Google Webmaster Tools
Google Webmaster Tools
If you have just only spent two minutes reading up on SEO and are a complete novice when it comes to Search Engine Optimisation, you must, in that two minute period have heard of Google Webmaster Tools.
Google Webmaster Tools, Webmaster Tools or WMT as it is often referred to as, is the first utility and tool you should sign your site up to, as soon as it goes live on the internet.
WMT provides you with an abundance of useful information and furthermore, allows you to notify google of any changes to your site.
Your Google Webmaster Tools Account can also be linked to your Google Analytics Account, providing both applications with further information, thus helping your SEO efforts.
So what can you actually do with your Webmasters Tools account and in return what information and insights can it provide you about your sites registered with it?
Well first off you can tell google which geo-location you want the site to target. So if for instance you want to target primarily users from the UK, you can configure your site within WMT to do so. Webmasters Tools also lets you know whether there are any issues with google bot crawling your site. Whether 404 pages have been encountered, server issues, soft 404’s and the such like. Very important information. Thus allowing you to fix them and in turn improve your visitors experience.
Your Webmaster Tools Account will also show you a snap shot of external backlinks pointing to your site, used in conjunction with software such as SEMrush, you can quickly identify any toxic links coming your way.
Toxic links are the main tool used for launching Negative SEO attacks, which we at EasyPlay.Vegas have been unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of in the past.
Another important part of WMT is the fact it shows you the number of queries and how many instances of each one your site has been returned within Google. In addition to this, WMT shows you the click thru rate.
This can be very useful information to have and I find it certainly is of use when looking at CTA’s ( Call to Actions ) on the pages of your site.
Last but not least, like Analytics, Google Webmaster Tools is free. So what are you waiting for!
