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Google Search Console

What is Google Search Console?

Google Search Console (GSC) is Google's free tool that provides website owners with detailed insights into their website's performance in Google search results. It is the most important tool for SEO managers and website owners to understand how Google sees and indexes their website.

Core Features of Google Search Console

Google Search Console offers four main areas:

  1. Performance Reports - Detailed data on clicks, impressions, CTR and positions
  2. Indexing - Monitoring indexing and detecting problems
  3. Advanced Reports - Sitemaps, URL inspection and Core Web Vitals
  4. Settings - Property management and notifications

Property Setup and Verification

Property Types

Google Search Console supports various property types:

Property Type
Description
Usage
Domain Property
Captures all subdomains and protocols
Recommended for new websites
URL Prefix Property
Captures only exact URL variant
For specific URL structures
App Property
For Android and iOS apps
App Store Optimization

Verification Methods

Website verification in Google Search Console can be done in various ways:

  1. HTML File Upload - Upload a special HTML file
  2. HTML Tag - Insert a meta tag in the <head> section
  3. Google Analytics - Link with existing GA account
  4. Google Tag Manager - Integration via GTM container
  5. DNS Record - Add a TXT record

Understanding Performance Reports

Important Metrics Overview

Metric
Definition
Optimization Goal
Clicks
Number of clicks from Google search results
Maximization through better rankings
Impressions
Number of appearances in SERPs
Increase through better positions
CTR (Click-Through-Rate)
Ratio of clicks to impressions
Optimization through better title tags
Average Position
Average position in search results
Improvement through SEO measures

Filters and Segmentation

Performance reports offer extensive filter options:

  • Date - Time period of 16 months retrospectively
  • Search Type - Web, Image, Video, News
  • Country - Geographic segmentation
  • Device - Desktop, Mobile, Tablet
  • Query - Specific search terms
  • Page - Individual URLs
  • Appearance - Rich Results, AMP, etc.

Indexing Monitoring

Index Coverage Report

The Index Coverage Report shows the indexing status of your pages:

Status
Meaning
Action Required
Valid
Page is successfully indexed
No action required
Valid with Warning
Indexed, but with problems
Fix problems
Excluded
Not indexed
Check and fix cause
Error
Indexing errors
Immediate fix required

Common Indexing Problems

  1. "Crawled - currently not indexed"
    • Cause: Quality issues or crawl budget
    • Solution: Improve content, strengthen internal linking
  2. "Discovered - currently not indexed"
    • Cause: Page found but not crawled
    • Solution: Submit sitemap, internal linking
  3. "Duplicate, Google chose different canonical"
    • Cause: Duplicate content problem
    • Solution: Check and correct canonical tags
  4. "Crawled - currently not indexed: Submitted URL not found (404)"
    • Cause: 404 error
    • Solution: Set up redirects or restore content

Sitemap Management

Sitemap Types

Google Search Console supports various sitemap formats:

  • XML Sitemap - Standard format for websites
  • Image Sitemap - Specifically for images
  • Video Sitemap - For video content
  • News Sitemap - For news content
  • Mobile Sitemap - For mobile content

Sitemap Best Practices

  1. Regular Updates - Update sitemap when content changes
  2. Size Limits - Maximum 50,000 URLs per sitemap
  3. Use Sitemap Index - Link multiple sitemaps for large websites
  4. Link in Robots.txt - Add sitemap to robots.txt

URL Inspection and Live Test

URL Inspection Tool

The URL Inspection Tool enables:

  • Live Test - Immediate URL inspection
  • Indexing Status - Check if URL is indexed
  • Mobile Usability - Test mobile-friendliness
  • Rich Results - Validate structured data

Request Indexing

After changes to a page, a new crawl can be requested via the URL Inspection Tool:

  1. Enter URL in the tool
  2. Perform "Live Test"
  3. If test is successful, click "Request Indexing"
  4. Wait for confirmation (usually within 24 hours)

Core Web Vitals Monitoring

Important Metrics

Google Search Console shows Core Web Vitals data for mobile and desktop devices:

Metric
Good
Needs Improvement
Poor
LCP (Largest Contentful Paint)
≤ 2.5s
2.5s - 4.0s
> 4.0s
FID (First Input Delay)
≤ 100ms
100ms - 300ms
> 300ms
CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift)
≤ 0.1
0.1 - 0.25
> 0.25

Performance Improvement

  1. Optimize LCP - Compress images, use CDN
  2. Improve FID - Optimize JavaScript, reduce third-party code
  3. Minimize CLS - Ensure layout stability

Security and Manual Actions

Security Issues

Google Search Console warns about:

  • Malware - Malicious software on the website
  • Hacking - Compromised website
  • Social Engineering - Fraudulent content
  • Unwanted Software - Unwanted programs

Manual Actions

Manual measures by Google for violations of webmaster guidelines:

  • Thin Content - Content-poor pages
  • Unnatural Links - Artificial link structures
  • Cloaking - Different content for users and crawlers
  • Keyword Stuffing - Excessive keyword usage

Reports and Notifications

Automatic Notifications

Google Search Console sends email notifications for:

  • Critical Problems - Security issues, Manual Actions
  • Indexing Errors - Crawl errors, 404 errors
  • Performance Changes - Significant ranking losses
  • Sitemap Problems - Faulty sitemap submissions

Report Configuration

  1. Email Settings - Configure notifications
  2. Property Users - Add team members
  3. Permissions - Manage roles and access rights

Integration with Other Tools

Google Analytics 4

Linking with Google Analytics 4 enables:

  • Advanced Segmentation - Analyze GSC data in GA4
  • Conversion Tracking - Track SEO traffic to conversions
  • Audience Insights - Understand user behavior

Google Tag Manager

Integration via GTM offers:

  • Advanced Tracking Options - Custom events and conversions
  • Flexible Configuration - Without code changes
  • Team Access - Multiple users can manage tags

Common Errors and Solutions

Checklist for Common Problems

  1. No Data in GSC
    • ☐ Property correctly verified?
    • ☐ Correct URL variant selected?
    • ☐ Sufficient time for data collection?
  2. Low CTR
    • ☐ Title tags optimized?
    • ☐ Meta descriptions improved?
    • ☐ Rich snippets implemented?
  3. Indexing Problems
    • ☐ Sitemap submitted?
    • ☐ Robots.txt checked?
    • ☐ Canonical tags correct?
  4. Performance Problems
    • ☐ Core Web Vitals optimized?
    • ☐ Images compressed?
    • ☐ JavaScript minimized?

Best Practices for Google Search Console

Daily Routines

  1. Check Notifications - Monitor emails for critical issues
  2. Monitor Performance - Keep an eye on clicks and rankings
  3. Fix Errors - Address crawl errors immediately

Weekly Tasks

  1. Analyze Performance Reports - Understand trends and developments
  2. Check Index Coverage - Identify new problems
  3. Use URL Inspection - Test important pages

Monthly Reviews

  1. Comprehensive Analysis - Go through all areas
  2. Document Trends - Track long-term developments
  3. Adjust Strategy - Take measures based on data

Related Topics

Last Update: 04. October 2025