Of all the marketing-related questions we get from clients and prospects, the one we hear most frequently goes something like this:
What is the best all-around tool for monitoring and improving website SEO?
If you’re one of those CEOs that’s looking for a one-stop-shop sort of SEO tool, this article will give you an overview of one resource we LOVE to recommend, and how it could revolutionize your day-to-day SEO approach.
For anyone wondering how to improve website SEO, Google Search Console (GSC) is a goldmine. Find out the reasons why we always refer people to this go-to resource as a great place to start.
Bonus: We also tell you how to maximize your website’s authority by fixing one technical factor that might really be hurting you (and you probably never knew it).
Wish You Could Read Google’s Mind?
Now You Can!
We’re all busy trying to please search engines and make our sites cater to what they want. In the past, the problem has been that understanding what they want has felt nearly impossible.
With Google’s constant algorithm tweaks and the incredible amount of new content that is constantly flooding the internet (to the tune of two billion-plus blogs existing online today), keeping your site up to speed and maintaining a competitive edge is not easy.
Of course, that’s why many companies opt to hire a website marketing company to handle their SEO—an option we’ll talk more about later.
For average business owners trying to do it on their own, SEO often feels like a foreign language. And, figuring out how to get ranked feels like one giant mystery.
With Google clearly standing head and shoulders above the rest as the premier search engine these days (according to Search Engine Journal, it accounts for 91.75% of the total worldwide market share), it makes it all the more important to look to Google itself to demystify SEO.
In its Search Console tool, Google has laid it out precisely for us, and it’s all in one place for quick access and easy use! If you’ve ever wished you could read Google’s mind, this tool is going to quickly become one of your go-to resources.
In fact, we’d go as far as to say it could literally revolutionize the way you manage your day-to-day SEO strategy.
What is Google Search Console (GSC)?
And Why You Need to Start Using it Now
If you need a user-friendly SEO tool that provides practical analytics and actionable steps to take for improvement, GSC is your answer. What was previously Google Webmaster Tools is now the new and improved Google Search Console…and it is amazing.
This is a free (yes, FREE) tool from Google (thanks, Google!) that helps business owners and developers determine how a website is performing on search and what they can do to improve ranking and traffic.
GSC is an incredibly helpful resource for any business taking SEO seriously. And, in all honesty, you can’t afford not to take SEO seriously when Ahref’s compiled data tells us that 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine!
Of course, it’s not the only tool you’ll ever need. But it’s a good place to start, and here are just a few of the reasons why.
Google Search Console will help you:
- Learn how Google is crawling and indexing your site
- Get notified about website indexing errors that are hurting your ranking
- Submit updated content directly to Google
- Monitor search performance with an at-a-glance analytics dashboard
GSC: Here’s How to Improve Website SEO With One Fantastic Tool
Whether your goal is to fine-tune technical SEO, improve content development, or revamp your current search engine optimization techniques, GSC has the tools for you.
Offering important insights for everyone, this tool is a favorite among developers and website marketing companies alike. It stands out in its usability for the average business owner as well.
Whether you’re an owner or a busy C-suite executive, you need an at-a-glance perspective on exactly how your site is performing on search as well as how it can do better. And, that’s exactly the kind of critical data that this tool provides.
To get started with Google Search Console, we recommend referencing the YouTube channel for training videos associated with this tool. These short, helpful videos cover topics such as:
- Verifying your website to set up your GSC account
- Utilizing the performance reports to gauge how a site is doing and where it can improve
- Monitoring rich results and adjusting structured data for better performance
- Using the URL inspection tool to get a full workup of critical details on a specific page
Taking the Mystery Out of How to Rank
Search Engine Optimization Techniques—Nicely Packaged Into One Tool
Now, we want to be clear that GSC is not going to solve your need for paid ads management; you’ll still want to hang onto that Google Analytics account. There is some overlap in how the two programs work, but they’re both helpful and necessary in their own right.
In terms of all things related to organic and technical SEO, Google Search Console is thorough, precise, and did we mention…free?!
7 Ways GSC Can Show You How to improve Website SEO:
- Confirms that Google can find and crawl your site
- Provides detailed reports on traffic, queries, rich search, click-through rates (CTR), etc.
- Shows you which keywords your content is ranking for
- Allows you to submit new content for indexing, including entire site maps
- Identifies and alerts you about any indexing errors and spam issues
- Shows you which referring domains are linking to your website
- Troubleshoots issues related to mobile user experience and search features
Bonus: GSC also allows you to establish your preferred (or canonical) domains, which is an often overlooked, but incredibly important step to getting technical SEO right. In fact, your site could be losing authority if traffic is being split between two different versions of a domain (for example www.farotech.com and https://farotech.com/).
If you don’t know what we’re talking about, call us to discuss the importance of establishing your preferred canonical domain with Google so you can maximize your domain authority.
Keeping Your Site Healthy
Regular Check-ups Recommended
With the incredible amount of data that GSC provides, you’ll have everything you need to make critical decisions to improve the health of your site.
For the sake of simplification, search engine optimization techniques are basically all about avoiding Google’s penalties and learning to play by its rules.
Being the teacher’s pet was always frowned upon in school, but in this world of online marketing, you have to become Google’s pet to survive. GSC can help you do just that.
With the performance and technical report findings in GSC, you’ll be able to tweak and plan to effectively optimize your site. When it comes to how to improve website SEO, leveraging Google Search Console is one of the best ways.
For your business, taking action on GSC data may look like any of the following:
- Identifying keywords and longtail variations to target
- Discovering new ranking opportunities for words you’re already using
- Boosting existing page performance by adding quality content and fixing technical errors
- Fine-tuning your users’ experience with your site’s content and functionality
- Developing more helpful backlinking opportunities
- Planning for a website redesign or new site development that takes SEO into account
Planning a Website Redesign?
Keep SEO a Priority With This Helpful Resource!
Since we mentioned that final bullet point above, we thought we’d take the opportunity to also offer you a free resource in case you are seriously considering a website redesign.
We know everyone wants a pretty site with updated functionality and cutting-edge design. But, the website you really need is one that is a lead-conversion machine, right?
What if we told you that you can have your cake, and eat it too?
Download our free checklist: 10 SEO Mistakes to Avoid During Your Next Website Redesign
We’ve made it super easy to check off these critical SEO steps throughout your design process. Build your site right so you can have the aesthetics and the Google-friendly technical setup and quality content that will get you ranked!
If you’re not sure if you need a website rehaul, and you’re just wondering where to go next in this whole SEO journey, we’d love to chat.
If you’re among the 55% of marketers who know that SEO is extremely important, our website marketing company offers comprehensive services, including search engine optimization techniques and web development.
Call us today at 267.387.6620 or request a free consultation!
