Why do you need a Google Search Console alternative if it is FREE and this is the most reliable source of your search performance data? This is a key question. Because based on that you need a different alternative.
Here is the list of use cases when you can look for Search Console alternatives:
- You need a better tool for visualization of search performance data stored in Google Search Console.
- You want to analyze competitors’ search performance data with such granularity as Search Console gives you for your own website.
- You need a similar to the GSC tool but for another search engine.
- You need a better tool for technical SEO and content audits to check issues with page indexing, robots.txt files, sitemaps, mobile friendliness, rich results, localization, etc.
Let’s find alternatives for every use case except the fourth. This use case deserves a separate article.
Table of contents
- Google Search Console Looker Studio template
- Search Analytics for Sheets Chrome plugin (FREE)
- Sitechecker SEO Dashboard
- Similarweb
- Semrush
- Ahrefs
- Bing Webmaster Tools (FREE)
Alternatives for better visualization of GSC search performance data
Google Search Console Looker Studio template
I’ve created this Google Search Console Looker Studio template because Search Console has some limitations that you can overcome using Looker Studio. There are 3 elements that make this template unique: better filtering, rank tracker charts with daily keyword ranking data, and custom metrics built based on default Search Console metrics.
This template doesn’t replace the Search Console but extends its opportunities. You can find more search insights and you can find them faster.
Also check free one goal templates based on GSC data: keyword cannibalization checker and keyword ranking report template.
Search Analytics for Sheets Chrome plugin
By default when you export data from Search Console you get a table with metrics and only one parameter: metrics for queries, then a separate tab with metrics for landing pages, and so on.
When I use Search Analytics for Sheets plugin I have an option to group queries by pages, add additional filters, and create many exports all in one table. And this is also for free.
Sitechecker SEO Dashboard
When you manage SEO campaigns for tens and hundreds of websites, you can’t work quickly with the default Search Console interface. Search Console event doesn’t have a project list where you can quickly evaluate core metrics for all projects, you should open every project manually.
That’s why in this case it’s better to use Sitechecker SEO dashboard. There you have project cards or list where can quickly understands the search performance dynamics for all your websites.
For every project, you also have a separate dashboard where you can get more search metrics than the default Search Console interface gives. For example amount of keywords on top 1 positions, top 2-3 positions, and so on.
And the same for every landing page. You also can research the dynamics of average position for top keywords the landing page ranks for.
Alternatives for checking competitors’ search performance data
All popular website traffic checkers that use click-stream data have features for estimating traffic from Google organic search to any website.
Similarweb
Recently I shared the results of my research on how accurate is Similarweb. The main conclusion: 6 out of 10 top keywords according to Similarweb data are included in the top 10 keywords according to Google Search Console (GSC) data. So, this is accurate enough to understand which keywords bring the traffic to your competitors and build a content plan for your website.
Semrush
Semrush also has accurate enough search performance estimation data. But here you can find more data and options for search performance analysis than in Similarweb.
For example distribution of organic keywords py positions, the share of branded traffic, distribution of organic keywords by search intent and so on.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs also has some valuable features that Similarweb doesn’t have. You can dive deeper into keyword and content research of competitors’ to understand how they structure a website, which keywords target, how many content publish and to which content they acquire backlinks.
Alternatives to check search performance in other search engines
Bing Webmaster Tools
Bing is the 2nd most popular search engine in the world and it also has valuable Bing Webmaster Tools to monitor the search performance of your website in Bing and even launch keyword research, and backlink analysis. This is also free, you need just verify your website.
Do you have any suggestions for this article? Write me in a chat which other alternatives you would like to add.
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