Definition

Google Search Console is Google’s free tool for monitoring how your site appears in Search — indexing status, queries, clicks, Core Web Vitals, and manual actions.

Detailed Explanation

Key reports: Performance (queries, CTR), Pages (indexing), Sitemaps, URL Inspection, Core Web Vitals, Links, Manual actions, Security issues.

Use GSC to submit sitemaps, request indexing, fix coverage errors, and validate schema/rich results.

Nepal Context

Verify domain property after .com.np migrations. Check pages on mobile with URL Inspection and PageSpeed Insights (the separate Mobile Usability report was retired in late 2023), since most Nepali traffic is mobile. Check indexing after festival content pushes when publish volume spikes. SME weekly + ownership: Search Console for Nepal SMEs. Canonical host: www vs apex.

Practical Examples

  • After a redesign, the Pages report shows hundreds of new 404 errors, revealing missing redirects.
  • The Performance report shows a page ranking for “website price Nepal” with a low click-through rate, so the title is rewritten.
  • A manual action notice warns about unnatural links bought by a previous agency.

How to Check It

  1. Verify a Domain property through DNS so all protocol and www variants are covered.
  2. Check Pages, Performance, and Manual actions at least weekly.
  3. Add team members under Settings → Users and permissions rather than sharing one login.

Key Takeaways

  • Free and essential — connect before launching SEO campaigns
  • URL Inspection shows Google’s rendered view of any page
  • Performance data lags 2–3 days; use for trend analysis

Common Mistakes

  1. Only checking GSC when traffic drops
  2. Ignoring “Excluded” pages report
  3. Not verifying all domain variants (www vs non-www, http vs https)