Google Search Console FAQ
5 questions answered.
What should I check first in Search Console?▾
Start with the Search Performance report's 4 metrics: (1) Total clicks — actual site visits, (2) Total impressions — search result appearances, (3) Average CTR — click-through rate, (4) Average position. Keywords with high impressions but low CTR are prime candidates for title/description optimization.
What if my page isn't being indexed?▾
Check the Page Indexing report for causes. Common issues: (1) 'Discovered - not indexed' — low crawl priority; add internal links and include in sitemap. (2) 'Crawled - not indexed' — deemed low quality; improve content. (3) 'Excluded by noindex' — check for unintended noindex tags. Use URL Inspection to request individual indexing.
How do I read the Search Performance report?▾
Analyze across 4 dimensions: Queries, Pages, Countries, Devices. Practical tips: (1) Sort queries by impressions, find low-CTR keywords to improve titles/descriptions. (2) Check each page's actual search queries vs intended keywords. (3) Compare periods to monitor monthly changes. Data is stored for up to 16 months.
How do I submit a sitemap in Search Console?▾
Go to 'Sitemaps' in the left menu, enter your sitemap URL (typically /sitemap.xml), and click 'Submit.' If it shows 'Success,' it's been processed. Errors will show details for you to investigate. Once submitted, Google automatically re-fetches updated sitemaps. Large sites should use a sitemap index file (a file that lists multiple sitemaps).
What if I receive a manual action (penalty)?▾
Check under 'Security & Manual Actions' > 'Manual Actions' in Search Console. Resolution steps: (1) Identify the issue (unnatural links, thin content, spam). (2) Fix the problem (use the Disavow Links tool for unnatural links). (3) Submit a 'Reconsideration Request' via Search Console. (4) Wait for Google's review (typically days to weeks). Be specific about what caused the issue and what you fixed.