completely happenstantial. Perhaps only useful for evaluating a business's physical location, if foot traffic is a significant source of business.