Using Google Data Studio to analyse your Search Console Performance data can give you more actionable insights. Data Studio dashboards present your information in a much friendlier and visually pleasing manner than you might typically see in GSC.
Data Studio is instrumental when presenting information to clients. You can add commentary alongside the data to help them understand any changes and even outline any necessary next steps.
GSC Performance Dashboard in Data Studio
Using the Google Search Console Connector, you can create a dashboard with Google Search Console metrics and dimensions that you can also configure to show how the metrics change over the selected period. You can also see an overview of the top pages and their keywords without the need for any filtering. This way, you can easily spot opportunities and issues.
I have created this GSC dashboard that can be personalised and updated from any website.
Dashboard Features
- Data Control – allows you to switch between properties and see data from any GSC property you have access to.
- Date Filter – allows you to view and compare data from a specific date range – default is set to show data from the previous month.
- Filter Controls – Query, Landing Page and Device Category filters are available here and can be used as needed.
- Key Metrics – this is a summary of the most valuable metrics. Here you can see URL Clicks, Impressions, URL CTR and Average Position for the selected date range and how they have changed versus the previous month and the previous year (if data is available).
- Search Queries Table – allows you to view your website’s top keywords by clicks, CTR, impressions and average position.
- Search Performance Over Time Line Graph – showing how your clicks and impressions have changed over the given period.
- Device Pie Chart – view your device share for the selected period based on clicks.
- Country Pie Chart – view your top countries for the selected period based on clicks.
- Landing Page Queries Table – allows you to view the top landing pages and their queries based on Clicks, Impressions and URL CTR versus the previous period.
- Country Maps – showing where most of your website clicks came from during this time, view by world map, European map and USA map.
- Average Position Scatter Graph – a great visualisation of your most significant opportunities for keyword optimisation as keywords are broken down by those on page 1, 2, and 3 of SERPs and their average position versus impressions.
You will also notice various areas around this dashboard to add your commentary to multiple parts of this data. This adds more context and makes the information more understandable for your clients.
Using the Dashboard
The beauty of Data Studio Dashboards means that not only does it make it easier for analysing and finding the data you need, but you can also personalise them and change the order of how the data is presented.
For example, in the Search Queries table, you can click the Clicks column to show those with the least amount of clicks. The table is currently displaying the queries with the most amount of clicks during the specified period.
The same applies to the Impressions column of the Landing Page Queries table. You can click this to display those with the least number of impressions instead of the most number of impressions currently being used.
What is also interesting is the use of the comparison column for the main metrics here. This column shows the percentage increase or decrease versus the previous period, which, in this case, is the last month.
I have found this to be particularly useful when looking for any quick wins or opportunities.
Remember to also use the Filter Controls at the top of the page, as they will give you more insights into your data and analyse any specific device, query, or landing page.
Copying the Search Console Performance Dashboard
If you want to use this dashboard for yourself, all you have to do is copy it in the top right corner of the page and follow the on-screen instructions to save a copy of the dashboard to your Data Studio reports.
You can then use the Data Control in the top corner to replace your website data over the demo data used for this dashboard.
You should see options similar to those in the below image for adding your website data to the report.
I hope this Search Console Performance dashboard is as valuable for you as it has been for me.
