search-console-analysislisted

# Search Console Analysis Search Console is the only free source of truth for how Google actually sees a site, and most people look at the total-clicks line and close it. Everything useful is one filter deeper. Two limitations to hold in mind throughout. Data is sampled and anonymised, so long-tail queries are omitted and the numbers won't reconcile with analytics. And **average position is an average of averages** — a page averaging position 8 might rank 3 for one query and 40 for another, which is a completely different situation and needs a completely different fix. ## The five queries that produce work ### 1. Striking distance Pages averaging position 5 to 20 with real impressions. Already judged relevant, one improvement from real traffic. Best return on the list. ``` Performance → Pages → filter position 5-20, sort by impressions ``` For each: run the query, read what beats you, and fix the specific gap. Usually it's an unanswered sub-question or a format mismatch, not writing quality. ### 2. CTR gaps Pages whose CTR is well below what their position should deliver. Rough expectations, and they vary enormously by query type: | Position | Typical CTR | |---|---| | 1 | 25-35% | | 2-3 | 10-18% | | 4-6 | 4-8% | | 7-10 | 1-3% | A page at position 3 with 2% CTR has a title problem, a description problem, or something above it eating the click. Check the SERP before rewriting anything. If an AI Overview, a video carousel or a shopping block sits above the results, t