/ SEO
What is Google Search Console and how do I use it?
Google Search Console is a free tool showing how Google sees your site — what keywords you rank for, errors, indexed pages, Core Web Vitals. Every website should be connected.
/ 01
The short version
Google Search Console (GSC) is the single most valuable free SEO tool. It shows real Google data — impressions, clicks, position, errors — that no third-party tool can match.
/ 02
What GSC tells you
- • Which keywords bring visitors to your site (impressions, clicks, position)
- • Which pages Google has indexed (or not, and why)
- • Core Web Vitals status
- • Mobile usability issues
- • Manual actions and penalties
- • Backlinks Google has discovered
- • Sitemap and robots.txt status
/ 03
How to actually use it
Weekly: check the Performance report for new ranking keywords, click-through rate anomalies, and pages losing traffic. Monthly: review Page Indexing to fix crawl errors and check Core Web Vitals. Quarterly: audit the top-100 queries and update those pages.
/ 04
Common mistakes
Setting it up then never logging in. Ignoring 'Discovered — currently not indexed' errors. Not submitting a sitemap. Not linking GSC to Google Analytics. Not adding both the www and non-www properties.
/ 05
Where RIOT fits in
We're a small Colchester studio helping UK SMBs get your SEO tracking right without agency waste or freelancer flake. If you've read this far and you want a second opinion on your specific setup, book a 20-minute call and we'll tell you honestly whether it's worth doing anything at all.
We work with clients across Essex, Suffolk, London and the wider UK — and remotely with brands abroad. No lock-in, no monthly retainer minimums, no pretending your problem is bigger than it is.
/ FAQs
Common questions
Is GSC data accurate?
It's the most accurate source for Google search data. Third-party rank trackers approximate; GSC is the source of truth.
How long back does data go?
16 months. Export monthly if you want longer history.
Still not sure?
Book a free 20-minute call — we'll answer your specific version of this question with no sales pitch.
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