Google Search Console: The Free SEO Tool Most Business Owners Completely Ignore (But Shouldn't)
- kaeraemarketing
- Apr 3
- 11 min read
The "Secret" SEO Tool That Google Literally Gives Away
Let's be real: trying to improve your website's visibility on Google feels like shooting in the dark. You make changes, create content, and then... what? Hope it works? Wait for the phone to ring?
Here's the truth most SEO "experts" won't tell you: Google actually gives you a free tool that shows exactly how your website performs in search results. It's called Google Search Console, and it's the closest thing to getting a direct peek at Google's data about your site.
The shocking part? Over 59% of small business websites don't even have it set up. They're literally turning down free intelligence directly from Google about their online visibility.
This guide will walk you through setting up and using Google Search Console—without the technical jargon or complexity that makes most business owners give up before they start.
What Is Google Search Console and Why Should You Care?
Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool provided by Google that helps you monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot your website's presence in Google search results.
Think of it as your direct line of communication with Google. It tells you:
Which search terms are bringing visitors to your site
How often your site appears in search results
Which pages get the most visibility
What problems Google finds on your site
When Google can't access parts of your website
If your site is mobile-friendly
When your site experiences issues
Why this matters to your business:
You'll see exactly which search terms bring people to your site
You'll discover new opportunities to reach more customers
You'll know when something breaks on your site that could hurt visibility
You'll have data straight from Google, not third-party estimates
You'll get alerts when Google detects issues with your site
The Big Picture Stats:
Websites actively using Search Console see 28% higher click-through rates on average
72% of technical SEO issues that hurt rankings can be identified through Search Console
Businesses that fix issues identified in Search Console see an average 15-35% increase in organic traffic
Setting Up Google Search Console: A Step-by-Step Guide
Let's get you set up with Search Console. This process takes about 15-30 minutes, and you only need to do it once.
Step 1: Access Google Search Console
Sign in with a Google account you use for business
If you use Gmail, you can use that account
If you use Google Workspace for business, use that account
Ideally, use an account multiple people can access if needed
Pro Tip: Don't use a personal account that only you can access. If you leave your company or are unavailable, others won't be able to view this crucial data.
Step 2: Choose the Right Property Type
Once logged in, you'll be asked to add a property. You'll see two options:
Domain Property (Recommended)
Covers your entire domain including all subdomains (www, blog, shop, etc.)
Includes http:// and https:// versions of your site
Requires DNS verification (slightly more technical)
URL Prefix Property
Only covers the specific URL prefix you enter
Example: https://www.yoursite.com/
Easier to verify but less comprehensive
Which should you choose?
For most small businesses, Domain Property is better because it gives you complete data for your entire website. The verification is slightly more technical, but we'll walk you through it.
Step 3: Verify Your Ownership
To prove you own the website, you'll need to verify ownership. The method depends on which property type you chose:
For Domain Property Verification:
You'll see a TXT record that looks something like: google-site-verification=1a2b3c4d5e6f7g8h9i0j
You need to add this to your domain's DNS records:
Log in to your domain registrar (like GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.)
Find the DNS management or DNS records section
Add a new TXT record
For "Host" or "Name," enter @ (or sometimes leave it blank)
For "Value" or "Content," paste the verification code
Save the record
If this sounds technical, you have options:
Ask your web developer to do this (takes them 5 minutes)
Contact your domain provider's support (they'll usually help)
Use one of the alternate verification methods below
For URL Prefix Verification (Easier alternatives):
If Domain verification seems too technical, choose URL Prefix and use one of these methods:
HTML File Upload
Download the HTML file Google provides
Upload it to your website's main directory (via FTP or your website control panel)
Confirm in Search Console once uploaded
HTML Tag
Copy the meta tag Google provides
Add it to the <head> section of your homepage
If you use WordPress, you can add this via a plugin like Yoast SEO or Insert Headers and Footers
Google Analytics If you already have Google Analytics, you can verify through that with one click
Google Tag Manager If you use Tag Manager, you can verify through that with one click
Step 4: Wait for Verification and Data Collection
After verification:
Google will confirm your ownership (usually within minutes)
Initial data may take 2-3 days to appear
Comprehensive data takes about 7-14 days to populate fully
Important: Don't expect to see complete data immediately. Search Console needs time to gather information about your site.
The 5 Most Valuable Search Console Reports for Small Business Owners
Now that you're set up, let's focus on the reports that actually matter for your business:
Report #1: Performance Report (Your SEO Gold Mine)
Where to find it: Click "Performance" in the left sidebar
What it shows you: How your site performs in Google search results, including:
Which search terms bring visitors to your site
How many people see your site in search (impressions)
How many people click through to your website (clicks)
Which pages get the most visibility
What devices people use to find you
Which countries your visitors come from
How to use this report:
Find your most valuable search terms:
Sort by "Clicks" to see which terms bring the most visitors
Look for terms with high impressions but low clicks (opportunity!)
