New Google Search Console

New Google Search Console. It’s finally here!

The new Google Search Console has a better and clean interface and brilliant functionality; a huge amount of data has been built from scratch and according to Google they have started the global roll out to sites already set up with Google Search Console.

The beta version has been tested since summer 2017 so a chosen few pre-selected users have already seen it.

After these months of testing, Google has decided to roll out four of the most popular features of the new Search Console to the general public. As usual, this is a gradual process, so it won’t be a surprise if many of us don’t see it for a good few weeks from now.

The most exciting part for webmasters and site owners is that the new GSC will have data for last 16 months in comparison to the current limit of 90 days or three months. This is absolutely brilliant as it is going to make it much easier to:

• Review trends and build the SEO campaigns based on them
• Carry out Year-on-Year comparisons
• Check Search Analytics performance, including Search query, Click, Impressions and positioning data for 16 months

These are the four new features we’re all about to get:

1. Search performance. The Search Analytics section has been one of the most important, and one of the most requested features to be upgraded by the general public. Google’s new Search Performance report includes more in-depth data, including clicks, impressions, CTRs, your average ranking position, and your current position, and gives you up to 16 months of back-dated data. This overcomes the major limitations of the current system.
2. Index coverage. Google Search Console already provides some data on how your site is indexed, but the new Index Coverage report shows you even more information. Automatic alerts for indexing errors will help you trace the root of the problem so you can solve it faster. When you are drilling down for the errors, page details along with links to diagnostic-tools are supplied which will greatly help to understand the source of the problem. There is also a share button so that you can quickly communicate this data to your team. There’s even a ‘validate fix’ button you can use to verify that your corrective action was effective. The index coverage report best works for sites which have and do submit Sitemap Files on a regular basis.
3. AMP status. (The AMP Project is an open-source initiative which aims to make the web better for all.)
4.  Job postings. Below is what Google’s John Mueller, Ofir Roval and Hillel Maoz have said about the last two upgraded features. The new Search Console is also aimed at helping you implement Search Enhancements such as AMP and Job Postings (more to come). These reports provide details into the specific errors and warnings that Google identified for these topics. In addition to the functionally described in the index coverage report, we augmented the reports with two extra features:
   • The first feature is aimed at providing faster feedback in the process of fixing an issue. This is achieved by running several instantaneous tests once you click the validate fix. If your pages don’t pass this test we provide you with an immediate notification, otherwise we go ahead and reprocess the rest of the affected pages.
   • The second new feature is aimed at providing positive feedback during the fix process by expanding the validation log with a list of URLs that were identified as fixed (in addition to URLs that failed the validation or might still be pending).

   Similar to the AMP report, the new Search Console provides a Job postings report. If you have jobs listings on your website, you may be eligible to have those shown directly through Google for Jobs (currently only available in certain locations).

   The Roll Out

   After the roll out of these four features, Google plans to roll out other features in the ‘new’ Search Console to all users throughout the rest of the year. Until the process is complete, both the old and new Google Search Consoles will be live side by side. You can switch between them using the links given in the interface.

   

How it will help SEO:

1. More information direct from the source. This will make it slightly easier to review trends, analyse data and plan the SEO campaigns with transparent data.
2. It will be easy to fix issues and get feedback straight away.

So yes, we are very excited to see the improvements. They are going to be very useful. Having the Google Search Console set up for your website is essential due to wealth of data it provides. The new improved Google Search Console is going to be even more useful for site owners, webmasters and search marketers. If you don’t have it set up or have it but it is not optimised, give teclan a call on 01463 898043 to find out how we can help.