SEO glossary: Google Search Console (GSC)

 

What is the Google Search Console (GSC)?

The Google Search Console is an administrative interface. Webmasters make various settings here and receive interesting information about their project. This includes, for example, the organic search results through which your domain is found.

 

The Google Search Console is also ideal for getting more out of your own project. Search engine optimizers in particular see clear potential here to expand their project and increase their reach. With targeted measures, traffic can be increased in this way.

 

Information such as listings and statistics on incoming links, possible security problems and user-friendliness are also extremely useful.

 

Which areas does the Google Search Console have functions?

A look at the navigation bar of the Google Search Console shows that it is divided into different areas. This is where webmasters can find all the setting options and data records.

 

The following areas are included:

 

Overview and performance

 

• Overview: Here webmasters receive important information such as performance and coverage in a summary
• Performance: Which search terms do visitors use to reach the website? And which URLs or subpages are found under which search terms? The performance area provides information about this.
• URL check: How is a URL displayed from Google's point of view? The URL check shows it.

 

Index

 

• Coverage: How many subpages have been submitted to Google and how many of them have been analyzed? The non-indexed pages are also displayed here.
• Sitemaps: Here you have the option of storing sitemaps. Already submitted sitemaps and their status are displayed.
• Remove: Would you like to remove certain URLs from Google's index? You can do this here.

 

Improvements

 

• Speed: What about the speed of individual subpages? Which ones are particularly fast and where do you need to improve?
• User-friendliness on mobile devices: Is everything in order with the subpages in terms of optimization for mobile devices? Which pages are not yet suitable?
• Structured data: The Google Search Console also offers important information on the topic of structured data.

 

Safety and manual measures

 

• Manual measures: Was there a manual action taken by a Google employee? PENALTYby a Google employee, the corresponding entry can be found here
• Security problems: If Google discovers subpages that have fallen victim to hackers, they are listed here

 

Links

 

• All inbound links from other websites are listed in detail here

 

Settings

 

• If there is a change of address or general changes to the property, they are made here

 

 

How do you create a property?

If no property has yet been created in the Google Search Console, Google calls up the domain entry directly. Webmasters then have the option of adding a complete domain or a URL prefix.

 

The domain then only needs to be verified. This is done, for example, by uploading a predefined HTML page. All statistics and data are then available.