Google Search Console

Google Search Console is a free service from Google for anyone who can verify ownership of a website. It is the only place to see Google's own data on how a site performs in search: clicks, impressions, average position and the queries people used.

Its indexing reports show which pages Google has indexed and why others were left out, and the URL Inspection tool shows how Google sees a single page. You submit sitemaps here, check Core Web Vitals and other page experience reports, and receive messages about manual actions or security problems.

Most SEO tools estimate traffic from outside; Search Console reports what Google recorded. Set it up before anything else, and use its API or the built-in Looker Studio connector if you need the data in reports.