What Is Google Search Console?

by Jackie | Feb 9, 2025 | Analytics And Reporting

If you’re starting your online journey, you’ve likely come across the term Google Search Console (GSC). It might sound a bit technical, but trust me, it’s a powerful tool that can make a world of difference in how your website performs. Whether you’re running a personal blog or building a business site, GSC provides invaluable insights to help you optimise your online presence.

Let me walk you through what Google Search Console is, why it’s essential, and how you can use it—even if you’re a total beginner.

What is Google Search Console?

So, you’re dipping your toe into the world of SEO. Well, Google Search Console is like your new best friend in this journey. It’s not just for tech boffins—it’s for anyone who wants to understand how their website is doing in Google’s eyes.

At its core, Google Search Console is a free tool by Google that provides insights into how your website is performing on the search engine. It helps you monitor site traffic, optimise your ranking, and make informed decisions about the appearance of your site in search results.

When you log in to GSC, you’ll see an array of options, including performance reports, mobile usability stats, and even security updates. While it might seem overwhelming at first, everything is broken down into sections that are surprisingly user-friendly.

If you’re a small business owner or blogger, it’s your window into understanding what’s working and what’s not. By analysing the keywords people are using to find your site, GSC helps you tweak your content to reach a wider audience which is, obviously, your goal.

How Does Google Search Console Help?

Once you’re familiar with the basics, it’s time to unlock the power of GSC’s insights. Here are some standout features that can give your website a boost:

1. Search Analytics

Want to know how your site is performing in search results? The Search Analytics feature provides data on clicks, impressions, and your site’s average ranking position. By identifying the keywords that bring visitors to your site, you can shape your content strategy to focus on what’s working.

2. Mobile Usability

With so many people browsing on their phones, having a mobile-friendly website is non-negotiable. GSC highlights issues that might affect mobile usability, so you can ensure your site looks and works great on any device.

3. Crawl Errors and Coverage Reports

Crawl errors occur when Google struggles to access parts of your site. These errors can hurt your ranking if left unchecked. GSC’s coverage reports flag these issues, giving you the chance to fix them and keep your site running smoothly.

4. URL Inspection Tool

This feature allows you to see how Google views specific pages on your site. If you’ve made significant updates, you can request a re-indexing to ensure Google takes notice.

5. Audience Targeting

GSC helps you target the right audience by allowing you to set your preferred country or region. This is especially useful for local businesses or niche websites.

Best Practices for Using Google Search Console

Once you’ve explored the features, it’s time to integrate GSC into your workflow. Here are some tips to get the most out of this tool:

Regularly Check Your Performance Metrics: This will help you track what’s working and where there’s room for improvement.
Fix Errors Promptly: Address any crawl errors or mobile usability issues as soon as they appear to maintain a good ranking.
Submit Sitemaps: Ensure all your key pages are indexed by submitting a sitemap through GSC.
Optimise for Keywords: Use the Search Analytics data to refine your content strategy and focus on high-performing keywords.
Stay Security-Savvy: Keep an eye on the Security & Manual Actions section for any issues that could affect your site’s safety.

Why Use Google Search Console?

GSC is invaluable because it bridges the gap between you and Google. Instead of guessing how your site is doing, you’ll have real data to guide your decisions. Whether it’s improving your SEO, fixing technical issues, or enhancing user experience, GSC empowers you to take control of your website’s performance.

And Finally…

Google Search Console might feel a little intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll wonder how you managed without it. It’s like having a trusted advisor for your website, offering insights and tools to help you grow your online presence.

If you’re new to GSC, start small—focus on one or two features at a time. Before you know it, you’ll be using it to make data-driven decisions that take your website to new heights.

And here’s a little transparency: My website contains affiliate links. This means if you click and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. Don’t worry, there’s no extra cost to you. It’s a simple way you can support my mission to bring you quality content.

The Beginner’s Guide to Website Analytics and Reporting

by Jackie | Jan 5, 2025 | Analytics And Reporting

If you’ve recently set up your website and are excited to see how it’s doing, you’re in the right place.

Tracking your website’s performance might sound technical and overwhelming, but don’t worry—I’ll guide you step by step.

By the end of this, you’ll have a good idea of what analytics are, why they’re important, and how to use them to grow your online business.

