How to Use Google Search Console with Domain Authority

Domain Authority (DA) helps estimate how strong your domain appears in the eyes of search engines—but it doesn’t come from Google. In contrast, Google Search Console (GSC) is a direct line to Google’s own understanding of your website.

While DA and GSC serve different purposes, using them together offers powerful insights. This guide explains how to combine the two to improve SEO performance, backlink quality, crawlability, and ultimately, your domain’s perceived authority.

What Google Search Console Does

Google Search Console is a free tool from Google that shows how your site performs in search. Key features include:

•   Indexed pages
•   Organic keyword impressions and clicks
•   Mobile usability and Core Web Vitals
•   Crawl errors
•   Backlink data (limited but useful)

Unlike DA, GSC provides real, first-party data directly from Google’s systems.

How Domain Authority Complements GSC Data

DA tells you:

•   How authoritative your domain is, relative to competitors
•   How strong your backlink profile appears
•   Whether your SEO efforts are building domain-level trust

GSC tells you:

•   Which pages are getting clicks and impressions
•   How Googlebot sees and crawls your site
•   Where improvements are needed to boost visibility

Together, DA shows potential, and GSC shows performance.

Use GSC to Identify DA Growth Opportunities

1. Find Pages With High Impressions but Low Clicks

In GSC’s Performance > Search Results tab:

•   Sort by highest impressions
•   Look for pages with low CTRs

These may need:

•   Improved meta titles and descriptions
•   Better internal linking (see Internal Linking Guide)
•   Higher authority to compete on SERPs

Boosting DA through backlinks to these pages can push them up the rankings and improve CTR naturally.

2. Analyze Backlinks in GSC and Compare With Moz

Under Links > Top Linking Sites, Google shows domains linking to you.

•   Compare this list with Moz’s backlink report
•   See which links Google considers valuable enough to mention
•   Prioritize outreach to similar sources

Not all backlinks are equal—cross-reference to ensure the ones improving DA are also indexed and counted by Google.

3. Use Coverage Reports to Fix Crawl Errors That May Affect Authority

GSC > Coverage tab shows:

•   404 errors
•   Redirect issues
•   Crawled but not indexed pages

Broken or thin pages can disrupt your site structure, reduce crawl efficiency, and weaken your internal authority flow. Fixing them can indirectly support DA improvement.

4. Monitor Page Speed and Core Web Vitals

GSC’s Experience > Core Web Vitals report helps detect speed issues.

Slow or unresponsive pages may:

•   Reduce dwell time
•   Increase bounce rates
•   Hurt linkability and user experience

A fast-loading, technically sound site supports both Google rankings and link attraction—two DA-building pillars.

5. Discover Internal Linking Weaknesses

Use GSC’s Links > Top Linked Pages (Internally) to see:

•   Which pages are most linked internally
•   Which high-priority pages lack internal authority

Improve your DA distribution by updating content to include internal links to underperforming but strategic pages.

Also refer to Does Your Content Fill or Kill? to ensure those underlinked pages are worth linking to.

Workflow Example: Combine GSC and DA Data

Here’s a simple workflow to tie both tools together:

You must also monitor:

1. Use Moz to check your current DA and top-linked pages

2. Open GSC and identify pages with:

3. Prioritize these for:

4. Monitor DA over time (monthly) and check GSC for corresponding ranking/traffic improvements

This cycle ensures you’re not just improving authority—but using it effectively.

What GSC Can’t Show—but DA Helps With

•   DA gives you a competitive comparison - GSC is limited to your domain
•   DA provides Spam Score and domain-level risk - GSC does not
•   DA reflects third-party link value that Google might not display in GSC

This is why pairing the two gives you a broader and deeper SEO lens.

Don’t Let Tools Work in Silos—Integrate Your Insights

Domain Authority shows where your SEO is heading. Google Search Console shows where it is right now. When you combine both:

•   You build stronger strategies
•   You detect weaknesses faster
•   You create data-driven content and linking plans

And ultimately, you grow rankings, traffic, and trust.

Combine Tools, Multiply SEO Value

DA and GSC are better together—not rivals. Let us help you connect the dots and grow your visibility with purpose.

Reach out through our Contact page, explore tailored SEO Services, or see our broader Digital Marketing Services, to get expert guidance tailored to your setup.

Continue your learning path inside the Domain Authority Guide or check the Blog where we turn tools into transformation.