Google Search Console (formerly known as Google Webmaster Tools) is a web service provided by Google to allow webmasters to check indexing status and optimize visibility of their websites. Here’s what it does:
- Indexing Status: Google Search Console provides insights into how Google’s search engine is indexing your website. You can see which pages are included in the search index and which ones are excluded.
- Search Performance: It gives you data on how your website is performing in Google Search results. You can see metrics such as impressions, clicks, click-through rate, and average position for specific queries or pages.
- URL Inspection: This feature allows you to inspect a specific URL on your website and see how Google indexed it. You can also request indexing for new or updated pages.
- Sitemap Submission: You can submit XML sitemaps to Google through Search Console, which helps Google discover and index your website’s pages more efficiently.
- Mobile Usability: Google Search Console alerts you to any mobile usability issues on your website, helping you ensure a good user experience for mobile users.
- Security Issues: It notifies you if Google detects any security issues, such as malware, on your website.
- Structured Data: You can use Search Console to test and validate structured data markup on your website, helping Google understand the content and display rich snippets in search results.
- Links: It provides data on external links pointing to your website, allowing you to monitor your site’s backlink profile.
- Manual Actions: If Google has applied a manual action to your website for violating its webmaster guidelines, Search Console will inform you about it and provide guidance on how to resolve the issue.
Overall, Google Search Console is a valuable tool for webmasters and site owners to monitor their website’s performance in Google Search and address any issues that may arise.