Discover new terms you didn't know people were using
Identify underperforming pages:
Click on "Pages" tab to see which pages appear in search
Look for important pages with low click-through rates
Identify pages ranking well but getting few clicks
Real Business Example:
Sarah's Bakery discovered through Search Console that they were appearing in searches for "gluten-free birthday cake [city]" but had a low click-through rate of 1.2%. They updated their page title and meta description to specifically mention their gluten-free options and saw CTR increase to 4.7% within three weeks—generating 8 new orders per month without any other changes.
Report #2: Coverage Report (Find Technical Problems)
Where to find it: Click "Coverage" or "Indexing" > "Pages" in the left sidebar
What it shows you: Whether Google can properly access and index your content, including:
Which pages Google has indexed (and can show in search results)
Pages with errors that prevent them from appearing in search
Pages Google discovered but chose not to index
Pages blocked from Google
How to use this report:
Fix critical errors first:
Look for the "Error" tab and address those issues
Common errors include server errors, 404 pages, and blocked resources
Check for "Valid with warnings":
These pages are in Google but have potential issues
Fix these second, after addressing critical errors
Review "Excluded" pages:
Some exclusions are normal (duplicate content, etc.)
Check for important pages that shouldn't be excluded
Real Business Example:
Johnson's Plumbing discovered their "Water Heater Repair" service page was listed under "Excluded" with the reason "Crawled - currently not indexed." They improved the page content quality, added more detailed information, and internal links from other pages. Within three weeks, the page moved to "Valid" status and began generating leads.
Report #3: Mobile Usability (Critical for Local Businesses)
Where to find it: Click "Mobile Usability" in the left sidebar
What it shows you: Whether your site works properly on mobile devices, including:
Pages with mobile usability problems
Specific issues that make your site hard to use on phones
Changes in mobile usability over time
Why this matters: 63% of Google searches are now performed on mobile devices, and Google primarily uses the mobile version of your site for ranking.
How to use this report:
Address any pages with errors:
Focus on pages with "clickable elements too close together"
Fix pages with "content wider than screen"
Address "text too small to read" issues
Test fixes with Google's Mobile-Friendly Test:
Use the "Test URL" feature to see if your fixes worked
Real Business Example:
Elite Roofing had 60% of their lead form submissions come from mobile users, but Search Console showed their contact page had mobile usability issues. After fixing the reported problems, their mobile conversion rate increased by 24%, generating an estimated additional $9,600 in monthly revenue.
Report #4: Core Web Vitals (Page Experience Metrics)
Where to find it: Click "Experience" > "Core Web Vitals" in the left sidebar
What it shows you: How well your pages perform in terms of speed and user experience, including:
Loading performance
Interactivity
Visual stability
Why this matters: Google uses these metrics as ranking factors, and users abandon slow sites (53% of mobile users leave sites that take longer than 3 seconds to load).
How to use this report:
Identify pages with "Poor" status:
These need immediate attention
Focus on high-traffic pages first
Look for common issues:
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Your page loads too slowly
First Input Delay (FID): Your page takes too long to become interactive
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Elements move around as the page loads
Use Google's recommendations to fix issues:
Click on issues for specific guidance
Share this information with your web developer
Real Business Example:
Pacific Dental's website had "Poor" Core Web Vitals scores. After implementing fixes recommended by Search Console (image optimization, browser caching, and removing render-blocking resources), their organic traffic increased by 32% over two months, and their average position in search results improved from 8.3 to 5.1.
Report #5: Links Report (Your Backlink Profile)
Where to find it: Click "Links" in the left sidebar
What it shows you: Websites linking to your site, including:
Which external sites link to you
Which pages on your site get the most links
The text other sites use when linking to you
Your internal linking structure
How to use this report:
Discover your most valuable backlinks:
Review "Top linking sites" to see who links to you most
Check if important industry websites link to you
Identify opportunities for more links from sites already linking to you
Analyze your most linked content:
See which pages attract the most links
Create more content similar to your link-winning pages
Review your internal linking:
See which pages get the most internal links
Identify important pages with few internal links
Real Business Example:
Martinez Law Firm discovered through the Links report that a guest article their founder wrote for a local business journal was generating 40% of their backlinks. They developed a strategy to write more guest content for similar publications, resulting in a 65% increase in referring domains and a corresponding 27% increase in organic traffic over six months.
Taking Action: What to Do With Search Console Data
Having data is one thing; using it effectively is another. Here's how to turn Search Console insights into business results:
1. Create a Regular Review Routine
Schedule 30 minutes weekly or bi-weekly to check these key areas:
Performance: Are clicks and impressions trending up or down?
Coverage: Are there any new errors to fix?
