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SEOL

    Google Search Console in depth

    Go beyond the overview. Filter with regex, compare periods, separate branded from non-branded traffic, annotate changes, and know the data's limits.

    Time
    22 min
    Level
    intermediate
    Reviewed
    5 November 2026

    After this lesson you can

    • Filter and compare Performance data to answer specific questions.
    • Separate branded and non-branded queries.
    • Know where Search Console data is incomplete, and how to get more of it.

    The Performance report answers most SEO questions if you know how to ask them. This lesson covers the tools inside it, and the limits of its data.

    Filters and dimensions

    The report has tabs (dimensions) for Queries, Pages, Countries, Devices, Search appearance and Dates. Filters can be combined, for example "country is Lithuania" and "device is mobile". You can also switch the search type: web, image, video and news.

    Regex filters

    For queries and pages, choose Custom (regex). Search Console uses RE2 syntax:

    GoalRegex
    Queries containing either wordkaina|kainos
    Question querieskaip|kodėl|kiek|ar
    Pages in a section/paslaugos/
    Queries starting with a word^remontas

    Matching is partial unless you anchor with ^ (start) or $ (end), and it is case-insensitive by default.

    Compare

    In the filter dialog, choose Compare to compare two values of one dimension: two date ranges, two devices or two countries. A difference column appears in the table. Compare equal periods, and the same days of the week, because traffic differs between weekdays and weekends.

    Branded and non-branded

    Branded traffic, people searching for your name, mostly reflects brand awareness. Non-branded traffic is where SEO work shows. Report them separately.

    Annotations

    Right-click the chart to add a custom annotation of up to 120 characters on a date, such as "New titles on service pages". A property can have up to 200, and annotations older than 500 days are removed automatically. Google also adds system annotations. Use them as your change log.

    Know the data's limits

    NeedOption
    More than the 1,000 rows the table showsExport, or the Search Console API
    Large sites or long historyBulk data export to BigQuery (daily, excludes anonymised queries, Google Cloud costs above the free tier)
    History beyond about 16 monthsExport regularly yourself

    The API exposes up to 50,000 rows of search analytics data per day per search type, sorted by clicks.

    Other reports to check monthly

    • Page indexing: indexed versus not indexed, and why.
    • Core Web Vitals: real-user performance by URL group.
    • Manual actions and Security issues: should both say "no issues".
    • Links: top linking sites and your most linked pages.
    • Insights report: a simplified overview that Google is rolling out to replace the old standalone Search Console Insights.

    Practice

    Read the lesson, pass the quiz and do the exercise to complete it.

    Knowledge check

    5 questions. Get at least 4 right to pass.

    1. 1. Which regex filter finds queries containing either "kaina" or "kainos"?
    2. 2. Why might CTR and position look better in the chart than for individual pages in the table?
    3. 3. Since when does the branded / non-branded query filter have data?
    4. 4. How many rows of search analytics data per day does the Search Console API expose?
    5. 5. Why add an annotation on the date you publish new titles?

    Exercise: Answer five questions with Search Console

    Use your site's Performance report for the last 3 months to answer five questions. (1) What share of clicks is non-branded? (2) Which five pages gained or lost the most clicks compared with the previous period? (3) Which queries contain a question word (use a regex such as "kaip|kodėl|kiek|ar ")? (4) How does mobile CTR compare with desktop? (5) Which countries bring impressions you did not expect? Then add a custom annotation for one real change you made.

    Deliverable: A short note with the five answers, the filters or regex you used for each, and the annotation you added.

    Check your work honestly against each point
    Write up your work and meet every point to finish.

    Sources

    Checked against these sources on 5 November 2026. Next review by 5 February 2027.

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