Google Search Console Your Free SEO Command Centre

A Domain property covers all subdomains and protocols and uses DNS verification. A URL-prefix property covers only its specified prefix and supports several verification methods. Choose the scope you need and ask an authorised domain owner to make DNS changes when necessary.

Submit your canonical sitemap URL after verification. A successful submission helps discovery but does not guarantee crawling, indexing or rankings.

Search performance reports show clicks, impressions, CTR and average position, with filters such as query, page, country and device. Compare the same search type and comparable periods; daily aggregation, anonymised queries and reporting limits mean the visible query rows may not sum to the total.

Average position is aggregated Search Console evidence, not the position every user sees or an exact match for a scheduled rank check. A CTR change may reflect query mix, result layouts, device mix or title changes; it does not prove one cause.

Use Page indexing and URL Inspection together. Some exclusions are expected, such as redirects and intentional duplicates; investigate important canonical pages that should be indexed. A live inspection tests the current page, while indexed information describes Google’s stored view.

Core Web Vitals uses real-user data for URL groups; pages with insufficient data may have no report. Check Manual actions and Security issues separately. An unavailable report is not proof that a page passed.

Choose an important page and compare its clicks, impressions and query mix for two comparable periods. Save the property, filters and dates. Inspect that page’s indexing status and record one action supported by the evidence. Use available Rankar project data where connected, or keep the direct Search Console report as your source.

A new strategic page with no impressions can still deserve urgent work if it is blocked from indexing. Prioritise importance and verified problems, not traffic volume alone.

Reliable SEO decisions depend on knowing what the evidence can establish and what remains uncertain. Use this lesson to replace assumptions with a documented review of a real page or report.

Choose a site or report you are authorised to access. If access or live data is unavailable, record the limitation rather than manufacturing a result.