Google Search Console is a tool for understanding a websites presence on Google Search.
Google Search Console, formerly Google Webmaster Tools, is a tool provided by Google to better understand organic search performance. Similar to Google Analytics, Google Search Console provides analysis of performance however, Search Console specifically focuses on off-site metrics for Search Traffic. Google Search Console is similar to Microsoft Webmaster Tools. Along with Google Analytics and Google Search Console, Google My Business provides a full view of organic website performance across Google Properties.
Google Suite of Analytics Tools:
Google accounts for some of the most widely used platforms on the internet and as such, also accounts for most of the tools to understand and analyze these areas. The tools include:
- Google Analytics – Website insights – This platform provides understanding and tracking performance ON YOUR WEBSITE. Google Analytics also acts as a “hub” by connecting different platforms like Search Console, Google Ads and more.
- Google Search Console – Organic Search insights – This is where we get insights from organic search placements on Google.
- Google Ads – Paid Search insights – Google Ads is not only where you place paid search advertisements, but also track and understand the performance throughout. Google Ads reporting features can be tied into Google Analytics, but a business can get more robust reporting directly from the Google Ads interface.
- YouTube Analytics – Video Performance – YouTube analytics provides significant amounts of information on how your YouTube videos are being engaged with.
- Google My Business (Google Business Profile) – Organic & Maps Performance – This platform provides insights on your business’s presence in Google Search Map Pack and Local Graph, as well as Google Maps presence.
In addition to analysis, Google Search Console is also a tool for controlling and diagnosing search appearance. By submitting a website sitemap, this provides Google with a map of the website being submitted. It lets Google know of existing pages and when re-crawled, allows the discovery of new pages.
Claiming Google Search Console:
Similar to Google Analytics, Google Search Console needs to be attached to the website to claim ownership of it. Google Search Console provides the ability to claim in various ways:
- Instance level (claim at http://, https://, www., etc. all individually)
- Domain level (claims all instances at once)
The former, instance level, is the classic approach to claiming Search Console, however, the Domain Level is the preferred method for claiming webmaster tools now. Rather than placing code on a website, it requires placing a TXT file at the domain.