Google Search Console: The 5 Reports That Actually Matter
Google Search Console has dozens of reports, but most small businesses only need five. Here's which ones to check and what to look for.
1. Performance Report
Shows your search queries, impressions, clicks, and average position. Look for: queries where you rank positions 5-15 (striking distance), pages with high impressions but low clicks (title/description opportunities), and sudden traffic drops (potential issues).
2. Index Coverage
Shows which pages Google has indexed and any problems. Look for: pages that should be indexed but aren't, error pages that need fixing, and pages excluded for valid reasons.
3. Core Web Vitals
Shows page speed metrics based on real user data. Look for: pages with poor LCP, INP, or CLS scores that need optimization.
4. Mobile Usability
Shows mobile-specific problems. Look for: text too small, clickable elements too close, content wider than screen.
5. Links Report
Shows who links to your site and your internal linking structure. Look for: new backlinks, lost backlinks, and pages with few internal links that need more.
- References & Further Reading
- Google Search Central
- W3C Web Standards
Google PageSpeed
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