Content Group Introduction
This guide will take you through Content Groups in SEOTesting.
A Content Group is a bunch of URLs that are tracked over a long period of time.
This is different to SEO tests, as tests have an end date. Content Groups continue to track the performance of the URLs (forever in theory )
Content Groups can be created using
An exact list of URLs
Using Search Console filters
Using RegEx
an XML sitemap
Upon creation of the group, SEOTesting will go and retrieve the last 16 months worth of data available. From that point onwards, the Content Group updates at the end of each week or month - depending on the update frequency set at creation time.
Please bear in mind Search Console data is usually 2 days behind, so a weekly Content Group will often update on a Tuesday and a monthly Content Group will update on the 3rd of next month.
Content Groups are used:
By agencies that are only allowed to work on a subset of URLs across a big site and want to track their performance.
To track the performance of individual authors.
To track the performance of newly published content.
To track the performance of content that has been refreshed.
To track the performance of content clusters.
For example, at SEOTesting, we have a content group called "GSC academy" that tracks the performance of our articles related to Google Search Console.
The steps to create a content group are straightforward:
Give a name to the group.
Fill in the description.
Select the update frequency.
Enter the URLs to track.
Create the group.
Now, let's see those steps in more detail.
Start by going into the Content Groups tab on the left sidebar and then press the 'Create a new Content Group' button at the top of the page.
Now, give your content group a name that is easy to identify.
Fill in a description to help you remember what the content group is about and what it is tracking.
Select the group's update frequency. Select 'Weekly' if you want it updated every week or 'Monthly' if you want it updated once a month.
Please remember that GSC API is typically 2 days behind, so expect graphs to be updated 2 days after the end of the week or month.
The final step is to enter the URLs, filter, regex or XML sitemap URL, and create the group.
In the background, SEOTesting will process the Content Group and backfill the data. We will send you an email when the content group has processed.
You can use following options to select URLs for a content group:
Exact Match URLs : use exact match URLs when you want to track a list of specific pages.
Contains URLs : when you want to track a group of pages containing a certain URL fragment.
URLs matching this regex will be included/excluded : it's also possible to enter a regex expression to track or exclude certain URLs on the site.
Sitemap URL : each time a Content Group processes, it will request the XML sitemap file and get the data for all the URLs contained in the sitemap.
Filters are cumulative
If you add an exact match URL of:
https://seotesting.com/blog/blog-post-1
and a Contains filter of:
/blog/
The Content Group will count the data for blog-post-1 twice, as it will be returned by the exact match URL and contains filter.
Please read this article on how to edit the URLs/filters that make up an existing Content Group.
Unfortunately you can't update the frequency of an already created/processed Content Group. Please read this article on how to copy and re-create the Content Group and change the update frequency.
To edit a content group, press the 'Edit' button on the right side of the screen and start making the desired changes.
From the following edit screen you can update the name and description, and also navigate to further screens to add or remove the URLs & filters that make up the Content Group.
What are Content Groups?
A Content Group is a bunch of URLs that are tracked over a long period of time.
This is different to SEO tests, as tests have an end date. Content Groups continue to track the performance of the URLs (forever in theory )
Content Groups can be created using
An exact list of URLs
Using Search Console filters
Using RegEx
an XML sitemap
Upon creation of the group, SEOTesting will go and retrieve the last 16 months worth of data available. From that point onwards, the Content Group updates at the end of each week or month - depending on the update frequency set at creation time.
Please bear in mind Search Console data is usually 2 days behind, so a weekly Content Group will often update on a Tuesday and a monthly Content Group will update on the 3rd of next month.
How are Content Groups useful?
Content Groups are used:
By agencies that are only allowed to work on a subset of URLs across a big site and want to track their performance.
To track the performance of individual authors.
To track the performance of newly published content.
To track the performance of content that has been refreshed.
To track the performance of content clusters.
For example, at SEOTesting, we have a content group called "GSC academy" that tracks the performance of our articles related to Google Search Console.
How to set up a Content Group
The steps to create a content group are straightforward:
Give a name to the group.
Fill in the description.
Select the update frequency.
Enter the URLs to track.
Create the group.
Now, let's see those steps in more detail.
Start by going into the Content Groups tab on the left sidebar and then press the 'Create a new Content Group' button at the top of the page.
Now, give your content group a name that is easy to identify.
Fill in a description to help you remember what the content group is about and what it is tracking.
Select the group's update frequency. Select 'Weekly' if you want it updated every week or 'Monthly' if you want it updated once a month.
Please remember that GSC API is typically 2 days behind, so expect graphs to be updated 2 days after the end of the week or month.
The final step is to enter the URLs, filter, regex or XML sitemap URL, and create the group.
In the background, SEOTesting will process the Content Group and backfill the data. We will send you an email when the content group has processed.
How the Content Group filters work.
You can use following options to select URLs for a content group:
Exact Match URLs : use exact match URLs when you want to track a list of specific pages.
Contains URLs : when you want to track a group of pages containing a certain URL fragment.
URLs matching this regex will be included/excluded : it's also possible to enter a regex expression to track or exclude certain URLs on the site.
Sitemap URL : each time a Content Group processes, it will request the XML sitemap file and get the data for all the URLs contained in the sitemap.
Filters are cumulative
If you add an exact match URL of:
https://seotesting.com/blog/blog-post-1
and a Contains filter of:
/blog/
The Content Group will count the data for blog-post-1 twice, as it will be returned by the exact match URL and contains filter.
FAQs
How to add URLs and Filters to an Existing Content Group
Please read this article on how to edit the URLs/filters that make up an existing Content Group.
How to change the frequency a content group updates?
Unfortunately you can't update the frequency of an already created/processed Content Group. Please read this article on how to copy and re-create the Content Group and change the update frequency.
How to edit a content group?
To edit a content group, press the 'Edit' button on the right side of the screen and start making the desired changes.
From the following edit screen you can update the name and description, and also navigate to further screens to add or remove the URLs & filters that make up the Content Group.Updated on: 20/11/2024
Thank you!