How to Find the Keywords You Almost Rank For in Google Search Console (Free Tool)

Search Console shows which searches already bring people to your site. The report is long, and most rows aren't worth your time. The ones that are tend to sit in two places: queries ranking just off the first page, and first-page results that are shown a lot but rarely clicked.

This guide shows how to export your data, find those rows in a couple of minutes with a free analyzer that runs in your browser, and decide what to do with each one.

Step 1: Export your data

1. Open Search Console, pick your site, then go to Performance and Search results.
2. Set the date range. Three months is a good start; on a new site, use the longest range available.
3. Click Export, then Download CSV. You get a zip with several files.
4. Unzip it. You need the Queries file (search terms) and the Pages file (URLs). File names follow your Search Console language, so a Chinese interface produces 查詢 and 網頁. On an iPhone, tap the zip in Files to unzip it.

Step 2: Drop the file into the analyzer

Open the Search Console CSV Analyzer and drop in the Queries file. You'll see your totals and four reports. Nothing is uploaded: the file is read in your browser. If you just want to look around first, there's a sample file made from invented data.

Step 3: Read the four reports

The examples below come from that sample file, a made-up baking site, not from a real one.

Quick wins

Queries at an average position of 4 to 15 with real impressions. In the sample, "sourdough hydration calculator" sits around position 5 with 2,900 impressions. It already ranks, so it's cheaper to improve than a page that doesn't. Sharpen the title, link to it from related pages, or expand the section that answers the query.

Low CTR

Top-10 results clicked less than half as often as a typical result at that position. "Sourdough focaccia recipe" averages position 8.9 with 1,900 impressions and 4 clicks, about 0.2%. The ranking is fine and the click isn't happening, so start with the title and meta description: does it promise what the searcher wants?

Zero clicks

Shown often, never clicked. Two rows from the sample show why this report needs judgement. "Sourdough bread near me" has 380 impressions at position 5 and no clicks, almost certainly because people want a local bakery, so it's not worth chasing. "Sourdough starter in fridge" has 720 impressions at position 6.8 and no clicks, which is worth a look at the snippet and whether the page really answers that question.

Top by clicks

What is working now. Check this list before you change titles or restructure pages, so you don't break something that earns traffic.

Step 4: Pick a few, not all

Choose three rows, change one thing on each page, and leave it. Rankings take time to move and nothing guarantees they will. Export again in a few weeks and drop in the new file to see what shifted. The tool can download any report as a CSV, which helps for comparing.

What the numbers can and can't tell you

• Google hides very rare queries from exports, and exports are capped at 1,000 rows, so totals here can be lower than in Search Console.
• Position is an average. A query can rank higher or lower depending on location, device and day.
• The CTR benchmark is a rough industry average, not a rule. Branded queries and rich results skew it.
• On a small site there may be few rows. Lower the minimum impressions in the tool to see more.

Frequently asked questions

Is my Search Console file uploaded anywhere?

No. The file is read by JavaScript in your own browser and never sent to a server. The page loads its styling and fonts from third-party CDNs like any website, but your CSV is not part of any request. You can confirm by opening your browser's network tab, dropping in a file, and checking that nothing is sent.

Which file from the export should I use?

Use the Queries file to find keywords and the Pages file to find URLs. In a Chinese-language Search Console they are named 查詢 and 網頁. The other files in the zip (countries, devices, dates) are not used.

Why don't the totals match Search Console?

Google hides very rare queries from exports to protect privacy, and exports are capped at 1,000 rows. The analyzer only sees what is in your file, so its totals can be lower than the headline numbers in Search Console.

What counts as a quick win?

A query or page with an average position between 4 and 15 and a meaningful number of impressions. It already ranks, so a better title, internal links or a stronger section often have a realistic chance of moving it. This is a rule of thumb, not a guarantee.

Does it cost anything?

No. It is free and needs no account.

More from Offgrid Studio

The analyzer lives on our Tools page. We also build four iPhone apps that do their work on your device: OffgridStem, OffgridScribe, OffgridVox and OffgridCam.