Search Console is Google’s own report about your site in its results. The performance report has four headline metrics; each one counts something different.
Key points
- Impressions: how often your pages appeared in results.
- Clicks: how often someone clicked through.
- CTR is clicks divided by impressions; average position is the mean ranking position across appearances.
The four metrics
- Clicks — clicks from Google Search results to your site.
- Impressions — how often a link to your site was shown in results.
- CTR — clicks divided by impressions.
- Average position — the average of your topmost position across the queries where you appeared.
Why impressions move first
A new article usually starts appearing for some queries before it earns many clicks. Rising impressions on a new page are an early sign it is being shown; clicks follow if the title and snippet earn them.
Look at queries, not only totals
The Queries tab shows which searches you appear for. Phrases where you rank just outside the first page are often the best candidates for a new or improved article.
Frequently asked questions
Why don’t the numbers match my analytics tool?
They measure different things: Search Console counts what happens in Google’s results, analytics counts what happens on your site. Small differences are normal.
Sources
- Performance report (Search results)
Search Console Help