Definition
Google Search Console (formerly Google Webmaster Tools) is a free service offered by Google that helps webmasters understand how Google sees their website. The tool provides essential data on search performance, including impressions, clicks, click-through rate (CTR), and average position for each query and page. GSC also allows you to submit a sitemap, request indexation of new pages, detect crawl errors, and check mobile compatibility. It is the only source of official Google data on a site's organic search performance, making it an absolutely essential tool for any SEO professional. The tool also includes reports on Core Web Vitals and external and internal links.
Key Points
- Only official source of Google data on organic search performance
- Completely free tool and essential for any website
- Allows sitemap submission and indexation requests for new pages
Practical Examples
Identifying high-potential keywords
In the Performance report, filter queries with many impressions but a low CTR and a position between 5 and 15. These keywords represent optimization opportunities: by improving the title and meta description, you can significantly increase traffic.
Detecting and fixing indexation errors
The Index Coverage report shows all pages in error, excluded, or indexed. You can identify 404 pages, incorrect redirects, and crawl issues to fix them quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Google Search Console is 100% free and accessible to any website owner. You just need to verify ownership of your domain via a DNS record, an HTML file, or your Google Analytics account. There is no paid version and all features are available at no cost.
Google Search Console focuses on your site's visibility in Google search results (impressions, clicks, positions, indexation). Google Analytics measures visitor behavior once they arrive on your site (page views, session duration, conversions). Both are complementary and should be used together for a complete picture.
Go Further with LemmiLink
Discover how LemmiLink can help you put these SEO concepts into practice.
Last updated: 2026-02-07