Key takeaways
- Google Search Console shows how your site appears in Google search: clicks, impressions, average position and indexing problems.
- Site Kit by Google is a free WordPress plugin that shows Search Console, Analytics and PageSpeed data in your dashboard.
- Check Search Console weekly for new errors and monthly for trends in clicks and top queries.
- Pages with many impressions but low clicks are your fastest SEO wins: improve their titles and descriptions.
In this guide
- What each tool does
- Step 1: Install and connect Site Kit
- Step 2: Submit your sitemap
- Step 3: Read the Performance report
- Step 4: Find quick wins
- Step 5: Check indexing
- Step 6: Check speed and experience
- Step 7: Use Analytics to measure leads
- A simple monthly routine
- Key Search Console reports explained
- Metrics glossary
Google gives you two free tools that show exactly how your website is doing: Google Search Console and Site Kit by Google for WordPress. This step-by-step guide shows Kenyan business owners how to set them up, read the reports and turn the numbers into more traffic and leads.
What each tool does
- Google Search Console shows how your site performs in Google search: which searches show your pages, how many people click, your average position and any indexing or speed problems.
- Google Analytics 4 shows what visitors do on your site: pages viewed, time spent, devices, locations and conversions.
- Site Kit by Google is a free WordPress plugin that brings Search Console, Analytics, PageSpeed Insights and AdSense into your WordPress dashboard.
Step 1: Install and connect Site Kit
- In WordPress, go to Plugins → Add New and search for “Site Kit by Google”.
- Install and activate it, then click Start setup.
- Sign in with the Google account that should own your website data.
- Allow Site Kit to verify your site in Search Console.
- Connect Google Analytics (create a GA4 property if you don’t have one).
- Optionally connect PageSpeed Insights.
Not on WordPress? Go to search.google.com/search-console, add your domain and verify it with a DNS record from your domain provider.
Step 2: Submit your sitemap
In Search Console, open Sitemaps, enter sitemap.xml (or wp-sitemap.xml on WordPress) and submit. This helps Google find all your pages.
Step 3: Read the Performance report
Open Performance → Search results and set the date range to the last 3 months. You’ll see four metrics:
- Total clicks – visits from Google search.
- Total impressions – how often you appeared in results.
- Average CTR – percentage of impressions that became clicks.
- Average position – where you usually rank.
Below, the Queries tab shows the exact words people searched, and the Pages tab shows which pages earned the clicks. Use the Countries filter to focus on Kenya.
Step 4: Find quick wins
- High impressions, low CTR: rewrite the page title and meta description to match the search and include a benefit or price.
- Position 8–20: these pages are close to page one. Add more helpful content, FAQs and internal links.
- Queries you didn’t expect: create a dedicated page or article for them.
- Falling clicks: compare periods to find pages that lost rankings and refresh them.
Want an expert to read your Google data for you?
Step 5: Check indexing
Open Indexing → Pages. Common issues and fixes:
- Not found (404): redirect old URLs to the right new page.
- Crawled – currently not indexed: improve thin or duplicate content.
- Excluded by “noindex” tag: make sure important pages are not set to noindex.
- Duplicate without user-selected canonical: set the correct canonical URL.
Use URL Inspection after updating a page and click Request indexing.
Step 6: Check speed and experience
The Core Web Vitals report shows real-user speed. In Site Kit, the PageSpeed widget gives scores for mobile and desktop. Focus on mobile, since most Kenyan visitors browse on phones. Compress images, remove unused plugins and choose fast hosting.
Step 7: Use Analytics to measure leads
In Site Kit or GA4, check visitors, top pages and traffic sources. Then set up key events (conversions) for form submissions, WhatsApp clicks and phone clicks, so you know which pages bring real enquiries, not just visits.
A simple monthly routine
- Week 1: check new indexing errors.
- Week 2: review top queries and refresh two pages.
- Week 3: check speed and fix the biggest issue.
- Week 4: compare leads by source and adjust your marketing.
If your numbers show traffic but few enquiries, read why you’re not getting leads. Permalink Business Ltd. sets up Search Console, Analytics and conversion tracking for Kenyan businesses as part of our SEO service.
Key Search Console reports explained
| Report | What it tells you | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | Clicks, impressions, CTR and position for each query and page | Improve titles of high-impression, low-CTR pages |
| Pages (Indexing) | Which pages are indexed and why others are not | Fix "Crawled – currently not indexed" and 404s |
| Sitemaps | Whether Google can read your sitemap | Submit /sitemap.xml and fix errors |
| Core Web Vitals | Real-user speed and stability on mobile and desktop | Compress images, reduce scripts, use good hosting |
| URL Inspection | Live status of one page | Request indexing after updating a page |
| Links | Top linking sites and internal links | Strengthen internal links to key service pages |
Metrics glossary
- Impressions: how often your page appeared in results.
- Clicks: how often people clicked through.
- CTR: clicks divided by impressions.
- Average position: your average ranking for that query.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Site Kit free?
Yes. Site Kit is a free WordPress plugin from Google that connects Search Console, Analytics, PageSpeed Insights and AdSense.
What is the difference between Google Analytics and Search Console?
Search Console shows how people find you in Google search before they click. Analytics shows what visitors do on your site after they arrive.
Why does Search Console show impressions but no clicks?
Your page may rank too low, or the title and description may not match what searchers want. Improve the snippet and the content for that query.
How long does it take for Search Console data to appear?
Usually a few days after verifying your site. Performance data covers up to 16 months once collected.
A Nairobi IT company helping Kenyan businesses grow with websites, software, marketing, networking and security. Our guides are written from real client projects.
