The 6 Biggest Limitations of Google Search Console and How to Overcome Them

Google Search Console is a nifty tool that gives you valuable insights into how your website is performing in Google search results. From indexing status to organic traffic analysis, it’s got you covered.
Google Search Console opens up a whole new universe of possibilities. It gives you a low-down on how your site is indexed, helps you understand your organic traffic, and shows you which keywords are lighting up the search results.
But even superheroes have their limitations, don’t they? Ergo – Google Search Console is no exception. It may not show you every single search query, and sometimes data reporting can take a little longer than we’d like.
In this blog post, we’ll touch base on the limitations of Google Search Console and how you can overcome them to maximize the potential of your web analytics and take it up a notch.

The Most Common Limitations of Google Search Console

While Google Search Console provides crucial insights into website performance, indexing status, and search visibility, it’s not with its limitations that might negatively impact your SEO efforts and website optimization. Let’s explore some of them.

1. The Historical Data Only Goes Back 16 Months

In the world of SEO, data is king. The insights and trends hidden within the vast spectrum of data can shape your website’s success and drive your digital strategies. However, there’s a lingering fear of missing out when it comes to historical data in Google Search Console.
The historical data in Google Search Console reaches back a mere 16 months. This can have a significant impact on your ability to analyze long-term trends and patterns. It’s like looking at a snapshot of your website’s progress but without the full context of its evolution.
Since the historical data only goes back 16 months, it means that you’re losing Google Search Console data, and all those valuable insights from the past are slowly slipping away. It’s absolutely necessary to figure out how to capture and save this data so that you don’t lose out on valuable information and miss out on capitalizing on historical trends and patterns.
And understanding your website’s historical performance is crucial for making informed decisions, tracking progress, and identifying growth opportunities. Without access to a broader timeline, you might miss out on valuable insights that could shape your future SEO strategies.

The Fix

You can consider periodically exporting and storing the data provided by Google Search Console in an external repository. By building your own historical Marketing data repository, you can perform deeper analyses, track long-term trends, and make data-driven decisions with a broader perspective and on a broader timeline.
Integrating Google Search Console with a robust web analytics platform like Google Analytics would help as well. Web analytics tools offer a broader view of website metrics, including user behavior, conversions, and traffic sources. By combining the data from both platforms, you can gain a more comprehensive understanding of your website’s overall performance over time.
And one sure-fire solution is to supplement Google Search Console with third-party SEO tools that offer historical data tracking. These tools often have their own data storage capabilities, allowing you to access historical performance metrics beyond the 16-month limit.

2. Google Search Console UI Sets a Cap of Viewable Data at 1000 Rows

The Google Search Console UI has a maximum limit of 1000 rows, with or without a filter applied. It means when viewing data within the UI or exporting it into a spreadsheet, you can only see up to 1000 rows of data at a time. This limitation can be restrictive, especially for websites with extensive data or when you need to analyze a larger dataset.
Additionally, when utilizing the Search Console API to retrieve data programmatically, there are various quotas in place. These quotas are enforced at different levels, including the site, account, and property. One essential thing to keep in mind is that, per search console property, the API allows a maximum of 50,000 pairs of pages and keywords to be retrieved each day. Exceeding these quotas can lead to limitations in the amount of data that can be accessed and retrieved.

The Fix

To acquire more data beyond the limitations, one solution is to add new search console properties strategically. This involves identifying the right directories or segments within your website to create additional properties. By doing so, you can effectively distribute your data across multiple properties and increase the amount of data that can be accessed through the API.
To maximize the amount of data retrieved while staying within the imposed quotas, it is crucial to leverage the capabilities of the Google Search Console APIs effectively. This includes using efficient querying techniques, specifying relevant filters, and optimizing API calls to retrieve the most relevant and valuable data for your analysis.
By working with the API’s limitations and adopting a strategic approach, you can overcome the constraints of maximum rows and API quotas in Google Search Console, allowing you to access and retrieve more extensive datasets for in-depth analysis and decision-making.
Remember, while the UI has a limitation of 1000 rows, the API provides an avenue to access more data by utilizing multiple properties strategically and leveraging effective API usage techniques. With careful planning and resourceful implementation, you can expand your data insights and unlock the full potential of Google Search Console’s data capabilities.

3. Google Uses Keyword Data Sampling vs The Full Picture

Google Search Console provides valuable information about the keywords users employ to find your site. However, due to the vast amount of data involved, Google uses sampling techniques to present this information. This means that the keyword data you see in the console represents a sample rather than the complete picture.
This limitation can impact your ability to gain a comprehensive understanding of user intent and make informed decisions regarding your content strategy. It can also make it challenging to identify specific search queries that are driving organic traffic and optimize your website accordingly.

