How to Use Google Search Console to Check Your Website’s Position
August 28, 2024
Think of it as the magic control panel, where you get to see behind the curtains regarding search performance for a website. It's kind of like a magic map that shows where a website really is in this wide world of search results.
So, let’s go step-by-step through the entire process of determining where your site ranks using Google Search Console. It will help you to see exactly how well you're doing and come up with strategies for climbing even higher in SERPs. But first, let us briefly go through the definition of Google Search Console.
What is Google Search Console?
Think of Google Search Console as this really cool dashboard for your website, kind of the control center of a spaceship. It is free from Google and gives an idea of how your website fares in search results. It shows you how many people are finding your site, which search terms are working, and how well your pages are ranking. It also helps in tracking problems and provides tips so that your website is always fit and ready to shine in Google.
What is the Need for Google Search Console?
Now you know what Google Search Console is, but how can you use it and how well it's going to serve your purpose is another question to ask. But don’t worry, below we have explained how Google Search Console will help you to manage your website.
For business owners: Even if you're not the one diving head-first into Google Search Console each day, this is relevant for you to know. Knowing a little about the basics of SEO and the tool's basic features will help you oversee your website's search performance and make sure you're tapping its full potential.
SEO Specialists/Marketers: Google Search Console is an extremely vital tool in the online marketing department. It helps monitor website traffic, provides ways to better rankings within search, and gives insights so you marketers can make smart choices and increase their site’s ranking. With the help of other tools from Google—Analytics, Trends, and Ads—you can make highly informed decisions and fine-tune your marketing strategies based on data analysis from Search Console.
Site Administrators: If you run a site, the first and foremost thing in your mind would be to make sure it works. Google Search Console guides you in monitoring and fixing many problems, including those related to servers, loading, and security issues such as hacking or malware. It is also handy in making sure any changes or maintenance you make will not hurt the search performance of your site.
Web Developers: If you are the technical head behind websites, then this is one tool you cannot afford to live without. Search Console helps you to track down and fix problems with your website's code and structured data for smooth error-free operations.
Setting Up Your Google Search Console
Hold your horses before you jump in to check website position in Google Search Console. First, you need to set up your search console account and submit your website in it. The sign-up process is divided into three easy steps so that you can complete it easily.
Sign Up – Go to Google Search Console and sign up with your personal google account or from your company’s google account. Or if you don’t have one then you can create one very easily.
Add Your Website – After signing in you will land on ‘Welcome to Google Search Console’ where you will see two options to select property type. These two options are Domain and URL Prefix. Now, what are these? Domain is to monitor all URLs of website whereas URL Prefix is to monitor only certain URL of website. You can select either option or enter your website’s URL.
Verify Your Website - Google needs to make sure you own the site. You can do this in several ways, i.e. verify through your domain name on GoDaddy or via any DNS provider. Follow the instructions for your chosen method and click “Verify.”
How to Check Your Website’s Position Using Search Console?
Your website is verified and now it’s time to see how your website is doing. On the home page of Google Search Console, you will see various metrics options on the side menu bar. These options will foresee your website’s performance and how you can improve more. Let’s discuss all the metrics and learn how they can help your website and its ranking.
Go to Performance Report
On the home page of Google search console, you will see performance option. Click on ‘Full Report’ and read your website performance. Don’t get confused. You need to understand how these metrics define your website performance. Let’s understand briefly about them.
Total Clicks – This shows how many users clicked on your website in search results.
Total Impression – This indicates how many times your website appeared in search results regardless of whether anyone clicked or not.
Average CTR – This Click Through Rate explains how often users clicked on your website when it appeared in search result page.
Average Position – It shows the ranking of your website and how many times your website appeared for search queries.
You can check the image attached below for better understanding the performance of your website.
Check Your Position for Specific Queries
The above insight of the website is calculated as whole. However, you can check your position for Specific queries as well as follows:
Scroll down to get a list of search queries in which people came to visit your site.
Click a query to view information on its performance in detail.
Plus, you will also get the average position of your website in relation to that query, the number of clicks you got, impressions, and more.
Analyze Your Ranking for Specific Time Period
You should check every aspect of your website that also includes analyzing your ranking on the basis of specific time period. Use the date filter at the top of the Performance report to compare your data over different periods. It may be great at letting you know whether the position of your website is improving or if there's something wrong that you should change.
Check Your Top Performing Pages
Last but not least, check your top performing pages and analyze what more you can add up to improve even further.
Click on the PAGES tab and then check for the clicks and CTR metrics.
Clicks show which page of your URL is most visited and performing better than any other page.
CTR analyzes which page is the best to answer the queries of the users. Hence, clarifying which page is working great and which page can potentially perform better.
Bonus Tips to Improve Your Website’s Position
Incorporate Relevant Keywords - Topics should contain the keywords people are searching for. You can use Google keyword planner to choose the best keyword for your content.
Write Quality Content – Ensure to write useful and engaging content to your readers.
Faster Page Speed - It will result in a better user experience, and an additional incentive is that it aids in rankings.
Get Backlinks - Links from other reputable websites help in increasing your site's authority and goodwill.
Regularly Check Rank- Use Google website ranking checker extension to see which of your keywords are performing well.
Now you have learned how to check your website's position using Google Search Console. Additionally, you also know how to use this powerful tool to its full potential. So, monitor your site, fix things off the beaten path, and watch your rankings rise.
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