Learn how to use Google Search Console (GSC)
So, you’ve been blogging your little heart out, but you’re still not sure if it’s doing anything. Is anyone actually finding your posts? Are they showing up on Google? Is it worth the effort?
Enter: Google Search Console (GSC) (aka your new secret weapon).
This free tool tells you exactly how your site is performing on Google, what people are searching when they land on your blog, how often your site is popping up in Google results, and what you can do to get more traffic.
Even if you’ve never heard of it before, I’ll walk you through how to use Search Console, how to get set up, what to click, and how to read the data like a pro.
Let’s get into it.
Step-by-Step: How to Set Up Google Search Console (From Scratch)
First things first: GSC is free — you just need a Google account.
Step 1: Go to Google Search Console
Head to https://search.google.com/search-console and log in with your Google account (Gmail is fine).
Step 2: Add Your Website
Click “Add Property.”
You’ll see two options — choose “Domain” if you want full data access across your entire site.
Step 3: Verify Your Domain
Here’s where most beginners freeze — but don’t worry, you’ve got this.
To verify your domain, Google needs to know you actually own it. You’ll do this by adding a TXT record to your domain settings.
Wait, what’s a TXT record?
It’s just a snippet of text (Google gives it to you) that you copy and paste into your domain provider account (like GoDaddy, Bluehost, Squarespace, etc.).
Here’s how to do it:
- Copy the TXT code Google gives you.
- Log in to your domain provider.
- Find your DNS or “Domain Settings.
- Look for an option to “Add Record” → choose TXT
- Paste the code into the box and save.
Stuck?
Google will show you a help guide tailored to your domain provider when you hit “Verify.” And most providers have a help chat you can use too.
Step 4: Hit “Verify”
Once you’ve added the TXT record, go back to GSC and click “Verify.” It may take a few minutes (or up to 24 hours) to verify your site.
Once it’s verified, you’re in!
Trust me, this isn’t complicated, and it is totally worth it.
Navigating the Google Search Console Dashboard
(AKA: What Are All These Tabs and What Do They Do?)
Once your domain is verified, GSC will drop you into your main dashboard — this is where all your data lives.
On the left-hand side, you’ll see a bunch of tabs.
Let’s break down the ones you actually need to care about:
🟣 Performance
This is where you’ll live inside your search console account.
Click this tab to see how your site is performing in Google Search — aka what people are actually typing into Google before they land on your site.
You’ll find:
- Clicks – How many people clicked your site from Google search results
- Impressions – How many times your site showed up in search results (even if they didn’t click)
- CTR (Click-Through Rate) – The % of impressions that turned into clicks
- Average Position – Where your page showed up in Google’s search results
This is the juicy bit — and where we’ll dig deeper in the next section.
🔵 Pages
Shows which URLs Google has seen and indexed (aka stored in their search database).
If a page isn’t indexed, it won’t show up in Google at all.
You’ll use this to:
- Check which blog posts or pages are being seen
- See any errors that might be stopping Google from showing your content
🔶 Sitemaps
This is where you can submit your sitemap (a behind-the-scenes file that tells Google about all the pages on your site).
Most website builders like WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace generate these automatically, usually at http://www.yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
You don’t have to mess with this right away, but know that this section exists.
🔴 Indexing → Pages
Tells you how many of your pages Google has indexed (or not).
You’ll also see reasons why a page hasn’t been indexed — maybe it’s too new, too thin, it’s got a manual action against it, or it’s blocked by settings and the Googlebots can’t crawl it.
Good for troubleshooting.
How to See What Keywords (and Blog Posts) Are Ranking in Google — And What They Mean
This is where the magic happens — and where most people go 🤯 the first time they see it.
Let’s take it slow:
Step 1: I want you to click ‘Performance’
This brings up a full report of how your site is doing in Google Search.
At the top, above a graph, you’ll see 4 boxes:
- Total clicks – how many times people clicked your site
- Total impressions – how many times your site appeared in search results
- Average CTR – your click-through rate (clicks ÷ impressions)
- Average position – where you’re ranking on average (lower = better)
Step 2: Underneath the graph is your TOP QUERIES
Your TOP QUERIES is a list of search terms people typed into Google that led to your site showing up.