Mobile Usability: Are there new mobile issues?
Security: Any security issues flagged?
Pro Tip: Set up email alerts in Search Console to be notified of critical issues immediately:
Click Settings (gear icon)
Select "Message settings"
Choose which notifications you want via email
2. Use Search Terms to Guide Your Content Strategy
Let Search Console tell you what content to create:
In the Performance report, sort by "Impressions" (descending)
Look for queries with:
High impressions but low clicks
Rankings on page 2 or 3 (positions 11-30)
Clear buyer intent related to your business
These represent your "low-hanging fruit" opportunities—topics Google already associates with your site that could perform better with dedicated content.
Content Development Process:
Create or improve pages focused on these terms
Include the exact phrase in your title and headers
Add comprehensive, helpful information
Check performance in 4-6 weeks
3. Fix Technical Issues Before They Hurt Rankings
Technical problems can silently damage your search visibility:
Check Coverage report weekly for new errors
Prioritize fixing:
Server errors (5xx)
404 errors on important pages
Crawl anomalies
Mobile usability issues on key pages
Common Solution Framework:
Screenshot the error details
Share specific URLs with your web developer
Resubmit fixed pages for indexing:
Go to URL Inspection
Enter the fixed URL
Click "Request Indexing"
4. Monitor and Improve Core Web Vitals
Page speed and user experience directly impact both rankings and conversions:
Address "Poor" pages first
Focus on the biggest issues:
Optimize and compress images
Implement browser caching
Remove or defer non-critical JavaScript
Stabilize page layouts with proper image/video dimensions
If page speed seems technical:
Share Core Web Vitals reports with your developer
Consider a performance-focused WordPress plugin like WP Rocket or Autoptimize
Test each change to see its impact
5. Connect Search Console with Google Analytics
For the most powerful insights, connect Search Console with Google Analytics:
In Google Analytics, go to Admin > Property Settings
Scroll to Search Console Settings
Click "Adjust Search Console"
Select your verified Search Console property
This connection allows you to see which search terms drive not just traffic, but actual business results like form submissions, purchases, or calls.
Common Google Search Console Questions, Answered
Let's address the most common questions business owners have about Search Console:
"How long does it take to see data after verification?"
Initial data appears within 2-3 days, but comprehensive data takes 7-14 days to populate. Historical data (up to 16 months back) may load gradually.
"Why are some of my pages not showing up in search results?"
Common reasons include:
The page is new and not yet indexed (use URL Inspection to request indexing)
The page has quality issues (thin content, duplicate content)
The page is blocked in robots.txt or has a "noindex" tag
Google found technical errors when trying to crawl the page
"Should I submit a sitemap, and how?"
Yes, submitting a sitemap helps Google find and index your pages:
Create a sitemap (most WordPress sites have plugins that do this automatically, like Yoast SEO or Rank Math)
In Search Console, go to "Sitemaps" on the left menu
Enter your sitemap URL (typically yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml)
Click "Submit"
"What's the difference between impressions and clicks?"
Impressions: How many times your site appeared in search results
Clicks: How many times users clicked through to your site
A high impression count with low clicks indicates your site appears for searches but isn't compelling enough for users to click.
"How often should I check Search Console?"
For small business owners:
Weekly check of Performance and Coverage reports
Monthly deep-dive into all reports
Immediate attention to any email alerts from Google
Your 30-Day Search Console Action Plan
Don't get overwhelmed. Follow this 30-day plan to get the most value from Search Console:
Days 1-7: Setup and Familiarization
Verify your property in Search Console
Connect with Google Analytics
Submit your sitemap
Set up email notifications for critical issues
Explore the interface and reports
Days 8-14: Initial Analysis
Identify your top 20 search queries
Review mobile usability issues
Check for critical coverage errors
Note your average position for important keywords
Days 15-21: First Improvements
Fix any critical technical errors
Address mobile usability issues
Improve title tags and descriptions for underperforming pages
Request indexing for important new or updated pages
Days 22-30: Strategy Development
Create a content plan based on search query data
Develop a process for regular Search Console checks
Set baseline metrics to track monthly
Document all technical issues for your web developer
The Bottom Line: Search Console Is Your Direct Line to Google
Google Search Console is the closest thing to getting direct insights from Google about your website's performance. It's completely free, relatively straightforward to set up, and provides actionable data you can't get anywhere else.
Unlike most SEO tools that estimate or guess at what's happening with your site, Search Console gives you the real data straight from Google itself.
The businesses that succeed with SEO aren't necessarily the ones with the biggest budgets or the most aggressive tactics—they're often the ones who regularly use Search Console to identify opportunities, fix problems, and align their websites with what their customers are actually searching for.
Set up Search Console today. Even if you just check it monthly, you'll have more accurate insights about your website's performance than most of your competitors.
Comments