What Are Website Analytics?

Imagine you’ve opened a new store in town. Wouldn’t you want to know how many people are visiting, what they’re buying, and how they heard about you? Website analytics is the online version of that. It’s a way to track what’s happening on your website, such as:

How many people visit your site.
Which pages they spend the most time on.
How they found your website (e.g., Google, social media, etc.).
What actions they take (like signing up for your newsletter or buying a product).

These insights help you understand your audience and make decisions to improve your website.

Why Are Analytics Important?

Analytics can seem like just another task, but here’s why they matter:

Know What’s Working: You’ll see which content or products are popular so you can create more of what your audience loves.

Spot Problems Early: If visitors are leaving quickly, it might mean something on your site needs fixing (like a slow-loading page).

Reach More People: By understanding how people find your site, you can focus on what’s bringing in the most traffic.

Getting Started with Analytics

Step 1: Use Google Analytics (It’s Free!)

Google Analytics is a free tool that gives you detailed reports about your website. It might look complicated at first, but don’t worry—you only need to focus on a few key features to start.

Here’s how to set it up:

Go to Google Analytics and create an account.
Follow the steps to connect your website to Google Analytics (Wealthy Affiliate has tutorials to guide you through this if you get stuck).
Once set up, you’ll start seeing data about your visitors.

Step 2: Learn the Basics

Here are the main things you’ll want to look at:

Visitors: How many people are coming to your site? This is called “traffic.”
Popular Pages: Which pages are people visiting the most? This shows what your audience finds interesting.
Bounce Rate: This tells you if people are leaving quickly without exploring. A high bounce rate might mean something needs improving.
Traffic Sources: Find out how people are discovering your site. Are they coming from Google, Facebook, or somewhere else?

How to Use Analytics to Grow Your Website

Once you’ve looked at your data, you can start using it to improve your website:

Focus on What’s Popular
If a certain blog post or product gets a lot of views, consider creating more similar content.
Fix Problem Areas
If people leave your site quickly, check if the page loads slowly or if the content isn’t helpful.
Boost What’s Bringing Traffic
If most visitors are coming from Google, learn more about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to help even more people find you.

Keeping It Simple

You don’t need to understand every chart or graph right away. Focus on small steps, like checking your visitor numbers and your most popular pages. As you grow more comfortable, you can explore advanced features.

Lean on Wealthy Affiliate’s Support

If you’re a Wealthy Affiliate member, take advantage of the tutorials and community support. They have beginner-friendly guides that can help you understand analytics and reporting without feeling overwhelmed. Click Here to see a video from Jay about Google Analytics

And Finally...

Analytics and reporting are like a map for your website. They show you where you are, where your visitors are coming from, and where you can go next. Start small, stay curious, and remember—you’re learning this to build something amazing.

If you ever feel stuck, reach out to your community, drop me a line in the box below or revisit this guide.

How Can I Get My Website Ranked Higher On Google

by Jackie | Jan 2, 2025 | Analytics And Reporting, Search Engine Optimization

Getting your website ranked higher on Google might seem tricky, but it’s actually easier than you think once you know the steps. This guide will walk you through the process in simple terms so you can get started even if you have no prior experience.

1. How Google Works

Understanding how Google works is the first step to making your website appear in search results.

Crawlers: Google uses programs called “crawlers” to browse websites, just like you browse the internet. These crawlers follow links from one page to another and collect information about each page.

Indexing: The information collected by crawlers is stored in Google’s “index,” like a giant library. When someone searches for something, Google looks through this library to find pages that best match the search.

Ranking: Google ranks the results it finds based on many factors, such as how relevant the content is, how trustworthy the website seems, and how fast the page loads.

Your job is to make your website easy for crawlers to find and ensure it has useful, trustworthy information for visitors.

2. Make Sure Google Can Find Your Website

If Google can’t find your website, it can’t display it in search results. Here’s what to check:

Google Search Console: This free tool helps you see if Google can access your site. It shows problems like broken pages or technical issues.

Don’t Block Google: Check that your website settings don’t block crawlers. Some websites accidentally tell Google not to look at certain pages using a robots.txt file or “noindex” settings.

Sitemap: A sitemap is a file that lists all the pages on your website, like a map for Google. You can create one easily with most website builders (like WordPress). Once created, submit it through Google Search Console so Google knows where to look.

