# Connect Google Search Console

> Link your Search Console account so rank tracking, keyword trends and Opportunities can use Google's own data about your site.

Google Search Console is Google's free report of how your site appears in search — which
keywords show it, how often people click, and where it ranks. Connecting it lets Unhidden build
rank tracking, keyword trends and Opportunities from the rankings real searchers actually saw,
instead of estimates.

<Alert>
  <AlertTitle>Read-only</AlertTitle>
  <AlertDescription>
    Unhidden asks Google for read-only access. It can see your Search Console data, and nothing
    else — it cannot change your site, your Google account, or your Search Console settings.
  </AlertDescription>
</Alert>

## If you don't have Search Console yet

You'll need a verified Search Console property for your site first. This happens on Google's
side and takes about ten minutes:

1. Go to [search.google.com/search-console](https://search.google.com/search-console) and sign
   in with a Google account.
2. Click **Add property** and enter your domain.
3. Verify you own the site. The **Domain** property type verifies with a DNS record your domain
   registrar can add; the **URL prefix** type also accepts uploading an HTML file or adding a
   meta tag to your homepage.

Google's own [verification guide](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9008080) walks
through each method. Note that a brand-new property starts empty — Google fills in data from
the moment it's verified, so the sooner it exists, the better.

## Connecting it to Unhidden

1. In Unhidden, click **Connect Search Console** — you'll find it in the setup flow after
   subscribing, in **Settings**, or on any page that needs it (Rank tracking, Keyword Trends,
   Opportunities).
2. Choose the Google account that owns your Search Console property.
3. Google shows what Unhidden is asking for — view-only access to Search Console data. Click
   **Allow**.

You'll be sent back to Unhidden, and that's it. Your sites' pages can now use your Search Console
data.

## Troubleshooting

**Picked the wrong Google account?** Connect again — Unhidden always shows Google's account
chooser, and the newest connection replaces the old one.

**Your site doesn't show any data?** Make sure the property is verified in Search Console and
that it covers the same domain you added in Unhidden. Very new properties can take a few days
before Google reports anything.

**Want to disconnect?** You can revoke Unhidden's access any time from your
[Google account permissions](https://myaccount.google.com/connections) page.