The Fix

While the keyword data sampling limitation in Google Search Console is beyond our control, there are several Marketing Analytics strategies you can employ to overcome its impact and still make informed SEO decisions. You could supplement the data from Google Search Console with data from external keyword research tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Moz. These tools provide more comprehensive keyword insights and can help you identify additional opportunities and optimize your content accordingly.
And, instead of solely focusing on individual keyword data, look for trends and patterns within the sampled data. By analyzing changes over time, you can identify broader patterns in keyword performance and make strategic optimizations based on these trends.
Also, combine data from various sources to gain a more comprehensive view of your keyword performance. Incorporate data from web analytics platforms like Google Analytics or other SEO tools to gather insights from different perspectives.

4. There Are Backlink Data Limits

While Google Search Console provides some insights into your website’s backlinks, it’s important to note that the data it offers is often limited. You might not see all the backlinks pointing to your site, leaving you with an incomplete picture of your link profile.
This limitation can hinder your link-building efforts and make it challenging to assess the overall quality and strength of your backlinks. Without a comprehensive understanding of your backlink profile, it’s like playing darts blindfolded—you’re missing out on opportunities to improve your website’s authority and rankings.

The Fix

What you can do to overcome this limitation is to first perform manual backlink audits using advanced search operators in search engines like Google itself. By searching for specific parameters such as your website’s domain or key phrases related to your niche, you can identify additional backlinks that may not be captured in Google Search Console.
Additionally, you can implement a link monitoring system to track your backlinks using tools like Monitor Backlinks or Ahrefs. These tools continuously monitor and report changes to your backlink profile, alerting you to new links, lost links, or changes in link quality. By actively monitoring your backlinks, you can stay informed and take necessary actions to optimize your link-building efforts.
And, most importantly, utilize third-party backlink analysis tools like Moz, Majestic, or SEMrush that offer more extensive backlink data, allowing you to access a broader range of backlinks pointing to your website. By integrating these tools into your SEO toolkit, you can uncover valuable insights, identify new link-building opportunities, and assess the quality and authority of your backlinks.

5. Impression Data Can Sometimes Be Inflated

Google Search Console provides some cool insights into the impressions your website receives in search results. However, it’s important to note that the impression data can sometimes be inflated. This means that the reported impressions may include instances where your website appeared in search results but didn’t necessarily receive genuine user engagement or clicks.
This limitation can distort your understanding of your website’s actual visibility and performance. It can lead to inflated expectations and misinterpretation of the true impact of your SEO efforts.

The Fix

Instead of relying solely on impressions, shift your focus to click-through rates. CTR reflects the percentage of users who clicked on your website’s listing in search results after seeing it. By analyzing CTR, you can gauge the actual engagement and relevance of your website to users. Monitor CTR trends over time and optimize your title tags and meta descriptions to improve click-through rates.
Also, consider integrating Google Search Console with web analytics tools like Google Analytics. By combining data from multiple sources, you can gain a holistic view of your website’s performance and make more informed decisions based on a comprehensive dataset.
Additionally, experiment with different variations of title tags, meta descriptions, and page content to optimize your website’s performance in search results. By conducting A/B testing, you can measure the impact of these changes on CTR and user engagement. This iterative approach allows you to refine your website’s appearance in search results and improve its overall visibility.

6. Crawl Data is Limited and Inaccurate

You can count on Google Search Console to give insights into how Google’s bots crawl and index your website. However, this crawl data can be limited and occasionally inaccurate. It’s also important to note that Google does not crawl every page on your website. Another limitation in the same aspect is that Google’s crawl data is delayed by three days, which means that any information you see in the Search Console dashboard is not real-time but three days old.
These limitations can impact your understanding of how Google views and evaluates your website’s content. Inaccurate crawl data may lead to confusion or misinterpretation of how certain pages are being indexed, resulting in less effective optimizations.

The Fix

First, focus on monitoring the indexing status and the number of indexed pages to ensure Google is crawling your site effectively. If you notice discrepancies or missing pages, submit an updated sitemap to help Google understand your website’s structure.
Second, regularly check for crawl errors and fix them promptly. These errors can hinder Google’s ability to crawl and index your website properly. By resolving crawl errors, you ensure that your website is being accurately represented in search results.
Lastly, use additional tools like website crawlers (Screaming Frog, Sitebulb, etc.) for more detailed insights into your website’s crawlability, identifying issues that may not be captured by Google’s crawling process alone.

