When it comes to SEO analytics tools, the options can feel overwhelming. Tools like Google Analytics and other advanced platforms offer powerful insights, but for most website owners, they can be intimidating when starting out with their marketing efforts. That’s why I recommend starting with Google Search Console.
Why Start with Google Search Console for SEO Analytics?
While it’s just the basics of SEO analytics, it’s more than enough to help you understand how your site is performing in search results. Even as someone who works with SEO regularly, I still use Google Search Console for tracking queries, pages, and rankings. I think that starting with the Search Console is advisable for nearly all people just starting out with SEO instead of using Google Analytics right away.
This guide will focus on the essentials—simple steps that I personally use to kickstart SEO analytics and make meaningful improvements without getting bogged down in complexity.
What Is Google Search Console?
Google Search Console is one of the free SEO tools from Google that helps you monitor and improve your site’s visibility in Google search results. It provides beginner-friendly data to help you understand how Google views your site and how website visitors are finding it.

Why Use Google Search Console?
For website owners new to SEO analytics, Google Search Console is the perfect starting point to check SEO performance. It lets you create a simple SEO analysis by showing you:
- Monitor Queries: Identify the search terms (queries) people are using to find your site.
- Check Keyword Rankings: See how your website ranks for specific keywords.
- Optimize Pages: Improve underperforming pages with real data.
- Track Indexing: Ensure all your important pages are visible in search engines.
What You’ll Learn in This Guide
This article will walk you through:
- Setting up Google Search Console and connecting it to your website.
- Using basic reports to track your site’s performance and understand the SEO data.
- Applying the data to optimize existing content and find new opportunities for growth.
Pro Tip: You don’t need to be a tech expert to get started. Google Search Console is simple, free, and incredibly effective for understanding the basics of SEO analytics.
3 Steps to Set Up Google Search Console
1. Create Your Google Search Console Account
Getting started with Google Search Console is straightforward:
- Visit Google Search Console.
- Click on “Start Now”
- Sign in using your Google account.
- Click Add Property and choose your website type:
Pro Tip: If you’re unsure, start with the Domain Property option for comprehensive tracking.
2. Verify Your Website
After selecting your property type, you will need to verify your website so Google knows that you are the owner of the website.
Choose one of these methods:
- DNS Verification:
- Update your domain’s DNS settings with the TXT record provided by Google.
- This method works best for Domain Property setup.
- WordPress Plugin:
- Use a plugin like Rank Math to easily add the verification code to your site.
- Go to WordPress Dashboard → Rank Math SEO → General Settings → Webmaster Tools.
- Paste the copied code into the Google Search Console field
- You can also automatically verify your website. For more read the article from Rank Math here.
3. Confirm Your Verification
After you have added the TXT record, click on “Verify” and if everything is working fine you’ll gain access to Search Console’s tools and reports.

And then it should show you a success message:

If verification fails:
- Double-check that you followed the steps for your chosen method.
- Wait a few minutes and try verifying again.
Pro Tip: If you’re using WordPress, plugins like Rank Math make the process quick and hassle-free.
2 Steps to Ensure Google Can Find and Index Your Pages
After connecting your website, you need to make sure that Google can find and index your pages so they appear in your dashboard.
1. Submit Your Sitemap
A sitemap is a file that lists all the important pages on your website, helping search engines understand your site’s structure and crawl it effectively.
Steps to Submit a Sitemap
- Go to the Sitemaps section in Google Search Console (left-hand menu).
- Enter the URL of your sitemap, usually located at:
- https://yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml
- If you’re using WordPress, plugins like Rank Math automatically generate a sitemap for you.
- Click Submit and check for any errors.
Pro Tip: Keep your sitemap updated whenever you add or remove pages to ensure Google always has the latest version of your site.
2. Check Index Coverage
The Pages report in Google Search Console shows which pages are indexed and highlights any issues preventing pages from appearing in search results.

Page Indexing Insights
Indexed Pages:
These pages have been successfully indexed by Google and can appear in search results.
Not Indexed:
Pages with indexing issues fall into this category. The common reasons are:
- Page with Redirect: The page redirects to another URL, preventing indexing.
- Redirect Error: The redirect setup has issues, blocking indexing.
- Not Found (404): The page could not be found.
- Crawled – Currently Not Indexed: The page was crawled but hasn’t been indexed yet.
Resolving Indexing Issues:
- Review the reason provided for each non-indexed page.
- For Redirect Errors or 404s, fix the broken links or update the redirect configuration.
- In cases of Crawled – Currently Not Indexed, enhance content quality or check for technical barriers like incorrect meta tags or robots.txt disallow rules.
- Resubmit fixed URLs through the URL Inspection Tool in Search Console to prompt re-crawling.
Why These Steps Are Important
Submitting your sitemap and addressing index coverage issues ensure Google can find and display all your important pages in search results.
Pro Tip: Check the Pages report regularly to catch new issues early and keep your site running smoothly.
Using Google Search Console Data to Improve SEO
1. Monitor Queries and Rankings
The Performance section in Google Search Console provides valuable insights into how your website is performing in search results.
How to Access the Performance Report
- Open your Google Search Console dashboard.
- Click on Performance in the left-hand menu.
- Review the following key metrics:
- Search Queries: The keywords people are using to find your site.
- Average Position: Your site’s ranking for specific queries on search engine results pages.
- Impressions: How often your site appears in search results.
- Clicks: The number of times users clicked on your site from search results.

