How to link Search Console to Google Analytics 4
Linking Search Console to GA4 puts search queries and organic landing pages in Analytics. The permissions you need, the steps, and the report to publish after.
Search Console knows what people searched before they clicked. Google Analytics knows what they did after. Linking the two puts search queries next to engagement in one place, and it is one of the few steps that no API does for you.
Before you start
- A verified Search Console property for the site. See Search Console domain vs URL prefix.
- A GA4 property with a web stream for the same site.
- One Google account that is an Editor on the GA4 property and a verified owner in Search Console.
The steps
- In GA4, open Admin, then Product links, then Search Console links.
- Choose Link, then choose the Search Console property.
- Choose the web stream it belongs to.
- Review and Submit.
Publish the reports
After linking, the reports do not appear by themselves. In Reports, open Library, find the Search Console collection and publish it. It then shows in the left navigation with Queries and Google organic search traffic.
What you get
| Report | Answers |
|---|---|
| Queries | Which searches show and get clicks, with position |
| Google organic search traffic | Which landing pages get organic visits, and what those visitors do |
If the link option is greyed out
It almost always comes down to permissions. Check in Search Console, under Settings and Users and permissions, that your account is listed as an owner, not a full or restricted user. Check in GA4, under Admin and Property access management, that you are an Editor or Administrator. Then reload the Product links page.
Limits
One Search Console property links to one web stream. Query data is aggregated and cannot be joined to individual users, so it will not tell you which search led a particular buyer to purchase. For that kind of attribution, see first touch attribution with UTM.
GA4 + Search Console Setup makes this link in your browser as the final step, after the site is verified and the sitemap is in, and asks before it saves.
Questions
What permissions do I need to link Search Console and GA4?
Editor or higher on the GA4 property, and verified owner of the Search Console property. If one person does not have both, the link cannot be made.
Why can I not see Search Console reports after linking?
The Search Console report collection is not published in the navigation by default. Publish it from the Library in GA4's Reports section.
Does linking import historical data?
The Search Console reports in GA4 read from Search Console, which keeps about 16 months of performance data, so they are not limited to the day you linked.