Important:
- You might be ranking for terms you didn’t even know about
- You might be ranking way lower than you thought
- You might have loads of impressions but hardly any clicks (we’ll fix that soon)
Step 3: Want to check a specific blog post?
- Click the PAGES tab (the one to the right of the QUERIES tab, to the left of the COUNTRIES tab… there you go.)
- Click on the blog URL you want to explore
- Once inside that page view, click back to the Queries tab again
Now you’ll see exactly what keywords that post is showing up for — and whether people are clicking.
You can even change the date range at the top to see data for the last 3 months, 6 months, or compare different periods.
It’s like Google letting you peek behind the curtain AND THEY WANT YOU TO! (Because it allows them to serve the best results to THEIR users.)
And once you know what people are searching for, you can create better content that matches what they actually want.
What the Heck Do I Do With These Keywords?
Alright, you’ve found the keywords your blog (or website) is showing up for in Google.
But now what?
Let me break it down for you.
1. High Impressions, Low Clicks?
This means Google is showing your post in search results a lot, but hardly anyone’s clicking through.
What to do:
→ Your meta title or description might be boring, vague, or not matching what the searcher wants.
→ Rewrite it to be more clear, specific, and click-worthy. Make the benefit obvious.
Think: “How to Write Blog Posts That Rank – Even If You Hate SEO” instead of “SEO Blog Writing Tips”
2. Low Impressions?
Google’s barely showing your post at all.
Sad face.
What to do:
→ You might need to add more relevant keywords naturally into the content.
→ Check if the blog answers the exact question people are searching for — or if it’s off the mark.
You can also improve internal links (linking from other blog posts/pages) to help Google find and understand the post better.
3. Ranking for Irrelevant Keywords?
You’re getting impressions for search terms that have nothing to do with what your page is about.
What to do:
→ Check your content: is it clear and focused?
→ If the page is about “vegan meal prep” but you’re ranking for “how to meal prep chicken,” you’re probably confusing the bots and your readers.
Refine the copy to better match the real search intent behind your topic.
This is how you go from “guessing what to write” → to “strategically creating blog content people are actively searching for.”
Right, let’s tackle the next big Q:
Should I Optimise the Page… or Write Something New?
Once you’ve seen what keywords your blog post is showing up for, you’ve got two choices:
- Option 1: Optimise the existing post
- Option 2: Create a brand new blog post
Here’s how to know which one to go with:
Optimise the Existing Post If:
- The keywords are super similar to what the blog’s already about
- You’re almost ranking well (positions 6–20 = you’re on the cusp!)
- It’s getting impressions but not many clicks, which means a better headline or meta description could make all the difference
- It’s a great post that’s just a little outdated
What to do:
→ Update the post with clearer subheadings, better formatting, stronger intros, fresher stats, and more natural use of the keywords you found in GSC.
Create a New Post If:
- The keywords are related but cover a slightly different angle
- You’ve found a juicy, niche query you haven’t written about yet
- Your existing post is already strong and focused, and you don’t want to dilute it
What to do:
→ Treat that keyword as the seed for a brand new blog post. Structure it around the search intent. Then internally link it from your older post!
This is how you turn one post into a cluster of ranking content — and a content strategy that actually makes sense.
How Often Should You Check Google Search Console?
Here’s the honest truth: you don’t need to obsessively check your stats every day.
(You’ve got a business to run, and this isn’t your new full-time job.)
But checking in regularly does help you stay on top of what’s working — and what needs a little SEO love.
Suggested Schedule:
Once a month, Do a quick scan:
- Which blog posts are getting the most clicks?
- Any surprises in your top keywords?
- Are there posts ranking for terms you didn’t expect?
Once a quarter, Do a deeper dive:
- Look at pages with high impressions but low clicks (CTR)
- See if any keywords are just off page one (positions 11–20)
- Make a list of content to update or optimise
- Spot gaps where new blog posts could rank
TL;DR:
👉 Set a reminder to check GSC at least monthly
👉 Look for clues, not just numbers
👉 Use those clues to improve what you’ve already published
👉 And create new content that builds on what’s already working
That’s how I do it. No guesswork. No spinning my wheels. I let the data guide me.
Any questions?
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