Why It Matters
By understanding the queries and rankings, you can identify which keywords are working for you and where there’s room for improvement.
2. Optimize Existing Pages
If you notice pages with high impressions but low clicks (e.g., ranking on page 2 or 3 of Google), you can optimize them to improve rankings and click-through rates.
For example I can filter for Impressions rather than clicks by clicking on “Impressions” and then check which queries have high impressions but low click rates (Meaning a lot of people are searching for these things but my website is not showing high enough in Google)

How to Optimize Existing Pages
- Update Content: Add more relevant, high-quality content to better match the user intent of the query.
- Optimize Meta Tags: Make your meta title and description more engaging and keyword-rich.
- Internal Linking: Link to these pages from other high-performing pages on your site to boost their authority.
Read our article on SEO content optimization to make sure you rank for these queries!
Example
- Query: “Best coffee shops in Chicago”
- Your page is ranking at position 12.
- Action: Add a detailed list of top coffee shops, include updated images, and refine the meta description to include phrases like “top-rated” or “hidden gems.”
Pro Tip: Focus on improving low-hanging fruit—pages ranking in positions 8–20, as they are easiest to push higher in rankings.
3. Find Opportunities for New Content
Google Search Console can also reveal queries where your site is appearing but doesn’t have a dedicated page. These are good opportunities for free organic search traffic.
How to Identify New Opportunities
- In the Performance report, filter queries with high impressions but low click-through rates.
- Check if you have content that addresses these queries.
- If not, create a new page or blog post targeting that query.
Example
- Query: “How to clean leather boots”
- If you don’t have content on this topic, create a blog post with step-by-step instructions to capture this search traffic.
Pro Tip: Use these new opportunities to expand your content and target additional keywords that are already appearing in the search engine rankings.
Tracking Progress Over Time
1. Analyze Trends in Traffic and Queries
Google Search Console allows you to track your website’s performance over time, helping you understand what’s improving and where more effort is needed. You can use these SEO insights to optimize your website.
To track trends:
- Use the Date Range filter in the Performance report to compare data (e.g., the last 3 months vs. the previous 3 months).
- Look for changes in:
- Impressions: Are more people seeing your site in search results?
- Clicks: Are users engaging with your content?
- Average Position: Are your pages moving higher in rankings?

2. Monitor Click-Through Rates (CTR)
CTR measures how many users clicked on your site after seeing it in search engine results. A low CTR with high impressions may indicate that your meta title or description needs improvement.
How to Improve CTR:
- Write engaging meta titles and descriptions that reflect user intent.
- Use numbers or call-to-action phrases to grab attention, like “5 Best Tips for Beginners” or “Shop the Latest Deals.”
For more details read our guide on how to create title tags.
3. Review Index Coverage Regularly
Keep an eye on the Coverage section to ensure Google is indexing your pages properly. Address any newly flagged errors or excluded pages to maintain full visibility in search results.
4. Track Content Performance
Identify which pages are consistently performing well and which ones are declining. Use this data to:
- Refresh and update older content.
- Repurpose high-performing content into different formats, such as videos or infographics.
Example of Using Data Over Time
If a page on “Top Winter Jackets” saw a decline in organic traffic over three months, you could:
- Update it with current product recommendations.
- Add fresh images and keywords for the upcoming season.
- Promote it through internal links and social media.
Pro Tip: Regularly reviewing your data ensures your SEO efforts stay on track and adapt to changes in search trends.
Conclusion: Using Google Search Console to Improve Your SEO
Google Search Console is the start to web analytics tools for anyone starting with SEO analytics. Its simplicity makes it perfect for beginners, while its powerful insights allow you to make meaningful improvements to your website’s performance in search results.
Key Takeaways
- Set Up and Verify: Get your website connected to Google Search Console and submit a sitemap to help Google index your pages.
- Monitor Performance: Use the Performance report to track queries, rankings, and CTR to identify what’s working and what isn’t.
- Optimize Content: Improve underperforming pages with better content, meta tags, and internal links.
- Discover New Opportunities: Use query data to create content targeting untapped keywords and expand your reach.
- Track Progress: Regularly review trends to see how your efforts impact impressions, clicks, and rankings.
What’s Next?
Now that you have the basics of Google Search Console, make it part of your routine:
- Spend 10–15 minutes each week reviewing performance and addressing issues.
- Use your findings to refine your SEO strategy and focus on what’s driving results.
- Explore more advanced analytics tools as your needs grow and you have more time for your search engine optimization efforts.
Pro Tip: Combine insights from Google Search Console with guides like SEO Content Optimization to take your site’s performance to the next level.