Google Search Console, the treasure trove of data that's as essential to your website as a compass is to a ship. But what good is a treasure if it's buried deep, inaccessible and unorganised? That's where the magic of spreadsheets comes in. Picture this: all your invaluable data, neatly laid out in rows and columns, ready for you to dive in and discover insights that could be the game-changer for your website. Sounds like a dream, doesn't it? Well, let's make it a reality.
The Starting Point: Google Search Console
First off, if you're not familiar with Google Search Console, it's a free service offered by Google that helps you monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot your website's presence in Google Search results (Source). Think of it as your website's health check-up, but instead of a stethoscope, you've got metrics and reports.
Step 1: Log In and Choose Your Property
Navigate your browser to Google Search Console. Log in using the Google account linked to your website. Once you're in, you'll see a list of properties, which in non-jargon terms means the websites you have access to. Choose the one you wish to explore.
The Treasure Map: Reports
Google Search Console is like a treasure map with various ‘X marks the spot' locations, each representing a different report. You've got options like ‘Performance,' ‘Coverage,' and ‘Site Maps,' among others. Each report offers a unique set of data.
Step 2: Pick Your Report
For instance, if you're keen to know how your website is performing in terms of search queries, clicks, and impressions, you'd opt for the ‘Performance' report. It's like choosing the lens through which you want to view your treasure.
The Golden Key: Exporting Data
Now that you've found your treasure (data), you need a key to unlock it. That key is the ‘Export' option.
Step 3: Click Export
Look for an icon that usually resembles a small square with an arrow pointing upwards. Click on it, and you'll be greeted with a menu asking you how you'd like to export your data. You can choose from CSV, Google Sheets, or Excel formats. Pick your poison.
The Treasure Chest: Your Spreadsheet
You've got the key; now it's time to unlock the treasure chest, which in this case is your spreadsheet software.
Step 4: Import the Data
Open your spreadsheet software, be it Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets, and look for the ‘Import' option. Navigate to where you've saved your exported data and select it. And just like that, your treasure is now in a chest that you can open anytime you want.
The Final Touch: Make it Shine
You've got your treasure, but it's all jumbled up. Time to polish it.
Step 5: Organise and Beautify
Add some colour coding, create pivot tables, or even generate graphs. In simpler terms, make your data look good and easy to understand. It's like putting your treasure on display in a museum, each piece telling its own story.
For the Tech-Savvy Pirates: Automation
If you're the kind of person who likes their treasure delivered to them, Google Search Console does offer an API. An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of rules that allows different software entities to communicate with each other. You can write a script that automatically pulls data from Google Search Console and pushes it into a Google Sheet. This requires some coding skills, but the convenience is worth the effort (Source).
Your Treasure Awaits
So there you have it, a step-by-step guide to transferring your invaluable Google Search Console data into a spreadsheet. It's not just about numbers and graphs; it's about understanding the story your website is telling through this data. And remember, a treasure unexplored is a treasure wasted. So go ahead, dig in, and let your data guide you to uncharted territories of success.
Sarah x
