Google Reveals Two Secret Google Search Console Features

This is an extract from TWIS SEO News & Updates 04 August 2017.

Read this guide to the Two Secret Google Search Console Features, as well as useful tips on how to use them when they are launched in the next GSC update.

Contact me to find out how to analyse your existing Google Search Console to find additional optimisation options and traffic bumps, or to set it up…

#SEO #Google #GoogleSearchConsole #GoogleIndex #AMP

Summary:

• Following the public outing of screenshots from the upcoming Google Search Console update, which we revealed, Google has now also revealed a further two secret features coming soon.
• The first is an “index coverage” report, showing the count of indexed pages, as well as information about why some pages could not be indexed, and tips on how to fix them.
• As a further fillip to AMP, there is also an AMP issues report, which modifies the flow of fixes and enables better bulk fixes to be put in place and Google notified to re-crawl.

Actions to take:

1. Review the Google Webmasters Blogpost.
2. Note specifically, that these features are not available yet, but will be as Google slowly releases the update to GSC users.
3. Use this guide to setting up Google Search Console, if you don;t have it already.
4. When the features launch in your console, play with the index coverage report to start to analyse issues preventing indexing and providing remedies.
5. Also, review the the AMP issues report (assuming you’re using AMP, which you should be, AMP is getting popular), and start to work through the flow of issues, fixes and re-submissions.
6. Contact me to find out how to analyse the existing Google Search Console to find additional optimisation options and traffic bumps.

Discussion:

It looks very much like Google’s hand has been forced by the leaked images from a couple of weeks ago. Of course, they would have had a staged rollout anyway, and may have released some images, but it’s unlikely it would have been this far in advance.

Naturally, reading Google’s wording, you may think the information they present in Search Console is all you could ever need. This isn’t the case. Google has a habit of giving partial information which benefits it, and may benefit webmasters, but which doesn’t enable a complete fix to be put in place. Obfuscation is a great word to use in these trying circumstances.

There is a lot of excitement about the “reasons why your pages could not be indexed” part of the report. If it gives a good reason, this Google Search Console feature could be an absolute essential one to review. I suspect it will give purely technical showstoppers, which in some instances will be thoroughly useful in grasping indexation issues, but in others, will not be.

More info:

• Google Webmaster Blog – GSC Sneak Peak
• New Google Search Console Layout Coming
• Basic Google Search Console

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We recently released the super-exciting The State of SEO in mid-2017. Read it now.

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• Google is releasing at least two new features in the new version of Google Search Console.
• Google’s hand was forced by the leaking of images & screenshots.
• Read The State of SEO in mid-2017.
• Read about how Google’s Mobile First Index is not Mobile Friendly.

Thanks for reading. If you would like to discuss what these changes mean for your web property, or would like to know how to implement them, please feel free to contact me.

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