{"id":34239,"date":"2025-03-24T10:39:26","date_gmt":"2025-03-24T02:39:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/?p=34239"},"modified":"2025-07-09T16:02:55","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T08:02:55","slug":"how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Read Google Search Console (GSC) Data"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool from Google that helps website owners understand how their site appears in search results. If you have an online store and haven&#8217;t set up GSC yet, you should create it now to start tracking your site&#8217;s performance. Knowing how to read GSC data can help improve your site&#8217;s visibility. This guide will break down the key reports in GSC and how to use them to optimize your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. Performance Report \u2013 Measuring Website Visibility<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Performance report provides insights into how users find your website and interact with it. This report is crucial for understanding your site&#8217;s visibility and identifying opportunities for optimization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Performance report shows how your site is performing in Google Search. Here\u2019s what to focus on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Total Clicks<\/strong> \u2013 The number of times users clicked on your site from Google search results. More clicks mean more traffic.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Total Impressions<\/strong> \u2013 The number of times your site appeared in search results, even if users didn\u2019t click on it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Average CTR (Click-Through Rate)<\/strong> \u2013 The percentage of impressions that turned into clicks. A low CTR means you may need to improve your titles and descriptions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Average Position<\/strong> \u2013 The average ranking of your site for different keywords. A lower number means better visibility.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also view the exact queries users are searching for and their current rankings in Google SERPs. This helps you assess how to improve your website and better align it with user intent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The image below displays our organic traffic performance over time, helping us assess whether our website is improving, declining, or remaining stagnant. As shown, we can clearly see a significant improvement compared to last year&#8217;s performance.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\" id=\"wp-block-themeisle-blocks-image-c2ab9935\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-4.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-34245\" style=\"width:673px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-4.png 1600w, https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-4-300x121.png 300w, https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-4-1024x412.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-4-768x309.png 768w, https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-4-1536x618.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Example of Organic Performance Data (Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/search.google.com\/search-console\/\">Google Search Console<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What you can do:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li>Identify high-performing pages by checking which ones receive the most clicks and impressions.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Analyze keyword performance by reviewing search queries driving traffic to your site.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Track your average position for important keywords and optimize content to improve rankings.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Find pages with high impressions but low CTR and improve their titles and descriptions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Track keyword rankings to see which search terms bring traffic.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Compare performance over time to measure your site performance.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. Indexing Report \u2013 Ensuring Pages Are Indexed<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Indexing Report<\/strong> in Google Search Console helps you understand how Google crawls and indexes your website. The main categories include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pages<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Pages<\/strong> section under the <strong>Indexing Report<\/strong> helps you understand which pages on your site are indexed by Google and which ones are not. This section is crucial because if a page isn\u2019t indexed, it won\u2019t appear in Google\u2019s search results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Metrics in the Pages Report<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Indexed Pages<\/strong> \u2013 Pages that Google has successfully added to its index and can appear in search results.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Not Indexed Pages<\/strong> \u2013 Pages that Google has not indexed for various reasons.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common Reasons Pages Are Not Indexed<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>GSC categorizes unindexed pages into different statuses. Here\u2019s what they mean and how to fix them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. <strong>Discovered \u2013 Currently Not Indexed<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Google found the page but hasn\u2019t crawled it yet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Possible Cause<\/strong>: Crawl budget issues or Google deciding it\u2019s not important enough.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fix<\/strong>: Improve internal linking, ensure the page has valuable content, and submit it manually via <strong>URL Inspection Tool<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. <strong>Crawled \u2013 Currently Not Indexed<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Google crawled the page but decided not to index it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Possible Cause<\/strong>: Thin content, duplicate content, or low perceived value.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fix<\/strong>: Improve content quality, add unique information, and ensure it&#8217;s not a duplicate of another page.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. <strong>Excluded by \u2018Noindex\u2019 Tag<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>The page has a <strong>meta noindex<\/strong> tag instructing Google not to index it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fix<\/strong>: Remove the <strong>noindex<\/strong> tag if you want the page to appear in search.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. <strong>Blocked by Robots.txt<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Googlebot is blocked from crawling the page due to <strong>robots.txt<\/strong> rules.