What Is Google Search Console?

Google Search Console is a tool for understanding a websites presence on Google Search.

Google Search Console, formerly Google Webmaster Tools, is a tool provided by Google to better understand organic search performance. Similar to Google Analytics, Google Search Console provides analysis of performance however, Search Console specifically focuses on off-site metrics for Search Traffic. Google Search Console is similar to Microsoft Webmaster Tools. Along with Google Analytics and Google Search Console, Google My Business provides a full view of organic website performance across Google Properties.

In addition to analysis, Google Search Console is also a tool for controlling and diagnosing search appearance. By submitting a website sitemap, this provides Google with a map of the website being submitted. It lets Google know of existing pages and when re-crawled, allows the discovery of new pages.

Claiming Google Search Console:

Similar to Google Analytics, Google Search Console needs to be attached to the website to claim ownership of it. Google Search Console provides the ability to claim in various ways:

• Instance level (claim at http://, https://, www., etc. all individually)
• Domain level (claims all instances at once)

The former, instance level, is the classic approach to claiming Search Console, however, the Domain Level is the preferred method for claiming webmaster tools now. Rather than placing code on a website, it requires placing a TXT file at the domain.