What is Google Search Console and How to Use It?

If you have a website, you probably want to know how it performs on Google Search. How many people find your site, what keywords they use, how your pages rank, and what issues you need to fix are some of the questions that you might have.

Fortunately, there is a free tool that can help you answer these questions and more: Google Search Console.

Google Search Console (GSC) is a free web service by Google that lets you monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot your site’s presence in Google Search results. It offers a variety of tools and reports that can help you optimize your content, improve your site’s usability, and fix any issues that might affect your ranking.

You don’t have to sign up for Search Console to be included in Google Search results, but Search Console helps you understand and improve how Google sees your site.

Google Search Console offers tools and reports for the following actions:

• Confirm that Google can find and crawl your site.
• Fix indexing problems and request re-indexing of new or updated content.
• View Google Search traffic data for your site: how often your site appears in Google Search, which search queries show your site, how often searchers click through for those queries, and more.
• Receive alerts when Google encounters indexing, spam, or other issues on your site.
• Show you which sites link to your website.
• Troubleshoot issues for AMP, mobile usability, and other Search features.

How to Get Started with Google Search Console

To use Google Search Console, you need to have a website that you own or manage. You also need to have a Google account that you can use to sign in to GSC. If you don’t have a Google account, you can create one for free.

To get started with Google Search Console, you need to follow these steps:

Add and verify your site

You need to add your site to Google Search Console and verify that you own or manage it. You can do this by using one of the verification methods that GSC offers, such as HTML file upload, HTML tag, DNS record, Google Analytics, or Google Tag Manager.

You can also add multiple sites and manage them from the same Google Search Console account.

Explore the GSC dashboard

Once you verify your site, you can access the Google Search Console dashboard, where you can see an overview of your site’s performance and health on Google Search. You can also navigate to the different sections and tools that Search Console provides.

Use the tools and reports

You can use the tools and reports that Google Search Console offers to monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot your site’s presence in Google Search. You can also use the filters, segments, and date ranges to customize and analyze the data that Search Console provides.

Take action and improve your site

You can use the insights and recommendations that Google Search Console gives you to take action and improve your site. You can also use the validation and testing tools that GSC provides to check and fix the issues that affect your site.

How to Use Google Search Console Tools and Reports

Google Search Console offers a range of tools and reports that can help you improve your site’s performance on Google Search. Here are some of the most useful ones:

Search Analytics

This report shows you how your site performs on Google Search, based on various metrics, such as queries, pages, countries, devices, and search appearance. You can use this report to analyze your site’s traffic, identify popular keywords, optimize your titles and descriptions, and discover new opportunities for growth.

URL Inspection

This tool allows you to inspect any URL on your site and see detailed information about its crawl, index, and serving status. You can use this tool to check if your page is indexed by Google, if there are any errors or warnings, and if your page is mobile-friendly.

You can also request a recrawl or a live test of your page, and view the rendered HTML and screenshot of your page as seen by Google.

Sitemaps

This report shows you the sitemaps that you have submitted to Google, and the status of their processing. You can use this report to submit new sitemaps, update existing ones, and remove outdated ones. Sitemaps help Google find and index your pages faster and more accurately, especially if your site is large, complex, or frequently updated.

Index Coverage

This report shows you the index status of your site’s pages, and the issues that might prevent them from being indexed. You can use this report to monitor your site’s index coverage, fix any errors or warnings, and validate your fixes. Index coverage is crucial for your site’s visibility and ranking on Google Search.

Mobile Usability

This report shows you the mobile usability issues that affect your site’s pages, and how to fix them. You can use this report to improve your site’s mobile-friendliness, which is a key factor for user experience and ranking on Google Search, especially since Google uses mobile-first indexing for most sites.

Security Issues

This report shows you the security issues that affect your site, such as malware, phishing, hacked content, or harmful downloads. You can use this report to protect your site and your users from malicious attacks, and to request a review from Google if your site has been compromised.

Manual Actions

This report shows you if your site has any manual actions issued against it by Google. Manual actions are when a human reviewer at Google has determined that pages on your site are not compliant with Google’s spam policies.

Manual actions can result in some or all of your pages being ranked lower or omitted from search results. You can use this report to see the type and scope of the manual action, and to request a reconsideration from Google after you have fixed the issue.

Links to Your Site

This report shows you the links from other sites that point to your site. Links are one of the factors that Google uses to determine the relevance and authority of your site.