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fix<\/strong>: Check your <strong>robots.txt<\/strong> file and update it to allow crawling if necessary.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. <strong>Duplicate Without User-Selected Canonical<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Google found duplicate content but couldn\u2019t determine which version to index.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fix<\/strong>: Use <strong>canonical tags<\/strong> to specify the preferred version of the page.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. <strong>Alternate Page with Proper Canonical Tag<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>The page is marked as a duplicate, and Google is indexing another version instead.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fix<\/strong>: No action needed unless the wrong page is being indexed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. <strong>Soft 404<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Google thinks the page doesn\u2019t provide meaningful content.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fix<\/strong>: Ensure the page has useful content or set up a proper 404 error if the page is unnecessary.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">8. <strong>Page with Redirect<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>The page redirects to another URL.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fix<\/strong>: No action needed unless the redirect is incorrect.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Use the Pages Section Effectively<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2705 <strong>Check for drops in indexed pages<\/strong> \u2013 A sudden decrease in indexed pages could indicate indexing issues.<br>\u2705 <strong>Fix non-indexed pages<\/strong> \u2013 Review the reasons and resolve them to ensure important pages get indexed.<br>\u2705 <strong>Regularly inspect new pages<\/strong> \u2013 Use the <strong>URL Inspection Tool<\/strong> to confirm if a new page is indexed.<br>\u2705 <strong>Ensure proper redirects and canonicalization<\/strong> \u2013 Avoid duplicate content issues by correctly setting up canonicals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Understanding and optimizing the <strong>Pages<\/strong> section helps ensure that Google indexes the right pages, improving your site&#8217;s visibility in search results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sitemaps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A sitemap is a file that lists all the important pages on your site, helping Google discover and index them more effectively. The <strong>Sitemaps Report<\/strong> in GSC shows which XML sitemaps Google has processed and whether there are any errors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Key Metrics in the Sitemaps Report:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Submitted XML Sitemaps<\/strong> \u2013 Lists all the sitemaps you\u2019ve submitted.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Status<\/strong> \u2013 Indicates whether Google successfully fetched and read the sitemap.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Discovered URLs<\/strong> \u2013 Shows the number of pages Google found in the sitemap.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Errors &amp; Warnings<\/strong> \u2013 Highlights issues like incorrect formatting or unreachable URLs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\" id=\"wp-block-themeisle-blocks-image-27cdf50b\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"978\" height=\"454\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-34241\" style=\"width:608px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image.png 978w, https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-300x139.png 300w, https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-768x357.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 978px) 100vw, 978px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Example of how you can submit an XML Sitemap<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>How to Use It:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li>&nbsp;Ensure your sitemap is <strong>up to date<\/strong> with all important URLs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&nbsp;Submit your sitemap in GSC whenever you add or remove major pages.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check for errors regularly and fix broken links or incorrect URLs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Avoid including URLs with \u201cnoindex\u201d tags, redirects, or errors.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\" id=\"wp-block-themeisle-blocks-image-b7f2ce58\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1302\" height=\"630\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-34243\" style=\"width:660px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-2.png 1302w, https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-2-300x145.png 300w, https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-2-1024x495.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-2-768x372.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1302px) 100vw, 1302px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Example of XML Sitemap URL<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Removals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Removals<\/strong> section allows you to temporarily remove URLs from Google&#8217;s search results. Here\u2019s what you need to know:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What You Can Do in the Removals Section<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Temporary Removals<\/strong> \u2013 Request Google to remove a URL from search results for about six months. This is useful if you need to take down a page quickly but don\u2019t want it permanently deindexed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Clear Cached URL<\/strong> \u2013 Remove the cached version of a page and its snippet from search results, while keeping the page indexed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Outdated Content<\/strong> \u2013 See removal requests for outdated or irrelevant content reported by users via Google\u2019s <strong>Remove Outdated Content tool<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When to Use It<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2705 A page has sensitive information and needs to be removed from search results quickly.<br>\u2705 A deleted product or outdated content is still appearing in search.<br>\u2705 You\u2019ve updated content, but the cached version shows old information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Important Notes<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>This <strong>does not<\/strong> block Google from crawling the page permanently. You should use robots.txt, noindex tags, or remove the page entirely for a long-term solution.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The removal request <strong>only affects Google Search<\/strong> and does not delete the actual page from your website.