Library·SOP·SEO
Use Google Search Console to find existing pages that deserve a closer look. Compare page and query data across two labeled periods, check the page itself, then order practical review actions without assuming every change in Search performance needs a fix.
Last reviewed: · Editorial review
Clarity, structure and references reviewed in this version. This is not a test in a live account.
Use Google Search Console to find existing pages that deserve a closer look. Compare page and query data across two labeled periods, check the page itself, then order practical review actions without assuming every change in Search performance needs a fix.
This SOP covers:
This does not cover:
Use the same property, Search type, and dates while collecting page and query evidence so you can compare like with like.
Open the correct website report and start your page shortlist.
Open the Page improvement shortlist worksheet and make your own copy. Use Page Shortlist for your work; Fictional Example shows sample decisions separately.
Open Google Search Console. Choose the verified property that includes the website pages you want to review, then open Performance. Set Search type to Web. If you are unsure which property includes a page, check the property name or ask a Search Console owner before recording results.
In Performance, click the date filter at the top of the report, choose Compare, select the previous period or set a custom period of the same length, then click Apply. Keep the same verified property and Web Search type. Prefer complete days; choose Weekly or Monthly granularity above the chart when it makes a longer trend easier to compare across weekdays. Record the exact current dates in B4, comparison dates in B5, and report last-update text in B6 on Page Shortlist. If no fair comparison is available, write “Unavailable” in B5 and continue with current-period evidence only.
Use current and comparable prior periods to spot questions, not to assume every decline needs a change. Judge visible page and query evidence alongside the page’s importance and the effort or uncertainty of a possible fix.
Choose a few existing pages that matter and give each one a clear question to check.
Open the Pages tab and scan its URLs with current and comparison clicks and impressions. Turn on the Clicks and Impressions metric cards above the chart if their table columns are hidden.
Clicks count clicks from Google Search to your page. Impressions count times your page appeared in search results. Click-through rate (CTR) is the percentage of impressions that led to a click.
Sort by a metric or its Difference to find changes worth checking. These numbers show what changed, not why.
Look for a question worth checking: for example, clicks fell while impressions held steady or rose, or a page has more impressions but relatively fewer clicks than similar pages. “Many” and “few” mean relative to similar page types or the same page in its earlier period—not a fixed number. Compare a product category with other product categories, using the same property, Search type, and comparable dates. If pages or periods are not comparable, say so and do not call it a trend.
Add one row per page to Page Shortlist. Enter its URL and plain-language purpose. Copy the raw Page clicks and Page impressions for both labeled periods into their matching columns. The sheet calculates each difference as current minus comparison: a negative number means the metric fell, and a positive number means it rose. A difference tells you what changed, not why. Enter 0 only when Search Console shows zero; leave a value blank if it is unavailable. Page CTR uses current-period clicks divided by current-period impressions. Do not record average position as a target or combine different properties, Search types, or dates.
Check which visible searches showed each candidate page, and save the useful ones beside that page. Search Console calls these searches queries.
In Pages, click a candidate URL to filter the report to that page. Check that the Page filter chip names the URL you recorded, then open Queries. Keep the property, Web Search type, and both date periods unchanged.
Record up to three visible queries that help explain why you are reviewing this page. For each phrase, record the clicks and impressions shown for the current period and comparison period in the Search queries cell; the exact period dates are in the setup block. For example: “trail shoes — current 6 clicks/400 impressions; comparison 14/250.” Record only values Search Console shows. A business-name search can fit a homepage or About page; it is not a problem by itself. If no query rows appear, write “No query rows shown”; if Google shows “~” or omits a value, leave that value blank and note it.
Choose the closest Data note. Use “Small sample in one or both periods” when a few shown rows cannot support a dependable comparison. Use “Comparison unavailable” when the property lacks enough history. Google may hide some queries, and page totals can differ from query totals because the report groups those views differently. Keep each displayed value as shown; do not force the totals to match or interpret a small change as a stable trend.
Before reviewing another URL, remove only the Page filter by clicking the X on that Page filter chip. Keep the property, Web Search type, and date comparison selected. Return to Pages, choose the next URL, and verify the Page filter chip again. This prevents one page’s queries from being mistaken for another page’s.
Search Console shows what people searched and how the site appeared. Opening the page tells you whether its current content meets the likely need.
Open each candidate page and compare its visible content with the visible searches and period changes.
Open the page URL from Page Shortlist in your browser. Read its visible title or heading and the main information, products, service, or offer it presents. Record a short description in What the page currently says. If you cannot open the page, write that in the cell and note it in Decision reason and notes.
For each visible query, ask what the searcher likely needs and whether this page visibly offers it. Look at the query mix in both periods: a click decline with stable impressions may make the title/snippet worth checking; a change in query mix may instead explain fewer clicks without a page fault. Either pattern is a question to inspect, not a diagnosis. A business-name search may fit an About page, while a product-specific search may fit a category page. Choose the fit that matches what you can see; if purpose or intent is unclear, ask the site owner. Record the specific reason, or say there is no clear gap.
Compare the candidate pages and order the next actions using business relevance, evidence strength, likely fix, and effort.
For each candidate, compare four facts: (1) how important the page is to visitors or the business; (2) how specific and comparable the evidence is; (3) whether you can name a visible gap and a plausible check; and (4) how much effort or owner input that check needs.
Choose one Review order for each page:
Compare these fictional cases: a key product category with relevant queries, a broad title, and clicks down despite similar or higher impressions may be Review first because the page matters and the title is easy to check. A secondary guide with a plausible content gap but weaker evidence and fact-check needs may be Review next. A page with only a few impressions and no query rows is Monitor. A page whose visible content fits its business-name query can be No change, even if its counts are modest.
Choose the Next action that fits the question: review title or description for unclear wording; check or improve content for a missing answer; check page access or indexing if it will not open or seems unavailable; ask the site owner when purpose is unclear; collect more data and review later when evidence is thin; or choose No change. In Decision reason and notes, explain the order, visible evidence, likely check, effort or uncertainty, and what would trigger a later review. This SOP ends with a recommendation; do not edit or publish the page here.
The worksheet has ten blank work rows for one review batch, not a lifetime limit. If you have more candidates, add rows beneath the table and copy the dropdowns and formulas down, or complete a second batch using the same comparison settings. Combine all batches into one ordered action list before handing it to the site owner or writer. Stop when every selected page has a reasoned action, Monitor, or No change decision; you do not need to review every URL on the site.
