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I want to do an internet search for my own website, to see where it is ranking, as if I am a potential customer.

Google ranks my site highly in the search terms I'm using. I've deleted my browser history (because I visit my site a lot) and signed out of Google, but it still ranks much higher than I expected.

Is this because Google knows I have bookmarked the site in the browser?

Or somehow knows my location and is therefore matching me with my own site?

Or somehow knows I've visited the site before (even though I have deleted browser history)?

How do people do an internet search, for their own site, as if they are a potential visitor?

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2 Answers 2

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It is likely Google is prioritizing your site for you - even if you sign out of Google. (Things like IP address often remain the same, and if you have not deleted your cookies when you deleted your browser history that gives Google even more to go on).

There are a few things to consider -

  1. Use a VPN and a temporary or anonymous browsing profile - that will change your IP address and unlink your history/cookie data. Be sure you use a VPN from within the same region (or region you are targetting) to get more accurate results.

  2. Lean on Google Analytics etc to help see what Google sees.

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  • I've discovered Epic browser that comes with a proxy. I think this is the same thing as a VPN. This is allowing me to do searches for my own website, without my location and browsing history interfering with the results Commented Jun 5, 2023 at 8:01
  • A VPN and a proxy work very differently but yes, they could achieve a similar result here. Commented Jun 5, 2023 at 8:37
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No, Google does not know about your browser history.

You can either

  1. Log out of your browser account (if you are logged in)
  2. Clear the browser cache and logins (the process depends on what browser you are using)

Or

  1. Use a different (Linux/Windows) account on your PC

Or

  1. Obtain a new browser you have never used on your machine

Or

  1. Use the browser in incognito mode (unless that's how you use it normally)
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  • I think that just using a standard browser in Incognito mode / Temporary profile is easier then a new browser. While Google does not know exactly your browser history it does know a lot about your browsing and habits, and can likely piece together most of the history - at least to the degree of being able to fingerprint/target you. Commented Jun 5, 2023 at 3:28
  • Good point, so added it. Commented Jun 6, 2023 at 5:17

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