Some Other Limitations of Google Search Console

Limitation 1: Data Availability

One of the major limitations of Google Search Console is its limited availability of historical data. The platform only provides data for the past 16 months, which can be insufficient for long-term analysis and comparison.
This limitation poses challenges for website owners who rely on older data to track their website’s performance and make informed decisions. Without access to historical data, it becomes difficult to assess the impact of SEO strategies implemented in the past and compare the website’s performance over time.
Website owners may face difficulties in identifying trends, patterns, or changes in their website’s performance due to the lack of older data. This limitation can hinder their ability to optimize their website effectively and make data-driven decisions to improve their SEO efforts.

Limitation 2: Query-Level Data

Google Search Console provides valuable insights into website performance and search engine optimization. However, it has certain limitations that hinder the ability to fully analyze and optimize organic search queries.
One of the major limitations is the absence of query-level data for organic search queries. Unlike paid search data, which provides detailed information about the keywords that trigger ads, Search Console only provides aggregated data at the query level. This means that website owners cannot see the exact keywords that users are searching for when they find their site organically.
This limitation has significant effects on content optimization and search engine rankings. Without query-level data, website owners are unable to identify which keywords are driving the most traffic and conversions. This makes it difficult to prioritize content and make informed decisions about keyword targeting and optimization strategies.
Furthermore, the absence of query-level data also poses challenges in understanding user intent. By knowing the exact keywords users are searching for, website owners can better understand the intent behind their queries and tailor their content to meet their needs. Without this information, website owners may struggle to create relevant and engaging content that aligns with user expectations.
In conclusion, the lack of query-level data in Google Search Console restricts the ability to optimize content and improve search engine rankings. The absence of this valuable information makes it difficult for website owners to understand user intent and make informed decisions about keyword targeting. Despite its limitations, however, Search Console remains a valuable tool for monitoring website performance and identifying areas for improvement.

Limitation 3: Real-Time Data

One of the limitations of Google Search Console is the delay between data collection and availability. This means that there can be a time gap between when certain data is collected and when it is actually accessible within the tool. This delay can make it challenging for website owners and SEO professionals to monitor and respond quickly to any changes or issues that may arise.
Monitoring and responding quickly to changes or issues is crucial for effective SEO strategies. With real-time data, website owners can stay up-to-date on the performance of their site and make immediate adjustments to optimize their SEO efforts. Real-time data allows them to identify trends, spot any sudden drops or spikes in traffic, and take appropriate action in a timely manner.
Real-time data provides website owners with invaluable insights into the immediate impact of their SEO strategies and allows them to make data-driven decisions. It helps them understand how their website is performing at any given moment and enables them to adapt their strategies accordingly. Without real-time data, website owners may miss out on valuable opportunities to improve their SEO and stay ahead of their competition.

Limitation 4: Sampling and Aggregation

When it comes to analyzing data in Google Search Console, sampling and aggregation are two important concepts to understand. These methods are applied to certain data sets, especially for large websites or when using filtered data.
The application of sampling means that not all data points are included in the analysis. Instead, a representative sample is taken, reducing the amount of data to be processed. While this can help with processing large amounts of data more efficiently, it also introduces the risk of inaccurate or skewed results. The accuracy of the analysis is dependent on how well the sample represents the entire dataset.
Aggregation, on the other hand, involves combining and summarizing data into more manageable chunks. This can be useful for getting an overview of website performance, but it can also lead to a loss of granularity and detail. Aggregated data may not provide the level of specificity needed for in-depth analysis.
These limitations pose challenges when it comes to obtaining a precise representation of website performance. Sampling and aggregation may not capture the nuances and intricacies of data, particularly for large websites with diverse content. It’s important to be aware of the potential limitations and consider them when drawing conclusions or making important decisions based on the data provided by Google Search Console.

Limitation 5: Limited Coverage

When using Google Search Console, it is important to note that the platform primarily focuses on organic search traffic from the Google search engine. This means that data from other search engines and traffic sources may be excluded from the analysis.
While Google is undoubtedly the most popular search engine, it is still beneficial to have a holistic view of all traffic sources to gain comprehensive insights into your SEO performance. By excluding data from other search engines, you may be missing out on valuable opportunities to optimize your website for different audiences.
Comprehensive SEO analysis requires the inclusion of all relevant data points. By excluding data from other search engines and traffic sources, the coverage provided by Google Search Console can be limited, potentially hindering your ability to make data-driven decisions.
It is important to consider the limitations of Google Search Console’s coverage and complement your analysis with other tools and data sources to gain a more comprehensive understanding of your website’s performance in the search landscape.

