Let’s say you want to know exactly how your site appears in Google search results. The Google Search Console performance report puts all that data in one place, so you can spot trends, fix problems, and boost your visibility. If you’re just getting started, check out our google search console setup guide and our how to use google search console tutorial.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to navigate the report, interpret the key metrics, and put your insights to work.
understand the performance report
report overview
When you log in, you’ll land on the Performance dashboard. It shows clicks, impressions, click-through rate, and average position across dimensions like queries, pages, countries, and devices.
default date span
By default the report covers the past three months. You’ll see complete days by default, with any data from today (and sometimes yesterday) marked as preliminary—displayed as a dotted line until it’s finalized.
navigate the interface
filter and compare views
You can filter by query, page, country, device, or search appearance. To compare two values in any one dimension, click More, choose Compare, then pick previous period or previous week.
new comparison options
- previous period vs current period
- previous week vs current week
date range selector
Click the date filter at the top to choose a custom range or quick presets like last 7 days or a rolling 28 days.
interpret key metrics
| Metric | What it shows | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Clicks | Number of times users clicked a result | Measures real engagement |
| Impressions | Times your page appeared in results | Gauges overall visibility |
| CTR | Clicks divided by impressions (%) | Highlights how compelling your title and meta are |
| Average position | Mean ranking spot for a query | Indicates ranking health |
Here’s the thing, high impressions with low clicks means your snippet could use a refresh.
handle data limitations
row and export caps
Ever hit the 1,000 row cap and felt frustrated?
- UI and export limit to 1,000 rows
- Search Analytics API allows up to 50,000 rows per day per site per search type
- Historical data only goes back 16 months
privacy filtering
Search Console omits anonymized queries (rare ones) to protect user privacy. Those queries still count in chart totals but don’t show in tables, so chart and table totals may not match.
sampling and preliminary data
Keyword data is sampled (a subset) before display, so very low-volume queries may not appear. Today’s and yesterday’s data are preliminary and may change after processing.
fix indexing issues
check indexing status
Head to the Indexing report to see which pages Google indexed or flagged as errors. Use filters to spot pages under “Error” or “Excluded” status. For more on troubleshooting indexing hiccups, visit our google search console indexing guide.
request reindexing
After you update a page, open URL Inspection, then click Request indexing. That tells Google to recrawl your URL sooner.
optimize your content
monitor keyword trends
Switch the dimension to Query, then sort by clicks or impressions to spot top performers. Focus on terms where you rank between positions 5 and 20—small tweaks can push you onto page 1.
submit a sitemap
If you haven’t already, submit a sitemap so Google can discover all your pages. Go to the sitemap report, enter your sitemap URL, and hit Submit. Learn more in our google search console sitemap guide.
integrate analytics tools
Impression data can sometimes feel inflated. For a clearer picture, link Search Console with Google Analytics. You’ll see how search visitors behave on your site—bounce rate, session length, and conversions.
next steps for growth
- Dive into your own data by running a week over week comparison
- Update page titles or meta descriptions for high-impression, low-CTR pages
- Fix any pages stuck in “Excluded” status
- Submit new or updated sitemaps after major site changes
- Share your insights with your team
Now you know how to master the performance report. Go ahead, explore your data, and start turning insights into action. Got a favorite trick? Drop it in the comments below.
