Google Search Console Guide: Track Your SEO Performance

💡 Key Point: Google Search Console is 100% free and provides data you can't get anywhere else—including the exact keywords people use to find your site. It's the first tool every website owner should set up.

Domain Property (Recommended)

Includes: All URLs across all subdomains and protocols

Verification: DNS record (requires domain registrar access)

URL Prefix Property

Includes: Only URLs with the exact prefix you specify

Verification: HTML file, HTML tag, Google Analytics, or Google Tag Manager

✅ Recommendation: Use Domain Property if you can. It gives you complete data and you won't miss traffic from different URL variations.

1. Total Clicks

What it is: Number of times users clicked through to your site from search results

How to use it: Track growth over time. Compare different pages and keywords to see what drives the most clicks.

2. Total Impressions

What it is: Number of times your site appeared in search results

How to use it: High impressions but low clicks? Your title/description may need improvement.

3. Average CTR (Click-Through Rate)

What it is: Percentage of impressions that resulted in clicks

How to use it: Find keywords with high impressions but low CTR—these need better titles/descriptions.

4. Average Position

What it is: Your average ranking position in search results

How to use it: Find keywords where you rank #11-20 (page 2)—these are quick win opportunities.

Issue: "Crawled - Currently Not Indexed"

What it means: Google visited the page but decided not to index it

Solutions:

• Improve content quality and depth
• Add more unique, valuable information
• Build internal links to the page

Issue: "Discovered - Currently Not Indexed"

What it means: Google knows about the page but hasn't crawled it yet

Solutions:

• Wait 2-4 weeks for new content
• Request indexing via URL Inspection Tool
• Add internal links from important pages

❌ Text Too Small to Read

Solution: Use minimum 16px font size for body text

❌ Clickable Elements Too Close

Solution: Add more padding/spacing between interactive elements

1. Optimize Pages Ranking #11-20

How to find: Performance Report → Filter by Position: 11-20

What to do: Improve content quality, add internal links, update with fresh information

2. Improve Low CTR for High-Ranking Pages

How to find: Filter by Position: 1-10, Sort by CTR (low to high)

What to do: Rewrite title tags and meta descriptions to be more compelling

✅ Check Search Console Weekly

Spend 15-30 minutes each week reviewing performance and checking for new issues.

✅ Set Up Email Notifications

Enable email alerts for critical issues and manual actions.

💡 Final Tip: Google Search Console is a diagnostic tool, not a rank tracker. Use it to find problems, opportunities, and insights—then take action in your SEO strategy.

What is Google Search Console and why do I need it?

Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool from Google that helps you monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot your site's presence in Google Search results. You need it because it shows:

• Which keywords drive traffic to your site
• How your pages appear in search results (impressions and clicks)
• Technical issues preventing pages from being indexed
• Mobile usability problems
• Security issues and manual penalties

It's essential for understanding how Google sees your site and identifying SEO opportunities.

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

To set up Google Search Console:

1. Go to search.google.com/search-console
2. Sign in with your Google account
3. Add your property (choose Domain or URL prefix)
4. Verify ownership using one of several methods (HTML file upload, HTML tag, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, or DNS record)
5. Submit your XML sitemap at sitemap.xml
6. Wait 24-48 hours for data to populate

Most users find HTML tag or Google Analytics verification easiest.

What is the Performance report and how do I use it?

The Performance report shows how your site performs in Google Search with four key metrics: Total clicks (how many times users clicked your site from search results), Total impressions (how many times your site appeared in search results), Average CTR (click-through rate = clicks divided by impressions), and Average position (where your site ranks).

Use it to find: top-performing keywords, pages that need optimization, keywords where you rank well but have low CTR, and seasonal traffic patterns.

What should I do if my pages aren't being indexed?

If pages aren't indexed, check the Coverage report in Google Search Console for errors. Common issues include: robots.txt blocking, noindex tags, canonical tags pointing to other pages, poor quality content, duplicate content, or crawl budget limitations.

Use the URL Inspection tool to test specific URLs and request indexing. Make sure your XML sitemap is submitted and error-free. For new sites, patience is needed - indexing can take days to weeks.

How often should I check Google Search Console?

Check Google Search Console weekly for established sites, or daily if you're actively publishing content or making site changes. Set up email notifications for critical issues like manual actions, security problems, or sudden drops in indexed pages.

Monthly deep dives into the Performance report help identify trends, while the Coverage report should be monitored whenever you publish new content or make technical changes to ensure pages are being indexed properly.