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3. Page Experience Report \u2013 Evaluating User Experience<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Google prefers websites that provide a smooth user experience. This report covers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Core Web Vitals (LCP, FID, CLS)<\/strong> \u2013 Measures loading speed, interactivity, and layout stability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mobile Usability<\/strong> \u2013 Ensures your site is mobile-friendly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>HTTPS Security<\/strong> \u2013 Confirms your site is secure.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Example LCP issues exceeding 4 seconds on mobile Scenario<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\" id=\"wp-block-themeisle-blocks-image-f2c941b9\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"944\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-34242\" style=\"width:489px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-1.png 944w, https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-1-283x300.png 283w, https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-1-768x814.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 944px) 100vw, 944px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Example of LCP issues exceeding 4 seconds on mobile Scenario <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Problem:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The website owner checks the Google Search Console\u2019s Core Web Vitals report and finds that <strong>408 URLs<\/strong> are marked as <strong>poor<\/strong> due to <strong>LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) issues exceeding 4 seconds on mobile<\/strong>. The report shows no URLs in the &#8220;Good&#8221; or &#8220;Need Improvement&#8221; categories, indicating severe performance issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Possible Causes:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Large Images &amp; Unoptimized Media:<\/strong> The homepage and product pages contain high-resolution images that are not optimized for fast loading.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Slow Server Response Time:<\/strong> The hosting server may have delays in processing requests, affecting LCP scores.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Render-Blocking Resources:<\/strong> Excessive JavaScript and CSS files are delaying page rendering.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>No Proper Caching Strategy:<\/strong> The website does not use caching or a CDN (Content Delivery Network) to improve load times.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Action Plan:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Optimize Images:<\/strong> Use WebP format, compress large images, and implement lazy loading.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Improve Hosting Performance:<\/strong> Upgrade to a faster server or enable caching mechanisms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reduce Render-Blocking Elements:<\/strong> Minify and defer JavaScript, remove unused CSS, and use asynchronous loading where possible.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Enable a CDN:<\/strong> Distribute content across multiple servers for faster loading.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Monitor Progress:<\/strong> After making optimizations, validate fixes in Google Search Console and monitor improvements in Core Web Vitals.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Expected Outcome:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>LCP improves to <strong>under 2.5 seconds<\/strong>, moving URLs from &#8220;Poor&#8221; to &#8220;Good.&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enhanced mobile experience leads to better <strong>SEO rankings and conversions.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Example good HTTPS Report<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\" id=\"wp-block-themeisle-blocks-image-feb0e170\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"956\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-3.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-34244\" style=\"width:588px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-3.png 956w, https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-3-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-3-768x434.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 956px) 100vw, 956px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Example good HTTPS Report<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4. Links Report \u2013 Understanding Backlinks and Internal Links<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Links are important for SEO, and this report helps you see:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Top linking sites<\/strong> \u2013 Websites that link to yours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Most linked pages<\/strong> \u2013 The pages on your site getting the most backlinks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Internal links<\/strong> \u2013 How your own pages link to each other.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How to Use It:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li>Gain high-quality backlinks to improve authority.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Strengthen internal links to help users and search engines navigate your site.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Watch for spammy backlinks and disavow harmful ones if needed.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\" id=\"wp-block-themeisle-blocks-image-59305334\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"982\" height=\"624\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-5.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-34246\" style=\"width:519px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-5.png 982w, https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-5-300x191.png 300w, https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-5-768x488.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 982px) 100vw, 982px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Example of Submitted External &amp; Internal Links<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>5. Manual Actions &amp; Security Issues \u2013 Avoiding Google Penalties.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If Google detects violations of its guidelines, you\u2019ll see warnings here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Manual actions<\/strong> \u2013 Google penalties for rule violations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Security threats<\/strong> \u2013 Issues like hacked content or malware.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Scenario:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your traffic suddenly drops, and Google Search Console shows a <strong>manual action for \u201cthin content\u201d<\/strong> on multiple pages. Google considers these pages low quality. Adding useful content and submitting a reconsideration request can restore rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How to Use It:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li>Fix manual actions ASAP to restore rankings.