How to optimise Google Search Console for better SEO performance

Google Search Console (GSC) is like a free backstage pass to understanding how Google views your website. It tells you what’s indexed, what’s broken, what’s thriving, and what needs urgent attention—like that page you thought was ranking but is actually invisible to Google.

If you’re running a news website, GSC is especially crucial. Your content is time-sensitive, meaning you need Google to crawl, index, and rank your articles fast. Let’s dive into how you can optimise GSC to ensure your stories don’t get lost in the abyss.

Step 1: Setting Up Google Search Console (If You Haven’t Already)

• Go to Google Search Console.
• Click Start Now and sign in with your Google account.
• Select Domain or URL Prefix as your property type.
  • Domain: Covers all subdomains (e.g., news.yoursite.com, blog.yoursite.com). Requires DNS verification.
  • URL Prefix: Covers only the specific URL entered (e.g., https://www.yoursite.com).
• Follow the verification steps (e.g., adding a TXT record in your domain settings or using an HTML file).
• Once verified, GSC will start collecting data. Give it a few days for full insights.

Step 2: Identifying and Fixing Indexing Issues

2.1 Check the Index Coverage Report

• Navigate to Indexing > Pages.
• You’ll see four statuses:
  • Indexed and live (great!)
  • Indexed but not submitted in sitemap (fine, but check why it’s appearing here)
  • Discovered but not indexed (Google found it but didn’t bother indexing it—why?)
  • Not indexed (Houston, we have a problem!)

2.2 Fix “Discovered But Not Indexed” Pages

• If your new articles aren’t getting indexed quickly, try Request Indexing in the URL Inspection tool.
• Check your crawl budget (use Crawl Stats under Settings)—if Google is ignoring your site, you may need to improve internal linking.
• Ensure your sitemap is up to date (see Step 3).

2.3 Handling Soft 404s & Excluded Pages

• If important pages are showing as Soft 404s, Google thinks they exist but aren’t useful. Double-check content, meta tags, and internal links.
• If pages are Excluded, check if they’re blocked in robots.txt or have noindex tags accidentally applied.

Step 3: Submitting & Optimising Your XML Sitemap

Your XML sitemap tells Google which pages to crawl. If it’s not up to date, Google may miss new content.

• Navigate to Indexing > Sitemaps.
• Submit your sitemap URL (usually https://www.yoursite.com/sitemap.xml).
• Ensure your sitemap includes only important, indexable URLs—avoid including noindex or redirected pages.
• If running a news website, use Google News Sitemaps for faster crawling of breaking news.

Step 4: Improving Rankings with the Performance Report

4.1 Identify Underperforming Pages

• Go to Performance > Search Results.
• Sort by Clicks or Impressions to find articles that are getting views but no clicks.
• Check their CTR (Click-Through Rate)—if it’s low, you may need to tweak headlines or meta descriptions.

4.2 Optimise for High-Impression, Low-Click Keywords

• Click on Queries to see what terms your articles rank for.
• If you’re getting lots of impressions but few clicks, your content may not be compelling enough.
• Improve title tags and meta descriptions—make them punchy and click-worthy.

4.3 Monitor Position Trends

• Use Average Position tracking to see which keywords are improving or dropping.
• If an article drops significantly in rankings, check if a competitor has outranked you—consider refreshing your content or adding internal links.

Step 5: Fixing Mobile Usability Issues

5.1 Check the Mobile Usability Report

• Navigate to Experience > Mobile Usability.
• Look for errors like:
  • Text too small to read
  • Clickable elements too close together
  • Viewport not set

5.2 How to Fix Mobile Issues

• Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool.
• Ensure your site has a responsive design.
• Compress images and remove unnecessary scripts to improve mobile speed (check with PageSpeed Insights).

Step 6: Leveraging GSC for Better Crawl Efficiency

6.1 Use the URL Inspection Tool

• If you’ve updated an article but it’s not reflecting in search, request Indexing to speed up crawling.

6.2 Manage Crawl Budget (For Large News Sites)

• If your site has thousands of pages, prioritise important content by linking to it more prominently.
• Use noindex on outdated or low-value pages to stop them from consuming crawl resources.

6.3 Regularly Check for Manual Actions & Security Issues

• Under Security & Manual Actions, ensure there are no penalties.
• If a security warning appears (e.g., hacked content), take immediate action to fix vulnerabilities.

Final Thoughts

Google Search Console is an SEO powerhouse, but only if you use it strategically. By regularly checking your indexing, ranking, and mobile usability reports, you can fine-tune your news website’s performance and ensure your content gets the visibility it deserves.

Remember, SEO isn’t about setting and forgetting—it’s about constant tweaking, improving, and staying ahead of Google’s ever-changing algorithms. Happy optimising!