How to use Google Search Console to improve SEO
A practical Google Search Console guide for small businesses: the reports that matter, how to find quick wins and how to fix indexing problems yourself.
Google Search Console is free and shows how your site performs in Google search, straight from Google. Most small businesses set it up and never look again. A short monthly routine with a few reports is enough to find real improvements.
Setting it up
Add your site as a Domain property if you can, which covers every version of your site (http, https, www and non-www). Verify ownership through your domain's DNS settings, then submit your XML sitemap under Sitemaps.
The Performance report
This shows clicks, impressions, average click-through rate and average position for the searches your site appears in. Filter by page or query to see what each page is being found for.
- Queries with lots of impressions but few clicks: improve the page title and description so they match what people searched
- Queries ranking around positions 8 to 20: these pages are close; improving the content can move them up
- Queries you didn't expect: these can suggest new pages or sections to write
The Pages (indexing) report
This shows which pages Google has indexed and why others aren't. Focus on pages you care about. Common reasons include "Excluded by noindex tag", "Duplicate without user-selected canonical" and "Crawled - currently not indexed". Fix the cause, then use URL Inspection to request indexing.
URL Inspection
Paste any URL from your site to see whether it's indexed, which canonical Google chose and when it was last crawled. Use it after publishing a new page or fixing a problem.
A simple monthly routine
- Compare the last 28 days with the previous period for clicks and impressions
- Check the Pages report for new indexing problems
- Pick two pages with high impressions and low click-through rate and rewrite their titles
- Note any new queries worth a page of their own
Walkthrough: find pages that almost rank
- 1. Open Performance → Search results and set the date range to the last 3 months.
- 2. Tick Average CTR and Average position so both columns show.
- 3. Open the Queries tab and filter Position greater than 8.
- 4. Sort by Impressions. Queries with many impressions in positions 8–20 are your best quick wins.
- 5. Click a query, then the Pages tab, to see which page Google shows for it. Improve that page's title, intro and depth on the topic.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Search Console free?
Yes, it's a free service from Google. You only need a Google account and access to verify your site.
What's the difference between Search Console and Google Analytics?
Search Console shows how you appear in Google search before people click. Analytics shows what visitors do on your site after they arrive.
Why is my average position different from what I see when I search?
Results vary by location, device and search history, and average position is an average across many searches.
How long does data take to appear?
Usually a few days after verification. Historical data from before you added the site may not be available.
Does requesting indexing guarantee a page gets indexed?
No. It asks Google to crawl the page sooner, but Google still decides whether to index it.