Limitation 6: No Individual User Data

Google Search Console does not provide access to individual user information such as demographics and behavioral data. This limitation has a significant impact on understanding and targeting specific user segments.
Without access to individual user data, it becomes challenging to personalize user experiences and tailor marketing efforts based on specific user preferences and behaviors.
This limitation restricts the ability to create highly targeted campaigns and effectively segment the audience, hindering the overall success of marketing strategies.

Limitation 7: Limited Tools

Although Google Search Console provides valuable data and insights, it does have its limitations when it comes to the tools available for advanced SEO analysis and actions. This means website owners may need to rely on third-party tools or platforms to address certain SEO challenges.
Without comprehensive tools, optimizing SEO can be a more daunting task. Website owners may struggle to uncover deeper insights, identify technical issues, perform thorough keyword research, and track ranking progress over time.
While Google Search Console is a useful starting point, the limitations in its tools can present challenges for those seeking to gain a competitive edge in the search engine rankings.

Limitation 8: Restricted Data Controls

When using Google Search Console, one of the limitations to keep in mind is the restricted data controls. This means that users have limited control over their search data within the console.
With Google Search Console, you are dependent on Google’s algorithm and policies for data representation and visibility. This can sometimes lead to concerns regarding transparency and autonomy in managing your search data.
While Google Search Console provides valuable insights and data, it’s important to understand and accept the limitations in terms of data control and customizability.

Limitation 9: Focus on Technical SEO

Google Search Console primarily focuses on the technical aspects of SEO. While it provides valuable insights into website performance, it falls short in providing sufficient information on other critical SEO elements such as content relevancy and backlink analysis.
Having a comprehensive approach to SEO is essential for improved website performance. While technical SEO is crucial for optimizing website structure and ensuring proper indexing by search engines, it is equally important to pay attention to content quality, keyword optimization, and building high-quality backlinks.
By solely relying on Google Search Console for SEO insights, webmasters may miss out on opportunities to enhance their website’s overall relevance, authority, and visibility in search results.

Limitation 10: Lack of Customization

Google Search Console has limitations when it comes to customization options for its interface, dashboard, and data visualization. This lack of customization poses challenges for website owners who want to tailor the platform to their specific needs and preferences.
Without the ability to customize the interface and dashboard, website owners may find it difficult to access the data they need quickly and efficiently. The platform’s default settings may not align with their individual requirements, making it harder to interpret and analyze the data effectively.
Moreover, the limited customization options for data visualization can hinder website owners’ ability to showcase and communicate their SEO efforts to stakeholders. Different businesses have unique reporting needs, and the inability to customize the visual representation of data may reduce its impact and relevance.
Overall, the lack of customization in Google Search Console can impact efficiency and effectiveness in utilizing the platform. Website owners may not be able to fully maximize its potential due to the rigidity of the interface, dashboard, and data visualization options.

The Common Denominator

A common denominator that you may have observed in each of these fixes is a third-party tool that can beautifully complement your Google Search Console. A marketing analytics platform like DiGGrowth can offer a wealth of additional features and functionalities that go beyond what Search Console can provide.
From comprehensive keyword research and historical data insights to in-depth backlink analysis and competitor tracking, it is equipped to give you a broader and more detailed understanding of your website’s performance in the digital landscape.
The beauty of platforms like DiGGrowth is that they offer customizable solutions that cater to your specific SEO needs. They provide flexibility and advanced features that empower you to tackle the Marketing Analytics challenges faced by your website.
Whether you require advanced keyword research, in-depth competitor analysis, or robust rank-tracking capabilities, these tools allow you to tailor your SEO strategy and make data-driven decisions based on your unique goals. Therefore, it’s worth giving them a shot, starting with a demo for DiGGrowth.

Wrapping Up

So, while Google Search Console has its limitations, it’s important to be aware of them. By understanding and addressing these limitations, you can maximize the impact of Google Search Console on your SEO efforts. Supplementing it with other keyword research tools, establishing routines for data analysis, leveraging external backlink analysis tools, maintaining your historical data, and actively monitoring your website’s crawlability will help you overcome these limitations and make more informed decisions. So, embrace these strategies, adapt your approach, and go beyond the boundaries of Google Search Console in your quest for SEO success.