Google Search Console

Learn how to create a Google Search Console property for your site and connect it to RakuWP to monitor your search performance.

Overview

Google Search Console (GSC) is a free service from Google that helps you monitor and troubleshoot your website's presence in Google Search results. By connecting it to RakuWP, you can view clicks, impressions, CTR, and average position directly from your dashboard.

1. Create a Google Search Console property

  1. Go to Google Search Console and sign in with your Google account.
  2. Click Add property in the top-left dropdown.
  3. Choose URL prefix and enter your full site URL (e.g., https://example.com/). The URL prefix method is the simplest option.
  4. Click Continue.

2. Verify ownership of your site

Google needs to verify that you own the site. The recommended methods are:

  • HTML tag: Copy the meta tag Google provides and paste it into the <head> of your site's homepage.
  • DNS record: Add a TXT record to your domain's DNS settings. This is the most reliable method and works even if your site is behind a CDN.
  • Google Analytics: If you already have Google Analytics tracking on your site, Google can verify ownership automatically.

After adding the verification method, click Verify in Search Console. It may take a few minutes for DNS records to propagate.

3. Wait for data to appear

After verification, Google starts collecting data for your property. It typically takes 2-3 days for the first data to appear. Historical data may go back up to 16 months.

4. Connect to RakuWP

  1. In RakuWP, go to SEO in the sidebar and select your site.
  2. Click Connect Google Search Console.
  3. A Google sign-in window will appear. Sign in with the same Google account that owns the Search Console property.
  4. Grant RakuWP permission to read your search analytics data (read-only access).
  5. Once connected, click Sync data to fetch your first batch of search performance data.

5. Viewing your data

After syncing, you'll see:

  • Clicks: How many times users clicked through to your site from Google.
  • Impressions: How many times your pages appeared in search results.
  • CTR: Click-through rate (clicks divided by impressions).
  • Average Position: Your average ranking position in search results.

Use the dimension tabs (Queries, Pages, Countries, Devices) to drill down into your data. Sync regularly to keep your dashboard up to date.

Troubleshooting

  • No data after syncing: Make sure your Search Console property has data. New properties need 2-3 days before data appears.
  • Connection error: If the connection fails, disconnect and reconnect. Make sure you're signing in with the account that owns the property.
  • Property URL mismatch: The URL in your RakuWP site settings must match the property URL in Search Console (including https:// vs http://).
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