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Google Search Console (formerly Google Webmaster Tools) is a web service by Google which allows webmasters to check indexing status, search queries, crawling errors and optimize visibility of their websites.[1]
 | |
Type of site | Webmaster tools |
|---|---|
| Owner | |
| URL | search |
| Commercial | yes |
| Launched | 2006 |
Until 20 May 2015, the service was called Google Webmaster Tools.[2] In January 2018, Google introduced a new version of the search console, with changes to the user interface. In September 2019, old Search Console reports, including the home and dashboard pages, were removed.[3]
The service includes tools that let webmasters
- Submit and check a sitemap.[4]
- Check the crawl rate, and view statistics about when Googlebot accesses a particular site.[5]
- Receive alerts when Google encounters indexing, spam, or other issues on your site.[6]
- Show you which sites link to your website.
- Write and check a robots.txt file to help discover pages that are blocked in robots.txt accidentally.[7]
- List internal and external pages that link to the website.
- Get a list of links which Googlebot had difficulty in crawling, including the error that Googlebot received when accessing the URLs in question.
- Set a preferred domain (e.g. prefer example.com over www.example.com or vice versa), which determines how the site URL is displayed in SERPs.
- Highlight to Google Search elements of structured data which are used to enrich search hit entries (released in December 2012 as Google Data Highlighter).[8]
- View site speed reports from the Chrome User Experience Report.
- Page Experience Report including - Core Web Vitals, and HTTPS.[9]
- Receive notifications from Google for manual penalties.[10][11]
- Provide access to an API to add, change and delete listings and list crawl errors.[12]
- Check the security issues if there are any with the website. (Hacked Site or Malware Attacks)
- Add or remove the property owners and associates of the web property.
Google Search Console Insights, introduced in 2021, is an analytical feature of Google Search Console. It combines data from Google Search Console and Google Analytics, to provide webmasters and content creators with insights into the performance of their content across Google's services.[13]
Functionality and integration
As an integrated component of Google Search Console, Insights utilizes the data collection capabilities of both Google Search Console and Google Analytics. It offers a unified dashboard that shows how content is discovered by audiences and how it interacts with them. This feature aims to bridge the gap between website performance metrics and user interaction data, facilitating a deeper understanding of content engagement and search performance.[14]
Development
Although Google Search Console Insights offers significant potential, it has remained in beta since its launch. This extended beta phase has prompted concerns among some users regarding the timeline for its final release. The ongoing beta status may contribute to uncertainties about the stability and reliability of its features, which could affect user adoption and trust in its effectiveness.
Google Search Console Insights is regularly updated in response to user feedback and the evolving needs of the webmaster community. These updates are aimed at enhancing the tool's analytical capabilities and the accuracy and relevance of the data it presents, ensuring it remains useful for its intended audience.
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