Key Takeaways
- Four metrics: clicks, impressions, click-through rate (CTR), and average position, by query, page, country, device, layout, and date, over a 16-month period.
- The most reliable SEO metric: It comes from Google, without traffic sampling, but with anonymized search queries and an averaged position.
- Seven monthly analyses: non-brand trends, page 2 queries, pages with declining traffic, low CTRs, new queries, impressions by result type, mobile vs. desktop.
- Pitfalls: Compare without accounting for seasonality; treat the average position as the actual position; disregard the 2-day delay.
The report Performance of the Google Search Console is the most reliable source for a website’s visibility on Google: it comes directly from Google and covers all search queries, not just a sample. When read carefully, it shows where the site is performing well and where it’s falling short, which pages to improve, and which search queries to target. If misinterpreted, however, it can lead to false conclusions. This article explains the metrics, filters, seven analyses to perform each month, and common pitfalls in interpretation.
The Four Metrics
| Metric | Definition | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Impressions | Number of times a link to the site appeared in the results | Counted as soon as the result appears on the displayed page, even without scrolling to it (for standard results); one impression per query and per results page |
| Clicks | Number of clicks on a link to the site | A click followed by a back button press and another click on the same result counts as one click |
| CTR (click-through rate) | Clicks divided by impressions | Depends heavily on the location and available features (AI preview, ads, local pack) |
| Average position | Average of the site's highest position for each impression | An average: position 7 could mean 2 for half of the impressions and 12 for the other half |
Dimensions: queries, pages, countries, devices, appearance in results (rich snippets, videos, products, AMP, etc.), dates. Search types: Web, Images, Videos, News, Discover (separate report), Google News. The data covers a 16-month period; updates are provided every 2 to 3 days.
Filter and Compare
- Query filter: "Does not contain" your brand name isolates traffic earned through SEO; "contains" a word isolates a topic.
- Page filter: a URL, a directory ("/seo/"), to view a hub or a template.
- Comparison of periods: The last 28 days compared to the same period in the previous year to account for seasonality; or the last 3 months compared to the previous 3 months to identify a trend.
- Regular expression: For example, the "Custom (regex)" filter allows you to isolate questions (
^(comment|pourquoi|quel|quelle|combien)) or local queries (a list of cities). - Export: 1,000 rows per table in the interface; exporting to Google Sheets or the API (via Looker Studio or a script) removes this limit.
Seven tests to take every month
| # | Analysis | Adjustment | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Non-branded trend | Searches that do not include the brand name, 28 days vs. the previous year | Is SEO Really Making Progress? |
| 2 | Search Results on Page 2 | Rank between 8 and 20, high impressions, sorted by impressions | Pages to improve as a priority: quick win; see keyword search |
| 3 | Pages Down | "Pages" tab, period comparison, sort by difference in clicks | Diagnose: competition, outdated content, changes to search results pages, technical issues |
| 4 | Low CTRs in good positions | Rank 1–5, CTR below the average for that rank | Rewrite the title and description to create an optimized snippet; see position 0 |
| 5 | New Requests | Queries with printouts for the current period and none for the previous period | New topics to cover or pages that are emerging |
| 6 | Appearance in the results | Dimension Appearance | Which Rich Media Formats Generate Revenue (FAQs, Videos, Products) |
| 7 | Mobile vs. Computer | Dimension Appliances | Differences in ranking or CTR across devices: a mobile issue to address |
These analyses support the monitoring process described in track its SEO rankings and a service provider's judgment in Measuring Your SEO Agency's Results.
Reading Pitfalls
| Trap | Why That's Wrong | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| Compare with the previous month | Seasonality, business days, holidays | Compare to the previous year |
| Interpret the average position as a position | This is an average across all impressions, locations, and devices | Cross-reference with a tracking tool; view the distribution by page |
| Evaluate the site based on its overall average ranking | Adding pages for new search queries causes it to drop even as clicks increase | Track off-brand clicks and query groups |
| Add the click counts from the "Queries" and "Pages" tabs | Anonymized queries are missing from the Queries tab; the totals are different | Use the total from the chart |
| Ignore the deadline | The last 2 to 3 days are incomplete | Exclude the last 3 days from comparisons |
| Confusing a drop in clicks with a drop in ranking | An AI preview or a new block can reduce the number of clicks while maintaining the same ranking | Look at position and CTR separately; see The AI Featured Snippet |
| Clear active filters | A missing country or device filter skews the entire reading | Check the filter bar before exporting |
Learn More
Connect Search Console to GA4 (Admin, Product Associations) to view search queries alongside conversions, and to Looker Studio or a dashboard to retain more than 16 months of historical data and automate the seven analyses. The free bulk export to BigQuery removes the 1,000-row limit and the requirement for anonymized, aggregated queries. Connecting to other tools is described in Connect GA4 and Search Console in a dashboard.
How GreenRed Can Help You
Instead of juggling multiple tools, GreenRed's SEO keyword tracking brings these metrics together in a single dashboard, compares them over time, and shows you which actions to prioritize. You can try it for free—no credit card required—on the page Rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Search Console clicks differ from organic sessions in GA4?
The two tools measure different things: Search Console counts clicks in Google, while GA4 counts sessions that reach the site after consent is granted and the script loads. Ad blockers, consent refusals, slow-loading pages, and time zone differences account for a discrepancy of 10 to 40 percent. Use Search Console for visibility and GA4 for behavior and conversions.
What does an anonymized query mean in Search Console?
Google hides search queries that are rare or could identify an individual; their clicks and impressions are included in the totals but do not appear in the list of search queries. On a small website, these can account for half of the clicks. The "Pages" tab, however, is complete.
What is a good click-through rate in Search Console?
It depends on the position: approximately 25 to 35% in position 1, 10 to 15% in position 3, and 2 to 5% in position 10, with significant variations depending on the presence of ads, a Local Pack, or an AI Snapshot. Compare the CTR for each query to the expected CTR for its position rather than to an overall average.
How can I view more than 16 months of history?
Search Console retains data for 16 months. To access data beyond that, regularly export the data to Google Sheets, connect Looker Studio (which also does not retain data beyond the source), or enable the free bulk export to BigQuery, which archives the data daily with no time limit.