A Practical Guide to Search Performance Report Analysis
Analyzing the Search Console performance report, which shows clicks, impressions, click-through rate and average position by query, page, country and device.
Samir Haddad
At a glance
- Metrics clicks, impressions, CTR and average position
- Dimensions query, page, country, device, search appearance and date
- Data retention 16 months
- Anonymized queries rare queries are not shown for privacy
Why it matters
Why it matters: It is the most direct data on how people find a site in Google, and careful filtering turns it into a list of specific opportunities.
Best practice
- Compare date ranges to find changes
- Filter by page to see the queries each page ranks for
- Find high-impression, low-CTR queries to improve titles
- Separate branded and non-branded queries
- Export data regularly to keep history beyond 16 months
Common pitfalls
Watch out for:
- Reading average position without context
- Ignoring device differences
- Assuming missing queries mean missing traffic
- Comparing periods with different seasonality
When to call in a specialist
Bottom line Bring in help when traffic drops and the cause is not obvious, or when building regular SEO reporting.
Where this comes from
- Google Search Central — Performance report (Search results)
- Google Analytics Help — Search Console integration
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
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Where to go next
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