Google Webmaster Tools

[siddhant91]

there is no bad effect of installling webmaster tools for your website . it just provide you the information about your website and helps you with that . and if you do not want to use webmaster tools you can use majesticseo or ahrefs for getting the same data webmaster tools provide.

[deepsand]

... you can use majesticseo or ahrefs for getting the same data webmaster tools provide.

This is true only in part. You cannot use anything other than Google WMT to learn what Google has learned of your site; likewise, you can use only Bing WMT to learn what Bing has learned about your site.

And, for other than in-bound link data, your server logs are your most complete and accurate source of data re. site traffic and visitor behavior.

[Adrian98]

I was recently hit hard by the Penguin update and I'm wanting to know the pros and cons of installing Webmaster Tools on my site. I don't like the idea of getting too close to Google, but I need to do something. I'm afraid if I invite the 800 lbs monster into my living room it might become the thing that won't go away. Could someone shed some light on this- the good, the bad, the ugly? Thanks

First of all having your site WMT (Google's Webmaster Tools) is indeed useful because by that way , you get to know about the site crwal errors and other traffic and site metrics, in fact the WMT when integrated with Google Analytics , gives you nice set of inormation related to the site traffic and rankings etc. Indeed , by having WMT for your site ,you are giving your info to Google but that will not be any serious issue unless your site belongs to most richest person in the world!

[deepsand]

... WMT when integrated with Google Analytics ...

WMT and GA are not integrated.

... by having WMT for your site ,you are giving your info to Google ...

WMT does not gather information, but simply reports to you what Google has otherwise learned of your site.

... but that will not be any serious issue unless your site belongs to most richest person in the world!

Since when does being "rich" make one trustworthy?