Welcome to another episode of SEOs Getting Coffee! While we missed Sean this week, Emina held down the fort with her guest, Sai, the Director of Organic Search at Amber—a company often likened to Booking.com, but for student accommodations. Sai’s impressive resume includes working with over 70 brands, and her eight-plus years in SEO made her the perfect person to unpack the ins and outs of Google Search Console (GSC).
If you’re an SEO pro or just getting started, this conversation is packed with tips, strategies, and laughs. So grab a cup of coffee (or tea, we don’t judge) and let’s dive in.
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Using Google Search Console for SEO | SEOs Getting Coffee EP.33
Why Google Search Console is Essential for SEOs
Emina and Sai kicked things off with a strong statement: If you’re doing SEO and not using Google Search Console, you’re flying blind. Sai called GSC her “control centre,” highlighting how it transitions SEOs from guessing to knowing.
Key insights Sai shared:
- Hard Facts from the Source: GSC delivers data directly from Google, offering a level of insight that even the top third-party SEO tools can’t match.
- Troubleshooting Made Easy: From crawl issues to indexing problems, GSC often reveals the real reasons behind ranking drops that other tools overlook.
The Controversial Average Position Metric
When discussing metrics, Sai dived into the often misunderstood average position. While it’s a valuable trend indicator, Sai cautioned against using it as a standalone decision-maker.
How to Use Average Position Effectively:
- Identify Outliers: One or two keywords can skew the average. Drill down to understand individual performance.
- Combine with CTR Data: Pair average position with click-through rate (CTR) to uncover optimisation opportunities.
- Local SEO Alert: Be mindful that average position may vary significantly for localised results.
Regex: The Power Tool for Data Filtering
Sai discussed the benefits of using Regex (regular expressions), citing it as one of her top GSC features. Regex enables SEOs to find patterns in large datasets effortlessly.
Use Cases for Regex in GSC:
- Brand vs. Non-Brand Queries: Segment your traffic to analyse branded and non-branded searches separately.
- Seasonal Campaign Tracking: Use consistent URL patterns for campaigns like “/BlackFriday2024/” to monitor performance.
- FAQ Optimisation: Isolate question-based queries (“how to,” “why,” etc.) to refine FAQ sections.
Sai’s Top Tool: The Better Regex Chrome extension—easy for beginners and pros alike.
Google Search Console Crawl Report: Hidden Yet Vital
Did you know GSC has a crawl report hidden in its settings? Many SEOs overlook this, but Sai insists it’s crucial.
Why Crawl Reports Matter:
- Crawl Budget Optimisation: Ensure Googlebot spends time on important pages, not irrelevant ones (only a real concern for large sites).
- Identify Errors: Use the report to find repeated 404s or broken links wasting your crawl budget.
- Analyse Googlebot Types: Differentiate between regular Googlebot and Adbot crawls, especially if you run PPC campaigns.
Content Insights with Search Console
GSC isn’t just a reporting tool; it’s a gold mine for SEO content opportunities. Sai shared practical ways to leverage it for both SEO content creation and updates:
- Discover Negative Keywords: Identify queries driving irrelevant traffic and refine your content to align with user intent.
- Spot Trending Topics: Compare data over time to find queries gaining momentum and capitalise on emerging trends.
- Monitor Content Decay: Identify declining pages and decide whether to refresh, consolidate, or prune them.
Pro Tip: Combine GSC data with other tools like GA4 for a comprehensive analysis of your site’s performance.
The New GSC Recommendations: A Game-Changer?
Sai shared her excitement about GSC’s experimental recommendations feature, which suggests direct actions to improve your site. While still in its early stages, this feature has the potential to make SEO more accessible, saving time and offering proactive solutions.
Sai’s Room 404 Contribution: Vanity Metrics
To wrap up, Sai nominated “chasing search volume over intent” for the Room 404 trash bin. She emphasised focusing on traffic that converts rather than obsessing over high-volume keywords that don’t align with user intent.
Sai’s Wisdom:
- Traffic is good, but relevant traffic is better.
- Intent-driven metrics like conversions and engagement matter most.
Final Thoughts: Using Search Console to Its Full Potential
Google Search Console is an essential resource, offering invaluable insights to help you navigate and optimise your site’s SEO strategy effectively. From uncovering technical SEO issues to finding content opportunities, GSC should be in every SEO’s toolkit.
For more insights and in-depth conversations on the latest in SEO and digital marketing strategies, stay stuned for upcoming episodes of “SEOs Getting Coffee.” Subscribe to our channel for regular updates and expert opinions.