You can use this report to see the total number of links, the domains that link to you the most, the pages that are linked the most, and the anchor texts that are used to link to you. You can also use this report to disavow any links that you don’t trust or that might harm your site’s reputation.

Core Web Vitals

This report shows you how your pages perform on the core web vitals, which are a set of metrics that measure the loading, interactivity, and visual stability of your pages. Core web vitals are part of Google’s page experience signals, which affect your site’s ranking on Google Search.

You can use this report to see the status of your pages (poor, needs improvement, or good), the type of metric (LCP, FID, INP, or CLS), and the URL group (groups of similar pages). You can also use this report to identify and fix any issues that might affect your core web vitals.

Benefits of Google Search Console

Google Search Console can help you improve your site’s performance and visibility on Google Search. Some of the benefits are:

You can see how your site performs on Google Search, including impressions, clicks, click-through rate, and average position for your pages and keywords. You can also filter and compare the data by various dimensions, such as device, country, date, and more.

You can identify and fix any issues that prevent Google from crawling and indexing your site, such as server errors, crawl errors, sitemap errors, and manual actions. You can also request Google to recrawl and re-index your site after you fix the issues.

You can optimize your site for mobile devices and AMP pages, and check if your site meets the mobile usability and AMP guidelines. You can also test and validate your AMP pages and rich results, and see how they appear on Google Search.

You can monitor and improve your site’s security and spam protection, and get alerts when Google detects any malicious or spammy activity on your site. You can also review and remove any unwanted links to your site, and disavow any links that you don’t trust.

You can enhance your site’s appearance and functionality on Google Search, and take advantage of the various Search features, such as rich snippets, breadcrumbs, sitelinks, and more. You can also provide structured data to help Google understand your site’s content and context.

Google Search Console is a powerful and useful tool for any webmaster, developer, marketer, or SEO professional who wants to optimize their site for Google Search. By using Search Console, you can gain valuable insights into your site’s performance, issues, and opportunities, and take action to improve your site‘s visibility and user experience.

What can you do with Google Search Console?

Google Search Console offers a variety of tools and reports that can help you with different aspects of your site’s performance and health on Google Search.

Here are some of the things that you can do with Search Console:

Submit your site and sitemaps to Google

You can tell Google about your site and its structure by submitting your site and sitemaps to Google Search Console. This can help Google discover and index your pages faster and more accurately.

See how Google sees your pages

You can use the URL Inspection tool to get detailed information about how Google crawls, indexes, and serves your pages. You can also see if there are any errors or warnings that affect your pages.

Measure your site’s search traffic and performance

You can use the Performance report to see how many clicks, impressions, click-through rate (CTR), and average position your site gets on Google Search. You can also filter and compare the data by different dimensions, such as queries, pages, countries, devices, and more.

Optimize your site’s content and appearance

You can use Google Search Console to improve your site’s content and appearance on Google Search. For example, you can use the Search Appearance report to see how your site’s snippets, rich results, and AMP pages look on Google Search.

You can also use the Enhancements report to see how your site’s structured data, breadcrumbs, sitelinks search box, and other features are implemented and validated.

Fix issues and improve your site’s quality

You can use Google Search Console to identify and fix issues that affect your site’s quality and performance on Google Search. For example, you can use the Coverage report to see the index status of your pages and the errors or warnings that prevent them from being indexed.

You can also use the Security and Manual Actions report to see if your site has any security issues or manual actions that need to be resolved.

Get alerts and notifications from Google

You can use Search Console to receive email alerts and notifications from Google when there are issues or opportunities for your site. You can also use the Messages section to see the messages that Google has sent you and take the appropriate actions.

Who should use Google Search Console?

Google Search Console is a tool that can benefit anyone who has a website or is involved in web development, SEO, or online marketing. Here are some of the roles that can benefit from using GSC:

Website owners and managers

If you own or manage a website, you can use Search Console to see how your site performs on Google Search and how you can improve it. You can also use GSC to communicate with Google and get alerts and notifications about your site.

Web developers and designers

If you develop or design websites, you can use Search Console to see how Google crawls, indexes, and serves your pages. You can also use GSC to implement and validate the technical aspects of your site, such as structured data, AMP, mobile usability, and more.

