The Search Console Performance Report, Explained
The Search Console Performance report shows how your site appears in Google Search: how many times it was shown (impressions), how many times it was clicked (clicks), the share that clicked (click-through rate), and the average ranking (position). Reading these four numbers by page and by query tells you what is working.
It is the most useful free report for a blogger, because the data comes from Google itself. Here is what each metric means, where it can mislead, and how to use the filters.
The four metrics
Clicks count how often a searcher clicked through to your site from the results. Impressions count how often a link to your site appeared in a result a user could have seen. An impression does not require a click, and for results below the fold it may not require scrolling to count under some conditions.
Click-through rate (CTR) is clicks divided by impressions. Average position is the average topmost position of your site in the results for the queries counted. A lower number is better, so position 1 is the top.
Google documents how these are calculated, and the definitions are worth reading on its help pages, because small details affect how you interpret the numbers.
How to open and set up the report
Select a property in Search Console and open Performance, then Search results. By default, the chart shows clicks and impressions for the last three months.
Click the CTR and position boxes to turn them on. Use the date filter to choose a longer range, such as six or twelve months, to see trends. The compare option lets you view two periods side by side.
Below the chart are tabs for Queries, Pages, Countries, Devices, Search appearance, and Dates. Each slices the same data differently.
Reading queries
The Queries tab shows the search phrases that brought impressions or clicks. Sort by impressions to see what you appear for most. Sort by clicks to see what actually brings visitors.
Look for queries with high impressions and low CTR, which suggests a weak title or snippet. Look for queries with a position between about 8 and 20, which suggests room to improve. And look for unexpected queries that reveal subtopics people associate with your page.
Some queries are hidden to protect privacy, so the total of the table may not match the chart exactly.
Reading pages
The Pages tab lists URLs. Click one to filter the whole report to that page, then go to the Queries tab to see which searches that page serves.
Use this to check the effect of an update. Record the numbers before the change and compare after a few weeks.
Pages with impressions but no clicks may be ranking too low to be seen, or have titles that do not attract clicks.
Example of a simple reading
A post has 3,000 impressions, 30 clicks, and an average position of 11. The CTR is about 1 percent. Position 11 is on page two, so few people see it, which explains the low click count. Improving the content to move it into the top ten is the main goal, not the title.
Another post has 2,000 impressions, 20 clicks, and a position of 3. The CTR is also about 1 percent, which is low for position 3. Here the title or description is the likely problem.
Use the filters
Add a filter for a specific query, page, country, or device. For instance, filter to mobile to see whether your mobile positions differ from desktop.
Filter by query with the “queries containing” option to see all searches that include a word. This helps you see how a topic performs as a group.
The Search appearance tab shows data for special result types if your site qualifies, such as rich results.
Know the limits
Average position is an average across queries and times, so it can be misleading when one page ranks differently for different searches. Always check at the query level.
Data is usually delayed by a couple of days, and it only covers Google Search. Other search engines are not included.
Small numbers fluctuate. Do not draw conclusions from a handful of impressions.
Make it a routine
Check the report weekly for new queries and monthly for trends. Keep a spreadsheet of key pages with their numbers on set dates. That lets you see slow changes that the chart can hide.
Common misreadings
Many people treat average position as the rank of a page. It is an average over every impression, which can include a top spot for one query and the second page for another. Others compare clicks across months without adjusting for the number of days. Check the date range, and use the query filter before drawing conclusions.
Export for deeper analysis
The export button lets you download the table to a spreadsheet or another tool. With the data in a sheet you can combine it with your audit columns, calculate your own groupings, and keep monthly snapshots, since Search Console only retains a limited window of history.
Keep monthly snapshots
Search Console keeps a limited window of data, so export the main tables each month and file them with the date. After a year, you will have a record that lets you compare against the same month last year, which is the best way to separate seasonality from real change.
What to do next
Open the report, set the range to the last three months, and turn on all four metrics. Sort Queries by impressions and mark any with a position of 8 to 20. Then sort Pages by impressions and find three with a low CTR for their position.
Write down the numbers, pick one improvement for each, and set a date to check again in a month.