Google Search Console: what it is and how to use it

Google Search Console is a free tool that shows how your site performs in Google search — what you rank for, indexing issues, and more. It's essential for anyone serious about SEO, and it's the first thing to set up on a new site.

What it tells you

• •Which searches bring people to your site (queries, clicks, impressions).
• •Which pages are indexed — and which have problems.
• •Crawl and mobile-usability issues.
• •Whether your structured data is valid.

How to start

Verify your site, submit your sitemap, and check back regularly. Search Console is where you catch indexing problems early and discover the searches you're actually showing up for — invaluable, and free.