SEO specialists and marketers

If you work on SEO or online marketing, you can use Google Search Console to measure and optimize your site’s search traffic and performance. You can also use GSC to research and analyze the keywords, pages, and audiences that drive your site’s success.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Google Search Console

Here are some frequently asked questions about Google Search Console and their answers:

What is Google Search Console (GSC)?

Google Search Console is a free web service provided by Google that allows website owners to monitor, analyze, and optimize their site’s presence in Google Search results. It provides valuable insights into how Googlebot views and interacts with your website.

How do I set up the Google Search Console for my website?

• Log in to your Google account.
• Go to the Google Search Console homepage.
• Click on the “Start now” button.
• Add your website property by entering your website URL.
• Choose a verification method (HTML tag, HTML file upload, Google Analytics, or domain name provider).

What are the key features of Google Search Console?

• Performance Reports: Analyze your site’s performance in search results, including clicks, impressions, and average position.
• Coverage Reports: Identify and fix issues with your site’s pages, including indexing problems and errors.
• Sitemap Submission: Submit your sitemap to help Google understand your site’s structure and index it more efficiently.
• URL Inspection Tool: Check the indexing status and other details of a specific URL on your website.

How does Google Search Console help with SEO?

• Google Search Console provides insights into keyword performance, allowing you to optimize your content for better search visibility.
• It alerts you to crawl errors, mobile usability issues, and other technical problems that may affect your site’s SEO.
• You can see which external sites link to yours, helping you understand your backlink profile.

What is the importance of the Index Coverage report in Google Search Console?

The Index Coverage report in Google Search Console provides a detailed overview of how Googlebot is indexing your site. It highlights issues such as pages with errors, excluded pages, and pages that have been indexed successfully.

Use this report to identify and fix indexing problems that may affect your site’s performance in search results.

What is the difference between Google Search Console and Google Analytics?

Google Search Console and Google Analytics are both free services offered by Google, but they have different purposes and features.

Google Search Console focuses on how your site appears and performs on Google Search, while Google Analytics focuses on how users interact with your site.

Google Search Console provides data and tools for site verification, indexing, crawling, sitemaps, links, keywords, performance, issues, and search features, while Google Analytics provides data and tools for traffic, behavior, conversions, audiences, and more.

You can link your Google Search Console and Google Analytics accounts to see Search Console data in Google Analytics reports, and vice versa.

How often is Google Search Console data updated?

Google Search Console data is not updated in real time, and the frequency and latency of data updates may vary depending on the type of data and report.

For example, the Performance report shows data with a delay of about one or two days, while the Index Coverage report shows data with a delay of about a week. You can check the date range selector at the top of each report to see the latest date for which data is available.

How can I use Google Search Console for mobile optimization?

• Use the Mobile Usability report to identify issues affecting the mobile-friendliness of your site.
• Ensure that your site’s design is responsive and that mobile users have a seamless experience.
• Leverage the Mobile-Friendly Test tool to check individual pages for mobile optimization.

Can I request Google to recrawl specific pages of my website?

Yes, you can use the URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console to request recrawling of specific pages. Enter the URL you want to be recrawled, and if the page meets Google’s guidelines, you can request indexing. This is particularly useful when you’ve made significant updates or changes to your content.

How often should I check Google Search Console for updates?

Regularly monitoring Google Search Console is crucial for staying on top of your site’s performance. Aim to check at least once a week for any new messages, issues, or opportunities identified by Google Search Console.

Additionally, conduct more in-depth analyses periodically to ensure a healthy and optimized online presence.

What should I do if my website has a manual action in Google Search Console?

If you receive a manual action notification, review the details provided in the Manual Actions report. Take corrective actions to address the identified issues. After resolving the problems, submit a reconsideration request through Google Search Console, explaining the steps you’ve taken to comply with Google’s guidelines.

Can I use Google Search Console for multiple websites?

Yes, Google Search Console allows you to add and manage multiple properties (websites) under one account. This is particularly useful for webmasters or SEO professionals managing multiple sites. Each property will have its own set of data and reports within the same Google Search Console account.

How can I submit my site or pages to Google?

You don’t need to submit your site or pages to Google, as Google’s web crawlers will automatically discover and index your site over time.

However, you can use Google Search Console to help Google find and index your site faster and more efficiently.

You can use the Sitemaps report to submit a sitemap file that lists all the pages on your site, and the URL Inspection tool to request indexing for a specific URL. You can also use the Removals tool to temporarily hide a URL from Google Search results, or clear the cached page snippet.