3. Write Useful Content

Good content is the heart of your website. If your content isn’t helpful, it won’t rank well on Google.

What Makes Content Good? It should answer questions, solve problems, or provide useful information. For example, if you have a baking website, include recipes, tips, or troubleshooting guides.

Use Keywords: Think about what people might type into Google to find your website. Use those words naturally in your text. For example, if someone might search “how to bake bread,” include this phrase in your content.

Be Easy to Read: Write in short paragraphs, use bullet points when possible, and avoid complicated language.

4. Optimize Your Website (SEO Basics)

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) helps Google understand your website. You don’t need to be a tech expert to do these simple things:

Titles and Meta Descriptions: These are what people see in Google search results. For example:
- Title: “5 Easy Cake Recipes for Beginners”
- Meta Description: “Learn how to make delicious cakes with these simple recipes. Perfect for beginners!”
Headers: Use headings (like H1, H2) to organize your content. It’s like creating a table of contents for your page.

Mobile-Friendly Design: Many people use their phones to search, so make sure your site looks good on smaller screens. Most website builders have mobile-friendly templates.

Page Speed: A slow website can frustrate users and hurt your ranking. Compress images and avoid too many large files.

5. Tell Google About Your Website

Even if your website is ready, you might need to give Google a little nudge to notice it.

Submit Your Sitemap: Go to Google Search Console and upload your sitemap file. This tells Google exactly where to look.
Request Indexing: If you add new pages or make changes, use the “URL Inspection Tool” in Search Console to tell Google to check them.

This speeds up the process of getting your pages into Google’s search results.

6. Get Other Websites to Link to You

Links from other websites help Google trust yours. When a trustworthy site links to your website, it’s like a recommendation.

Ask for Links: If you know someone who has a website, ask them to link to yours if it’s relevant. For example, a local business might link to your services page.

Create Shareable Content: Write helpful articles, guides, or resources that people will want to share. For example, a “Complete Beginner’s Guide to Plant Care” might get shared by gardening websites or blogs.

Avoid Spammy Links: Don’t pay for links or use shady services that promise “thousands of backlinks.” Google can penalize your site for this.

7. Keep Your Website Updated

Google prefers websites that stay active and relevant. If your site is never updated, it might rank lower.

Add New Content Regularly: Post blogs, updates, or new products regularly to show Google that your site is active.

Fix Outdated Information: If you have old pages or content, update them to keep them useful.

Follow Trends: For example, if it’s winter, create content like “Top Winter Recipes” or “How to Prepare Your Garden for Snow.”

8. Use Google My Business (For Local Businesses)

If you have a physical business, Google My Business is essential. It helps you show up in local searches and on Google Maps.

Sign Up: Go to Google My Business and create an account.

Fill Out All Details: Add your address, phone number, website, and hours. Make sure everything is accurate.

Encourage Reviews: Positive reviews from happy customers improve your visibility. Politely ask your best customers to leave a review.

9. Monitor Your Progress

Once your website is live, it’s important to see how it’s doing.

Google Analytics: This free tool shows you how many people visit your site, what pages they look at, and where they come from.

Search Console Insights: Check which searches bring people to your site and which pages are most popular.

Fix Problems: If you notice pages with errors or low traffic, work on improving them.

10. Follow Google’s Rules

Google has guidelines to ensure the internet remains helpful and safe for everyone. Follow these tips to stay in Google’s good books:-

Be Honest: Don’t use tricks like stuffing your page with keywords or hiding text just for Google.

Use HTTPS: This adds a small lock icon to your website’s address and shows visitors that it’s secure.

Think About Visitors: Your website should focus on helping real people, not just impressing Google.

And Finally...

Getting your website ranked higher on Google takes time and effort, but it’s absolutely doable, even for beginners. Start by making your site easy to find, creating helpful content, and following these simple steps.

Remember, it’s not about trying to “beat” Google—it’s about creating a website that’s useful, trustworthy, and easy to use. That’s what Google wants, and it’s what your visitors want too!

Good luck, and happy website building.

Here’s a little transparency: My website contains affiliate links. This means if you click and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. Don’t worry, there’s no extra cost to you. It’s a simple way you can support my mission to bring you quality content.