How to use Google Search Console to manage your SEO

How to use Google Search Console: practical guidance for SEO professionals

Accessing Google Search Console and creating your account

You can access Google Search Console at search.google.com/search-console using your Google account. In the dashboard, add a property by entering your website’s URL. For organisations managing several digital assets, multi-property management allows you to monitor performance centrally.

Setting up your website property and verifying ownership

Once your site is added, select the property type: “URL prefix” or “domain”. Verification can be completed using several methods: uploading an HTML file, adding an HTML tag, Google Analytics, or Google Tag Manager. For SaaS platforms, validation via your domain name provider is often the best option. After verification, you can add multiple users with different roles to support collaboration. The Incremys SEO 360° Audit module centralises alerts from Google Search Console for streamlined monitoring.

Analysing key reports to improve your online performance

Google Search Console provides essential metrics: impressions, clicks, average position and click-through rate (CTR) by keyword, page, country or device. Track trends, segment your data and quickly spot any anomalies. Reviewing reports weekly is recommended to anticipate any drops in performance. Adding XML sitemaps helps speed up the indexing of important pages. For unified reporting, the Incremys performance reporting module brings all this data together, making decision-making easier.

Using advanced features to refine your SEO strategy

Google Search Console offers a free API to automate sitemap management and extract performance data. The URL inspection tool checks indexing status. For larger sites, granular segmentation helps prioritise actions with the greatest impact. Integrating Google Search Console and Google Analytics APIs within the Incremys 360° SEO SaaS solution gives you a complete overview of your organic performance.

Frequently asked questions

How does Google Search Console work?

Google Search Console collects data on how your website interacts with Google’s index: visibility, indexing, technical errors and SEO growth opportunities. It segments performance, providing a detailed view to help you fine-tune your strategy.

How do you set up Google Search Console?

Log in, add your website’s URL, choose a verification method (HTML file, HTML tag, Google Analytics, Tag Manager), then confirm ownership. Set up your robots.txt file and submit your XML sitemap. This process ensures efficient and collaborative management.

To explore Google Search Console further and discover advanced solutions, visit the Incremys Blog.