Google Search Console Guide: Track Your SEO Performance
Google Search Console is a free, essential tool that shows you exactly how your website performs in Google search. In this comprehensive guide, you'll learn how to set it up, understand key reports, find and fix issues, and use the data to improve your SEO strategy.
Table of Contents
What is Google Search Console?
Google Search Console (GSC) is a free service from Google that helps you monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot your site's presence in Google Search results. Think of it as a direct line of communication between you and Google.
What Can You Do with Google Search Console?
📊 Track Performance
See which keywords bring traffic, how many clicks you get, your average position, and click-through rates.
🔍 Find Issues
Discover indexing problems, mobile usability issues, security problems, and manual penalties.
🗺️ Submit Content
Tell Google about new or updated content through sitemaps and URL submissions.
💡 Get Insights
Understand how Google sees your site and identify optimization opportunities.
💡 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.
Setting Up Google Search Console
Setting up GSC is straightforward and takes about 10-15 minutes.
Step 1: Sign In to Google Search Console
- Go to search.google.com/search-console
- Sign in with your Google account
- Click "Start Now" or "Add Property"
Step 2: Choose Your Property Type
You'll see two options:
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.
Submitting Your Sitemap
A sitemap is an XML file that lists all important pages on your website, helping Google find and crawl them efficiently.
How to Submit Your Sitemap
- In Google Search Console, go to "Sitemaps" in the left sidebar
- Enter your sitemap URL (usually yoursite.com/sitemap.xml)
- Click "Submit"
- Wait a few days and check back to see if Google successfully read it
Understanding the Performance Report
The Performance Report shows exactly how your site appears in Google Search.
The Four Key Metrics
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.
Finding and Fixing Indexing Issues
If a page isn't indexed, it won't appear in search results.
Common Indexing Issues and Solutions
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
Using the URL Inspection Tool
The URL Inspection Tool lets you check the status of any URL on your site and request indexing.
How to Use URL Inspection
- Click the search bar at the top of Search Console
- Paste any URL from your site
- Press Enter
- Review the coverage status
Request Indexing
When you publish new content:
- Use URL Inspection Tool on the page
- Click "Request Indexing"
- Google will recrawl within a few hours to a few days
Monitoring Mobile Usability
Over 60% of searches happen on mobile. Search Console helps you find and fix mobile issues.
Common Mobile Issues
❌ 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
Finding Quick SEO Wins
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
Best Practices and Pro Tips
✅ 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.