When Google Analytics says "No results found"
This week I set out to do something simple: connect Google Search Console to Google Analytics for my own website. It's a five-minute job. So I clicked Link, went to choose my Search Console property, and saw:
No results found.
That was odd, because I knew my site was set up in Search Console. I had it open in another tab and could see my indexed pages right there. So why couldn't Google Analytics see it?
The answer was in the address bar.
Meet authuser
If you're signed into more than one Google account in the same browser, say a personal Gmail and a business account, Google numbers them in the order you signed in. The first is account 0, the second is account 1, and so on.
Every Google tool records which account it's using, right in the web address. Check your browser's address bar:
analytics.google.com/analytics/web/?authuser=1
(In Gmail and Drive you'll see the same idea written as /u/0/ or /u/1/.)
In my case, Google Analytics was open on account 1, while Search Console was open on account 0. Each tool only showed what that account owned. As far as Analytics was concerned, my Search Console property didn't exist.
What to do? Click your profile picture in Google Analytics and switch to the account that owns your site in Search Console. That's all it took for me: as soon as Analytics was open under the same account, my site appeared in the list. If that account can't access your Analytics property yet, add it under Admin → Property access management with the Editor role first.
The rule behind it: the account you use to create the link in Google Analytics must be both a verified owner of the site in Search Console and an Editor (or higher) in Google Analytics. One account, both roles.
A note on terms: this is about the Google account (the email you sign in with), not your Chrome profile. One Chrome profile can hold several signed-in Google accounts at once, and that's exactly when the numbering, and the confusion, begins. The account also doesn't have to be a Gmail address; any email registered as a Google account works.
Why this matters for small businesses
This isn't only my problem. Many small business owners, and the people who help them, juggle several Google accounts: a personal one, a business one, perhaps one a web designer set up years ago. When the accounts get mixed up, you see things like:
- "I can't find my property in Google Analytics."
- "The option to link Search Console (or Google Ads) is missing."
- "My dashboard is empty, but I know we have traffic."
- "I gave my consultant access, but they can't see anything."
Often nothing is broken. You're just looking through the wrong account.
How to check in 10 seconds
- Look at the address bar. Find authuser= or /u/. Is it 0, 1 or 2?
- Click your profile picture in the top right of any Google tool. It shows which email you're using, and lets you switch.
- Make sure both tools are on the same account before you link anything.
One caution: the numbers can change. If you sign out and back in in a different order, account 0 might become a different email. Trust the profile picture and email, not the number.
How to prevent it for good
- Use one Google account for your business tools. Analytics, Search Console, Tag Manager, Google Business Profile and Ads should all be owned by, or shared with, the same business account.
- Consider separate Chrome profiles. Chrome lets you create one profile for personal use and one for business, each with its own window, bookmarks and sign-ins. No more mix-ups.
- When you grant someone access, confirm the email. Access goes to a specific Google account, so ask your helper exactly which address to use.
The bigger lesson
Good measurement starts before any report. It starts with knowing who owns what and who can see what. The most sophisticated dashboard in the world won't help if it's connected to the wrong account.
If your Google tools feel confusing, or you're not sure your analytics is set up correctly, that's exactly what a GA4 Health Audit checks. Get in touch with Eigenvalue Marketing and I'll make sure your data is in the right place, and that you can find it.