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Regularly check for malware and hacking attempts.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Follow Google\u2019s guidelines to stay penalty-free.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Google Search Console provides valuable insights that can improve your site\u2019s performance in search results. By regularly checking these reports, fixing errors, and optimizing content, you can boost your site\u2019s rankings and attract more visitors. So if you\u2019re new to GSC, this will help you make data-driven decisions and grow your online presence even more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to know more about your site performance?\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/contact\/\">Contact Us<\/a>\u00a0Now for a Free Website Audit!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool from Google that helps website owners understand how their site appears in search results. If you have an online store and haven&#8217;t set up GSC yet, you should create it now to start tracking your site&#8217;s performance. Knowing how to read GSC data can help improve your site&#8217;s visibility. This guide will break down the key reports in GSC and how to use them to optimize your website. 1. Performance Report \u2013 Measuring Website Visibility The Performance report provides insights into how users find your website and interact with it. This report is crucial for understanding your site&#8217;s visibility and identifying opportunities for optimization. The Performance report shows how your site is performing in Google Search. Here\u2019s what to focus on: You can also view the exact queries users are searching for and their current rankings in Google SERPs. This helps you assess how to improve your website and better align it with user intent. The image below displays our organic traffic performance over time, helping us assess whether our website is improving, declining, or remaining stagnant. As shown, we can clearly see a significant improvement compared to last year&#8217;s performance. What you can do: 2. Indexing Report \u2013 Ensuring Pages Are Indexed The Indexing Report in Google Search Console helps you understand how Google crawls and indexes your website. The main categories include: Pages&nbsp; The Pages section under the Indexing Report helps you understand which pages on your site are indexed by Google and which ones are not. This section is crucial because if a page isn\u2019t indexed, it won\u2019t appear in Google\u2019s search results. Key Metrics in the Pages Report Common Reasons Pages Are Not Indexed GSC categorizes unindexed pages into different statuses. Here\u2019s what they mean and how to fix them: 1. Discovered \u2013 Currently Not Indexed 2. Crawled \u2013 Currently Not Indexed 3. Excluded by \u2018Noindex\u2019 Tag 4. Blocked by Robots.txt 5. Duplicate Without User-Selected Canonical 6. Alternate Page with Proper Canonical Tag 7. Soft 404 8. Page with Redirect How to Use the Pages Section Effectively \u2705 Check for drops in indexed pages \u2013 A sudden decrease in indexed pages could indicate indexing issues.\u2705 Fix non-indexed pages \u2013 Review the reasons and resolve them to ensure important pages get indexed.\u2705 Regularly inspect new pages \u2013 Use the URL Inspection Tool to confirm if a new page is indexed.\u2705 Ensure proper redirects and canonicalization \u2013 Avoid duplicate content issues by correctly setting up canonicals. Understanding and optimizing the Pages section helps ensure that Google indexes the right pages, improving your site&#8217;s visibility in search results. Sitemaps A sitemap is a file that lists all the important pages on your site, helping Google discover and index them more effectively. The Sitemaps Report in GSC shows which XML sitemaps Google has processed and whether there are any errors. Key Metrics in the Sitemaps Report: How to Use It: Removals The Removals section allows you to temporarily remove URLs from Google&#8217;s search results. Here\u2019s what you need to know: What You Can Do in the Removals Section When to Use It \u2705 A page has sensitive information and needs to be removed from search results quickly.\u2705 A deleted product or outdated content is still appearing in search.\u2705 You\u2019ve updated content, but the cached version shows old information. Important Notes 3. Page Experience Report \u2013 Evaluating User Experience Google prefers websites that provide a smooth user experience. This report covers: Example LCP issues exceeding 4 seconds on mobile Scenario Problem: The website owner checks the Google Search Console\u2019s Core Web Vitals report and finds that 408 URLs are marked as poor due to LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) issues exceeding 4 seconds on mobile. The report shows no URLs in the &#8220;Good&#8221; or &#8220;Need Improvement&#8221; categories, indicating severe performance issues. Possible Causes: Action Plan: Expected Outcome: Example good HTTPS Report 4. Links Report \u2013 Understanding Backlinks and Internal Links Links are important for SEO, and this report helps you see: How to Use It: 5. Manual Actions &amp; Security Issues \u2013 Avoiding Google Penalties. If Google detects violations of its guidelines, you\u2019ll see warnings here: Scenario: Your traffic suddenly drops, and Google Search Console shows a manual action for \u201cthin content\u201d on multiple pages. Google considers these pages low quality. Adding useful content and submitting a reconsideration request can restore rankings. How to Use It: Final Thoughts Google Search Console provides valuable insights that can improve your site\u2019s performance in search results. By regularly checking these reports, fixing errors, and optimizing content, you can boost your site\u2019s rankings and attract more visitors. So if you\u2019re new to GSC, this will help you make data-driven decisions and grow your online presence even more. Want to know more about your site performance?\u00a0Contact Us\u00a0Now for a Free Website Audit!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":125,"featured_media":34240,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1666,112],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Read Google Search Console (GSC) Data<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool from Google that helps website owners understand how their site appears in .... Read More\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Read Google Search Console (GSC) Data\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool from Google that helps website owners understand how their site appears in .... Read More\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Ematic Solutions\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-03-24T02:39:26+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-09T08:02:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/How-to-Read-Google-Search-Console-.