How to Use Google Search Console Performance Report

Dec. 27, 2025

Google Search Console

How to Use Google Search Console Performance Report (Complete Guide)

The Google Search Console Performance Report is often the very first place SEOs look when they want to understand how a website is actually performing in Google Search. Unlike third-party SEO tools that rely on estimates, this report shows real data directly from Google — clicks, impressions, CTR, and rankings for your pages and queries.

If you know how to read and analyze this report correctly, it can tell you:

Why traffic is dropping or increasing
Which pages are close to ranking higher
Which keywords deserve optimization first
Where CTR is leaking
How users interact across devices and countries

In this guide, you’ll learn how to fully use the Google Search Console Performance Report, understand every metric, apply filters to uncover insights, and turn data into actionable SEO improvements.

What Is the Google Search Console Performance Report?

The Performance Report in Google Search Console shows how your website appears and performs in Google Search results. It answers key SEO questions like:

What queries are triggering my pages?
How many people are seeing and clicking my listings?
Where do my pages rank on average?
How performance changes by device, country, and time?

You can find it by navigating to:

Google Search Console → Performance → Search results

This report is the foundation for search visibility analysis, content optimization, and keyword prioritization.

Overview of Key GSC Performance Metrics

Before analyzing anything, it’s crucial to understand what each metric actually means.

Clicks

Clicks show how many times users clicked your website from Google Search results.

Measures actual traffic from organic search
Affected by ranking, CTR, title/meta quality, and intent match
More clicks does not always mean better SEO if impressions are low

Impressions

Impressions indicate how many times your site appeared in search results.

A page can get impressions even if it ranks low
High impressions with low clicks indicate optimization opportunities
Useful for identifying visibility trends

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

CTR is calculated as Clicks ÷ Impressions.

Shows how attractive your result is in search
Influenced by titles, meta descriptions, URLs, and rich results
Low CTR on high-ranking pages is a warning sign

Average Position

Average position represents the mean ranking of your page across all impressions.

A page ranking at #3 and #12 may average around #7
Not exact, but useful for tracking trends
Best analyzed with impressions and clicks together

Queries

Queries are the actual search terms users typed that triggered your pages.

Includes branded and non-branded keywords
Helps uncover keyword opportunities
Reveals search intent mismatches

Countries

This report shows which countries generate impressions and clicks.

Useful for international SEO
Helps detect geo-specific performance issues
Important for localization and hreflang strategies

Devices

Performance data is broken down into Desktop, Mobile, and Tablet.

Mobile performance is critical under mobile-first indexing
Large device gaps indicate UX or speed issues

Dates and Search Type

You can analyze performance by time range and search type:

Web
Image
Video
News

How to Interpret GSC Performance Metrics

High Impressions + Low CTR

This usually means your pages are visible but not compelling enough.

Weak title tags
Poor meta descriptions
Intent mismatch

Action: Rewrite titles, improve meta descriptions, and align with search intent.

High CTR + Low Impressions

This indicates strong relevance but low visibility.

Action: Improve internal linking, content depth, and topical authority.

Improving Position but Declining Clicks

This often happens due to SERP features or increased competition.

Action: Optimize for featured snippets, FAQs, and rich results.

Using Filters to Find SEO Insights

Filters transform raw data into actionable insights.

Filter by Page

Analyze individual URLs
Check keyword cannibalization
Measure content update impact

Filter by Query

Identify ranking keywords
Separate branded vs non-branded searches
Understand intent alignment

Filter by Date, Device, and Search Appearance

These filters help detect trends, device-specific issues, and structured data performance.

Branded vs Non-Branded Queries in GSC

Branded Queries

Include brand names, domain terms, or product names.

High CTR
Strong rankings
High intent

Non-Branded Queries

These queries drive true organic growth.

Action: Track non-branded query performance to measure real SEO progress.

Identifying Striking Distance Keywords

keywords ranking between positions 8–20 with strong impressions

Striking distance keywords typically rank between positions 8–20 with strong impressions.

Go to Performance → Search results
Filter position greater than 7 and less than 20
Sort by impressions

These keywords require minimal optimization to reach top positions.

Using Performance Data to Improve Content

Optimizing Underperforming Pages

Update titles and meta descriptions
Refresh outdated content
Add FAQs and internal links

Content Update vs Redirect Decisions

GSC helps you decide whether to update, merge, or redirect low-performing pages instead of guessing.

Exporting GSC Data for Deeper Analysis

You can export Performance Report data to:

Google Sheets
Excel
BigQuery

Exports allow long-term tracking, dashboards, and deeper analysis.

Example Real-World GSC Workflow

Review performance trends
Identify low-CTR, high-impression pages
Find striking distance keywords
Optimize content and internal links
Monitor improvements after 14–28 days
Export and track data monthly

Final Thoughts

The Google Search Console Performance Report is one of the most powerful SEO tools available. When used correctly, it shows exactly where Google already trusts your site — and where small improvements can unlock major traffic gains.

Instead of guessing, let real Google data guide every SEO decision.