Google Search Console glossaryGoogle Search Console, word by word.

    Explore Google Search Console terms and features. Learn to monitor site performance, track indexing, and find search optimization opportunities with GSC.

    Browse the termsAnalytics & Tracking questions
    The terms

    Every Google Search Console term, A to Z.

    Fifteen terms, each defined in a sentence or two. Tap a letter to jump to it, or type to find a term.

    15 terms

    A

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    Average Position

    The average ranking of your site for a query in search results. Lower numbers are better (position 1 is at the top).

    See also SERPKeywords

    C

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    Clicks

    The number of times users clicked through to your website from Google Search results. This is a key metric for measuring organic search success.

    See also ImpressionsCTR

    Core Web Vitals Report

    Shows how your pages perform based on real-world usage data for LCP, FID, and CLS metrics—key factors in Google’s page experience signals.

    See also LCPFIDCLS

    Coverage Report

    Shows which pages from your site have been indexed by Google and any problems encountered during indexing.

    See also Crawling

    CTRClick-Through Rate

    The percentage of impressions that resulted in a click. Calculated by dividing clicks by impressions. A higher CTR indicates more compelling search listings.

    See also ClicksImpressionsMeta Description

    I

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    Impressions

    The number of times your site appeared in search results. An impression is counted each time your URL appears in a search result.

    See also ClicksCTRSERP

    Index Coverage

    The status of how many of your site’s pages have been added to Google’s search index and are eligible to appear in search results.

    See also Crawling

    L

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    M

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    Manual Actions

    Penalties applied by Google’s human reviewers when a site violates Google’s webmaster guidelines. These can severely impact rankings.

    Mobile Usability Report

    Identifies pages on your site that have usability problems on mobile devices, which can affect rankings in mobile search.

    See also Mobile-First IndexingCore Web Vitals

    P

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    Performance Report

    A report in Google Search Console that shows how your site performs in Google Search results, including total clicks, impressions, average CTR, and average position.

    See also ClicksImpressionsCTR

    R

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    Rich Results

    Enhanced search results that include additional visual elements like star ratings, images, or FAQ accordions. Search Console shows which rich results your site is eligible for.

    See also Schema MarkupSERP Features

    S

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    Security Issues

    Reports in Search Console that alert you if Google detects that your site has been hacked or has behavior that could harm visitors.

    See also HTTPS

    Sitemaps Report

    Shows the status of sitemaps submitted to Google, including any errors and the number of URLs discovered.

    See also XML SitemapCrawling

    U

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    URL Inspection Tool

    A tool in Search Console that provides detailed crawl, index, and serving information about your pages, directly from the Google index.

    See also Crawling

    Questions

    Google Search Console questions, answered.

    Quick answers drawn from the terms above. For more, read the analytics & tracking questions.

    What does “Clicks” mean in Google Search Console?

    The number of times users clicked through to your website from Google Search results. This is a key metric for measuring organic search success.

    What does “CTR” mean in Google Search Console?

    The percentage of impressions that resulted in a click. Calculated by dividing clicks by impressions. A higher CTR indicates more compelling search listings.

    What does “Links Report” mean in Google Search Console?

    Shows which sites link to your website most, your most linked pages, and what anchor text is used—essential for understanding your backlink profile.

    What does “Performance Report” mean in Google Search Console?

    A report in Google Search Console that shows how your site performs in Google Search results, including total clicks, impressions, average CTR, and average position.

    What does “Rich Results” mean in Google Search Console?

    Enhanced search results that include additional visual elements like star ratings, images, or FAQ accordions. Search Console shows which rich results your site is eligible for.

    The glossary

    The rest of the glossary.

    Twelve sections, each a page of terms in plain English. Keep turning, or open the whole glossary.

    1. All Things A.I.
    2. Analytics & Reporting
    3. Backlinks
    4. Content
    5. Google Ads
    6. Introduction to SEO
    7. Keyword Research
    8. Local SEO
    9. On-Page Optimization
    10. Search Performance ReportsYou are here
    11. Technical Optimization
    12. Website Analytics
    Open the whole glossary
    Related

    Goes with these terms.

    The whole glossaryEvery section, from AI to technical SEO.Open → Analytics & Tracking questionsCommon questions, answered plainly.Open → SEO servicesRankings built on a clean technical base.Open → Marketing OSLeads, jobs and revenue by source, in one view.Open → The Idea StreamEssays on search, AI and local growth.Open → Free SEO and AEO auditSee how your site scores on search and AI answers.Open →
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