If you have yet to tap into Google Search Console (GSC), you overlook one of the most valuable and potent SEO resources available.
Moreover, it’s free, making it a must-have tool for any SEO endeavor (unless your campaign deliberately excludes Google, but that’s rare).
Even if you’ve embraced some Google Search Console strategies, there are likely avenues within the tool that need to be explored.
GSC offers more than SERP position tracking and indexing error checks. With a touch of creativity, Google Search Console can evolve into your SEO command center, facilitating the development of new strategies and refining existing ones.
Google Search Console (GSC) offers a myriad of functionalities, from revealing keywords you unintentionally rank for to pinpointing your backlink-rich pages that warrant linking in new posts (for optimal link juice distribution).
Before splurging your entire budget on pricey SEO tools, mastering GSC is paramount.
Interestingly, plain-old GSC yields more insightful data than tools necessitating costly subscriptions.
Keep reading to uncover some of the most impactful methods for leveraging Google Search Console to elevate your SEO endeavors.
Unveiling Backlink ‘Powerhouse Pages’ to Amplify New Posts
Have you identified the pages on your website with the most backlinks?
It could be an infographic you’ve crafted attracting a flurry of links, or one of your blog posts has gone viral.
These backlink ‘powerhouse’ pages represent the web pages on your site boasting the most backlinks, both in quantity and quality.
Why is it essential to pinpoint your powerhouse pages?
Because these pages possess the most ‘link juice’ on your site, which can be transferred to other pages through internal linking.
Your powerhouse pages serve as influential internal links, offering substantial SEO value.
Hence, it’s crucial to establish logical connections between them and the new content you’re promoting. By doing so, you’ll channel valuable link juice to new posts, bolstering their authority.
Identifying your most linked-to pages using GSC is remarkably straightforward.
Discover Quick Wins: Uncover High-Yield Keywords with Ease
Google Search Console (GSC) proves invaluable as it offers direct insights into the performance of your web pages straight from the source – Google itself.
Furthermore, the data within GSC’s Page Reports extends beyond mere SERP rankings. It provides essential details such as:
- Keywords driving traffic to your content
- Click-through rates for each keyword
- Average ranking position for each keyword on your page
For every webpage you analyze, GSC presents a roster of the top 10 search terms it currently ranks for (with the option to view additional terms in batches of 10).
This compilation proves invaluable for identifying ‘easy win’ keywords, a standard step in our SEO audits.
But what exactly are easy win keywords?
They’re search terms your page ranks for without explicit optimization. Any keyword positioned between 5 and 30 qualifies as an easy win.
Optimizing these keywords can yield significant ranking improvements within weeks. Here’s how:
- Incorporate the keyword into the title tag and H1 heading.
- Integrate the keyword within the initial 100 words of the post.
- Try always using the keyword in the image alt text.
- Naturally, incorporate the keyword throughout the article without overdoing it.
Imagine the potential surge in performance for pages already generating traffic despite their modest rankings once optimized!
Optimize Your Crawl Budget for Maximum Efficiency
Crawling and indexing web pages demand resources on Google’s part, so they allocate a crawl budget for each site.
Your crawl budget hinges on two key factors: crawl limits (determining how frequently and rapidly a bot can traverse your site) and crawl demand (dictating how much a bot prioritizes crawling your site based on demand).
Naturally, Google prioritizes crawling high-quality web pages from reputable sites, granting them the lion’s share of the allocation.
As such, crawl budget concerns primarily impact new websites striving to emerge from obscurity and large websites housing extensive page volumes (e.g., eCommerce stores with myriad products).
Google Search Console (GSC) emerges as your ally in this realm. The Crawl Stats Report furnishes vital insights into Google’s crawling and indexing activities on your web pages, including:
- Flagged crawl statuses (highlighting errors demanding immediate resolution for enhanced crawling efficiency)
- Timestamps indicating the last time Google crawled your content
- Verification of whether your critical pages feature in Google’s index
A pro tip: Endeavor to index only essential web pages, relegating non-essential pages such as login or admin pages to exclusion via noindex tags. This practice conserves your crawl budget for more pertinent pages.
Additionally, combat duplicate content to conserve your crawl budget by eliminating or canonicalizing duplicated pages, such as variants of eCommerce products differing in color or size.
Keep Tabs on Core Web Vitals and Tackle Indexing Errors
Google’s Core Web Vitals assessment ensures optimal loading speed for web pages featured in Google’s search results. Failing the test due to sluggish page loading or delayed user interactions can lead to a drop in SERP rankings.
Once again, Google Search Console emerges as the go-to solution. Its Core Web Vitals Report enables you to monitor test results for each webpage within your site.
Displayed as a report card with ratings ranging from Poor to Good, it provides insights into your page performance. The report offers recommendations for pages performing below par to enhance loading speed and user experience.
The Page Indexing Report is an essential tool for all SEO practitioners. It alerts you to any indexing errors Google encounters with your web pages. The Core Web Vitals report furnishes suggestions for remedying these issues, ensuring optimal indexing and visibility.
Unlock the Power of Google Search Console
While these strategies merely scratch the surface of Google Search Console’s potential, they represent some of the most impactful approaches.
The wealth of data within GSC offers myriad practical applications for SEO, ranging from identifying new content ideas to pinpointing and rectifying critical errors hindering your content’s performance.
If navigating Google Search Console proves daunting, consider exploring our monthly SEO packages. Let our experts guide you through the intricacies, ensuring your SEO efforts yield optimal results.
