How to Use Google Search Console: A Beginner's Guide for Small Business
How to Use Google Search Console
Google Search Console is the most underused free tool in SEO. It tells you exactly what Google thinks about your site.
How to set it up
- Go to search.google.com/search-console
- Add your website (use the domain property option)
- Verify ownership (DNS record is easiest)
- Submit your sitemap
What to check every week
Performance report: Which queries bring people to your site? Which pages get the most clicks? Is traffic going up or down?
Coverage report: Which pages has Google indexed? Are there errors? Fix any 'Submitted URL has issue' errors immediately.
Core Web Vitals: How fast is your site? Are there pages with poor mobile experience?
Links report: Who's linking to you? Which pages get the most internal links?
What to do with the data
- Find queries where you rank #4-10 and improve those pages
- Fix any coverage errors immediately
- Improve pages with low CTR by rewriting titles
- Create content around queries you're not targeting yet
Run a free audit and connect your Search Console data.