Updated October 2026. I first wrote this post in 2015, when Google launched what was then called the “Search Analytics” report. It’s now the Performance report in Google Search Console, and it’s still the best free source of keyword data for re-optimizing pages you already have.
Google Analytics stopped showing organic keywords years ago (“not provided”), and third-party tools like Ahrefs and Semrush only estimate which keywords you rank for. Search Console shows you the actual searches people used to find each page on your site. That makes it the best place to start when you want to get more traffic from content you already have.
Search Console data matters for AI search too. Google counts clicks and impressions from AI Overviews and AI Mode in the main Performance report, blended in with regular results. Google also has a separate generative AI performance report that shows how often your pages appeared in AI Overviews and AI Mode. It shows impressions only (no clicks) and doesn’t separate the two features, but it’s a useful way to see which pages Google’s AI features show most. And the longer, question-style queries in your data are often a sign of how people are asking AI tools about your topic.
What’s Most Useful in the Performance Report
Google has a full guide to the report, so I won’t cover every feature. Here’s what I use most for SEO:
- Page-level query data. Filter to a single page and see every query it got impressions and clicks for.
- Date comparisons. Compare two date ranges to see which queries and pages gained or lost clicks. This is the first thing I check after a Google core update.
- 16 months of data. Enough to compare year over year, which matters for seasonal businesses.
- Regex filters. Filter queries with regular expressions. For example,
^(who|what|why|how|when|where|which|can|does|is)\bshows question-style queries, and a filter like\b\w+\b(\s\b\w+\b){7,}(8+ words) shows the long, conversational queries that look a lot like AI prompts. - Device, country and search appearance filters. Useful for spotting where a drop is coming from.
Note: Many sites saw impressions drop and average position improve in September 2025, when Google changed how it handles a URL parameter many rank-tracking tools used. If you compare data across that date, focus on clicks, which weren’t affected the same way.
How to Re-Optimize a Page with the Performance Report
Disclaimer: This works best on pages with good, deep content. Thin pages usually don’t rank for much, so there won’t be much data. And this only shows keywords you already rank for, but that’s okay. You’ll almost always find ways to improve on your earlier optimization.
Step 1: Filter to the Page You Want to Re-Optimize
In Search Console, open Performance > Search results. Click “+ Add filter,” choose Page, and enter the exact URL.
Step 2: Set the Date Range
I usually start with the last 3 months to see current performance. If the page is seasonal or doesn’t get much traffic, use the last 12 or 16 months to get more queries.
Step 3: Turn On All Four Metrics and View Queries
Turn on Clicks, Impressions, CTR and Position at the top of the report, then make sure the Queries tab is selected below the chart.
Step 4: Export the Data
Click Export at the top right and choose Google Sheets. The UI only shows 1,000 rows, so for bigger pages you can pull more with the Looker Studio connector or the Search Console API (Screaming Frog can pull it too).
Step 5: Look for These Opportunities
- High impressions, low clicks, position 5 to 20. These are your best targets. The page is close, and Google already sees it as relevant. Better use of these terms can move it up.
- Queries the page doesn’t directly answer. If people find the page with a question it doesn’t answer, add a section that does.
- Queries that belong on a different page. If a query clearly fits another page better, link to that page with matching anchor text, or create a new page if none exists.
- Several pages splitting the same queries. Filter by query instead of page to see if more than one of your pages competes for it. You may want to merge them.
On a free 30-minute call, we’ll talk through your site and goals.
Step 6 (Optional): Add Search Volume
Search Console impressions are a good proxy for demand, but if you want search volume estimates, paste your queries into Google Ads Keyword Planner (“Get search volume and forecasts”) or a tool like Ahrefs or Semrush. Treat their numbers as estimates.
Step 7: Re-Optimize the Page
Now use what you found. Here’s where I’d focus:
- Title tag – still one of the strongest signals for what a page is about, and it drives clicks.
- H1 – another clear signal of the page’s main topic.
- Subheadings and body content – use your terms naturally from top to bottom. There’s no magic number. Answering the questions people searched is more important than repeating keywords.
- Specific facts and answers – clear answers, real numbers and “best for” statements help with Google and with AI tools, which tend to cite pages that state facts plainly.
- Internal links – link to the page from related pages on your site, using anchor text that matches the queries you want to rank for.
- Meta description – not a ranking factor, but a better description can improve click-through rate.
- Image alt text – describe the image accurately. It helps accessibility and image search, but don’t stuff keywords in it.
Remember: use keywords naturally, without over-optimizing. Never force a keyword in or sacrifice readability. It makes the page worse for readers, and Google notices.
Step 8: Measure the Results
Note the date you made your changes (Search Console lets you add annotations to the chart). Give it 4 to 8 weeks, then compare the before and after periods for that page with the date comparison feature.
Use the data as your guide, keep the focus on the reader, and don’t over-optimize. If you’d like help, I re-optimize existing pages as part of my content audits. Questions or suggestions? Send them my way.