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1536\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"864\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"CK Wong\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"CK Wong\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"CK Wong\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4fb1de157b09d11fb059e379006b9de8\"},\"headline\":\"How to Read Google Search Console (GSC) Data\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-24T02:39:26+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-09T08:02:55+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/\"},\"wordCount\":1741,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/How-to-Read-Google-Search-Console-.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Google Search Console (GSC)\",\"SEO\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Global\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/\",\"name\":\"How to Read Google Search Console (GSC) Data\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/How-to-Read-Google-Search-Console-.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-24T02:39:26+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-09T08:02:55+00:00\",\"description\":\"Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool from Google that helps website owners understand how their site appears in .... Read More\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/How-to-Read-Google-Search-Console-.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/How-to-Read-Google-Search-Console-.png\",\"width\":1536,\"height\":864,\"caption\":\"GSC\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How to Read Google Search Console (GSC) Data\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/\",\"name\":\"Ematic Solutions\",\"description\":\"Marketing Technology Solutions\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Ematic Solutions\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ematicsolutions-newlogo-202106.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ematicsolutions-newlogo-202106.svg\",\"width\":3996,\"height\":1372,\"caption\":\"Ematic Solutions\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4fb1de157b09d11fb059e379006b9de8\",\"name\":\"CK Wong\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/05380025661fa250c8ccf030cbf97e6a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/05380025661fa250c8ccf030cbf97e6a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"CK Wong\"},\"description\":\"Regional SEO Lead of Ematic Solutions\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/gravatar.com\/maverickwck\",\"https:\/\/my.linkedin.com\/in\/ck-seo-malaysia\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/author\/ck-wongematicsolutions-com\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Read Google Search Console (GSC) Data","description":"Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool from Google that helps website owners understand how their site appears in .... Read More","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Read Google Search Console (GSC) Data","og_description":"Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool from Google that helps website owners understand how their site appears in .... Read More","og_url":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/","og_site_name":"Ematic Solutions","article_published_time":"2025-03-24T02:39:26+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-07-09T08:02:55+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1536,"height":864,"url":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/How-to-Read-Google-Search-Console-.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"CK Wong","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"CK Wong","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/"},"author":{"name":"CK Wong","@id":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4fb1de157b09d11fb059e379006b9de8"},"headline":"How to Read Google Search Console (GSC) Data","datePublished":"2025-03-24T02:39:26+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-09T08:02:55+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/"},"wordCount":1741,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/How-to-Read-Google-Search-Console-.png","keywords":["Google Search Console (GSC)","SEO"],"articleSection":["Global"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/","url":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/","name":"How to Read Google Search Console (GSC) Data","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/How-to-Read-Google-Search-Console-.png","datePublished":"2025-03-24T02:39:26+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-09T08:02:55+00:00","description":"Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool from Google that helps website owners understand how their site appears in .... Read More","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/How-to-Read-Google-Search-Console-.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/How-to-Read-Google-Search-Console-.png","width":1536,"height":864,"caption":"GSC"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/how-to-read-google-search-console-gsc-data\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to Read Google Search Console (GSC) Data"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/","name":"Ematic Solutions","description":"Marketing Technology Solutions","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/#organization","name":"Ematic Solutions","url":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ematicsolutions-newlogo-202106.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ematicsolutions-newlogo-202106.svg","width":3996,"height":1372,"caption":"Ematic Solutions"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4fb1de157b09d11fb059e379006b9de8","name":"CK Wong","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/05380025661fa250c8ccf030cbf97e6a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/05380025661fa250c8ccf030cbf97e6a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"CK Wong"},"description":"Regional SEO Lead of Ematic Solutions","sameAs":["https:\/\/gravatar.com\/maverickwck","https:\/\/my.linkedin.com\/in\/ck-seo-malaysia"],"url":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/author\/ck-wongematicsolutions-com\/"}]}},"lang":"en_us","translations":{"en_us":34239},"pll_sync_post":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34239"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/125"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34239"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34239\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34262,"href":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34239\/revisions\/34262"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34240"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34239"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34239"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ematicsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34239"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}