How can I improve my site’s ranking on Google?

Google Search Console does not directly affect your site’s ranking on Google, but it can help you identify and fix any issues that may prevent your site from ranking well.

Google uses hundreds of factors to rank pages on Google Search, and some of the most important ones are relevance, quality, and user experience. You can use Google Search Console to improve these aspects of your site by following the best practices and guidelines for SEO, mobile usability, AMP, speed, security, structured data, and more.

You can also use the Performance report to analyze and optimize your site’s performance on Google Search, such as impressions, clicks, click-through rate (CTR), and position.

What is the Google Search Console URL Parameters tool, and how can it be used?

The URL Parameters tool in Google Search Console allows you to control how Googlebot crawls and indexes dynamic URLs on your site. You can specify which parameters should be ignored or crawled differently. Use this tool carefully to prevent potential duplicate content issues and improve the efficiency of Googlebot’s crawling process.

How does the Google Search Console Insights feature differ from traditional GSC reports?

Google Search Console Insights provides a user-friendly interface focused on content creation and audience engagement. It combines data from GSC and Google Analytics to offer a more holistic view of your content’s performance.

Insights includes information on your most popular content, top queries, and the demographics of your audience, helping you make data-driven decisions for content strategy.

What is the Google Search Console Security & Manual Actions section?

This section in Google Search Console helps you address security issues and manual actions taken against your site. It provides information about potential security threats and actions Google has taken if it detects that your site violates its guidelines.

Regularly check this section to ensure the security of your site and promptly address any issues that may impact your search rankings.

How can I use Google Search Console to optimize for Core Web Vitals?

Core Web Vitals are essential for user experience and search rankings. Google Search Console provides a Core Web Vitals report that highlights performance metrics such as Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS).

Use this report to identify pages that need improvement and prioritize optimizations to enhance your site’s user experience.

Can I integrate Google Analytics with Google Search Console, and what are the benefits?

Yes, you can link Google Analytics with Google Search Console. This integration provides a more comprehensive view of your website’s performance by combining search data with user behavior data.

The benefits include deeper insights into user interactions, better understanding of organic search traffic, and the ability to track the effectiveness of your SEO efforts alongside other marketing efforts.

How does the Performance report in Google Search Console help with keyword analysis?

The Performance report offers valuable insights into how your site performs for specific search queries. Analyze data such as clicks, impressions, click-through rate (CTR), and average position. Use this information to identify high-performing keywords, optimize content for relevant queries, and understand user behavior on your site.

What is the Crawl Stats report in Google Search Console, and why is it important?

The Crawl Stats report provides information on how Googlebot crawls your site over time. It includes data on pages crawled per day, kilobytes downloaded per day, and time spent downloading a page.

Monitoring crawl stats can help you identify potential issues, such as spikes in crawl activity or slow page loading times, allowing you to optimize your site for efficient crawling.

How can Google Search Console help with international SEO?

Google Search Console offers an International Targeting feature that helps you manage hreflang tags, which indicate the language and regional targeting of your pages.

This ensures that Google displays the correct version of your content to users in different regions and languages. Use this feature to enhance the relevance of your content for a global audience.

Can I use Google Search Console for monitoring rich results and schema markup?

Yes, Google Search Console provides a Rich Results report that shows how your pages appear in search results with rich features like snippets, recipes, or events.

It also highlights any errors or enhancements related to schema markup. Monitoring this report allows you to optimize your content for rich results and improve the visual appeal of your listings in search.

How can I troubleshoot issues with the Mobile Usability report in Google Search Console?

If the Mobile Usability report indicates problems with your site’s mobile-friendliness, use the provided details to diagnose and fix issues. Common solutions include optimizing viewport settings, ensuring text remains readable on small screens, and addressing touch elements.

Regularly checking and resolving mobile usability issues is crucial for providing a seamless experience to mobile users and maintaining good search rankings.

Conclusion

Google Search Console is a free and powerful tool that can help you monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot your site’s presence in Google Search results.

You can use it to submit your site and sitemaps to Google, see how Google sees your pages, measure your site’s search traffic and performance, optimize your site’s content and appearance, fix issues and improve your site’s quality, and get alerts and notifications from Google.

If you have a website, you should use Search Console to understand and improve how Google sees your site. You can sign up for Google Search Console for free and start using its tools and reports to make your site shine on Google Search.