Your site as Google sees it
How to use Google Search Console comes down to three habits: set it up properly once, read the performance and indexing reports every month, and turn what you see into changes on your pages. Search Console is a free Google service that shows which search terms your pages appear for, how often people click, which pages are in Google and which are not, and why.
Below: setting it up in fifteen minutes, the reports that matter, how to read them for SEO and keyword research, how to track each country and language if you sell across Europe, and what to do in your first month. With examples from how we use it for clients.
What Google Search Console does
Search Console is the dashboard Google gives site owners. It shows whether Google can find and read your site, which pages are indexed, which search terms they appear for, and whether there are problems: pages that fail to load, errors that block indexing, or spam warnings. You can ask Google to re-index new or updated pages, and see which sites link to yours.
| Question | Where to find the answer in Search Console |
|---|---|
| Which search terms do I appear for? | Performance, Queries tab |
| Which pages bring visitors? | Performance, Pages tab |
| How do I do in Belgium or Germany? | Performance, Countries tab |
| Is my new page in Google yet? | URL Inspection |
| Which pages does Google leave out, and why? | Page indexing |
| How often does AI show my pages? | The generative AI report, since 31 August 2026 |
Setting it up in four steps
- Go to Search Console and sign in with a company Google account, not a personal account of one employee.
- Choose the property type. A Domain property covers your whole domain, with and without www, http and https, and every subdomain. A URL-prefix property covers only addresses that start exactly that way.
- Verify. A Domain property is confirmed with a DNS record at your registrar. A URL prefix offers more methods.
- Submit your sitemap under Sitemaps so Google knows all your pages.
If your site has a folder per language, such as /fr/ and /nl/, add a URL-prefix property per folder next to the Domain property. You then see each language on its own.
- What it coversDomain propertyYour whole domain, every pathURL-prefix propertyOnly URLs with that exact prefix
- http and httpsDomain propertyBothURL-prefix propertyOnly the protocol you enter
- Subdomains such as www or shopDomain propertyAll includedURL-prefix propertyNot included
- VerificationDomain propertyDNS record onlyURL-prefix propertyMany methods, including an HTML file or tag
- Your dataDomain propertyPerformance, indexing, linksURL-prefix propertyThe same reports, for that part
Choose a Domain property if you can reach your DNS. A URL prefix is handy for one section, such as a language folder.
Four reports to open every month
- PerformanceQueries, pages, clicks, impressions and position.
- URL InspectionIs this page in Google, and if not, why not.
- Page indexingWhich pages Google included and which it left out.
- Generative AIHow often AI Overviews and AI Mode show your pages.
Reading the reports for SEO
The performance report is the one that matters most. Google defines four figures:
- Clickshow often someone clicked through to your site from Google.
- Impressionshow often your site appeared in results.
- CTRclicks divided by impressions.
- Average positionthe average position of your topmost result.
By default you see the last three months; the latest data is preliminary and may still change. Below the chart you split by query, page, country, device and date.
Three readings that produce work straight away. Terms with many impressions and few clicks: your title does not convince; test it with the SERP preview. Terms at position 8 to 20: a better page can bring them to page 1; see how to write a blog post for SEO. Terms you did not expect: ideas for a new page in your keyword research.
Search Console against Google Analytics
| Feature | Search Console | Google Analytics |
|---|---|---|
| What it measures | What happens in Google, before the click | What visitors do on your site |
| Main figures | Impressions, clicks, position, queries | Visitors, pages, conversions |
| Cookies or consent | No, the data comes from Google | Yes, under EU cookie rules |
| Who needs it | Every site that wants to be in Google | Anyone who wants to know what visitors do |
In the EU, Analytics needs your visitors' consent; what changed is in consent mode and Google Analytics, and whether you need a banner at all in do I need a cookie banner. How to set up Analytics and link it to Search Console is in Google Analytics 4 setup.
What people search about Search Console
Is Google Search Console free?
Yes. Google calls it a free service. You need a Google account and access to your site or domain to prove it is yours.
How do I verify Google Search Console?
A Domain property is verified with a DNS record at your domain registrar. A URL-prefix property offers several methods, such as an HTML file or a meta tag.
How do I use Search Console for keyword research?
Open Performance, then Queries. Terms with many impressions at position 8 to 20 are your quickest wins; unexpected terms are ideas for new pages.
What is the difference from Google Analytics?
Search Console shows what happens in Google before the click. Analytics shows what visitors do on your site. You need both.
Why a page is not in Google
Open Page indexing. Google lists, per reason, which pages are not included. Some reasons are normal (a page that redirects, a duplicate with a canonical tag), others point to an error (a page you want found that is blocked, or a 404). URL Inspection tests one page and lets you request indexing. If you are unsure your site is in order, run the website not showing on Google check, or read how long until my website shows on Google.
The generative AI report
Since 31 August 2026, Search Console shows every site how often its pages appear in AI Overviews, AI Mode and Discover. You can also opt your site out of those features. Read the Search Console AI performance report and opting out of AI Overviews before making that choice.
Your first month with Search Console
- Day 1Set upCreate a Domain property, verify via DNS, submit your sitemap.
- Week 1Check indexingWhich pages are not included, and why.
- Week 2Read the queriesNote terms at position 8 to 20 as first opportunities, per country.
- Week 4Improve and compareAdjust titles and headings, then compare the same weeks.
What it means for your business
A company from abroad selling into Belgium filters on country and compares language versions; with a URL prefix per language folder, each language has its own report. A small business checks Performance and Page indexing monthly; fifteen minutes is enough. An online store also tracks product pages that drop out of the index. An agency gets added as a user, not an owner, and reports from Search Console rather than from separate tools.
After a move or a relaunch, Search Console is essential: you see whether old addresses redirect and new ones get indexed. See website migration and SEO.
Giving access without giving away the keys
Under Settings, Users and permissions you grant access. There are owners, full users and restricted users. Your web developer or agency gets full user access; you stay owner, with a company account. That way you keep access when someone leaves or you change agency.
How VBS reads your numbers
From Ghent, Belgium, we set up Search Console for every site we build, and read the figures monthly for SEO clients, per country and language. For Business Centrum we followed day by day how impressions went from 220 to 10,200 a day in five weeks, and how their non-brand search terms on page 1 rose from 13 to 1,593. If you sell in several languages, our multilingual website development sets up each language so it can be measured. Book a call.