A Simple Guide to Using GSC Filters for Real SEO Insights
Most business owners check Google Search Console (GSC) the same way they’ve always done:
- Open it
- Look at clicks and impressions
- See if rankings are up or down
- Close it and move on
But the truth is, GSC has become much smarter than that.
If you only use it to track clicks, you’re missing out on real customer insights.
So What’s Changed?
Google added advanced filters called RegEx filters (short for “Regular Expressions”).
Don’t let the name scare you—it’s just a smarter way to find specific data inside GSC.
It helps you answer real business questions like:
- What are people actually searching for before they land on my website?
- Are they asking questions, comparing prices, or ready to buy?
- Which parts of my website are working best in search?
- Are people searching for me in different languages or countries?
Why Should You Care?
Because if you know what your customers are really searching for, you can:
- Write better website content
- Create smarter ads
- Find new product or service ideas
- Stay ahead of your competitors
And the best part?
You don’t need to be technical to do this.
How to Use Google Search Console Filters (Without Tech Overload)
Here’s how to get real value from GSC filters—no coding or complicated stuff.
1️⃣ Understand Why People Are Searching
People don’t just search randomly. They usually have a goal.
Most searches fall into one of these categories:
- Questions: How do I do this? What’s the best product?
- Buying searches: Where can I buy this? Order online.
- Brand searches: Looking for a specific brand or website.
How to Find These in GSC:
Go to your Performance Report in GSC → Click on New Filter → Choose Query → Select Custom (RegEx).
Now search for:
- Questions: Look for searches starting with how, what, why, when, where, who, which
- Buying signals: Look for searches that include words like buy, order, book, download, hire
- Brand mentions: Use your brand name to find who’s looking directly for you
Example:
If you own a shoe store, you might see searches like:
- “How to clean leather shoes” → That’s a question (great for a blog post!)
- “Buy leather shoes online” → That’s a buyer search (perfect for a product page!)
- “YourBrand shoes reviews” → That’s a brand search (opportunity to improve your reputation)
Also Read:
- Trust Over Tactics: The New Age of SEO in 2025
- Google Removes Country Domains: What It Means for You and SEO
2️⃣ Check Which Pages Are Working
Maybe you want to know:
- How well is my blog performing in search?
- Are my product pages bringing in traffic?
- Are visitors landing on weird URLs or duplicate pages?
How to Do It:
In GSC, filter by Pages instead of Queries.
For example:
- Look for pages that start with /blog/ to check blog performance
- Look for /products/ to check product pages
- Look for pages with a ? in the URL (that usually means tracking tags or filters were added)
3️⃣ Spot Common Link Text Searches
People often type into Google the same phrases they see in links, like:
- Click here
- Learn more
- Read more
You can filter for these phrases to see if people are searching for your business this way.
This helps you understand how your brand is being shared or talked about online.
4️⃣ Separate Short Searches from Long Searches
Short searches are usually broad, like:
- “Shoes”
- “Laptop”
Long searches are more specific, like:
- “Best laptop for students under $500”
- “Where to buy waterproof hiking shoes near me”
Why Does This Matter?
- Longer searches are usually easier to rank for
- Short searches are great for brand awareness but harder to convert into sales
- When people use longer, detailed searches, they’re often closer to buying
For beginners who want to learn SEO basics
5️⃣ Find Price-Sensitive Searches or Social Searches
Sometimes people search using:
- Price symbols like $, €, or £ (means they’re looking for deals or costs)
- Hashtags or @ signs (they may be coming from social media or searching for specific campaigns)
- Slashes or dashes (common in product codes, dates, or specific models)
Why Check This?
It helps you:
- See if people are comparing prices
- Spot trends from social media mentions
- Track product-specific or promo-related searches
6️⃣ Discover Language or Country Searches
Maybe your website is getting visitors from other countries or languages—and you don’t even know it.
For example, if you run a business in India but get traffic in Hindi or Arabic, you might want to create local content or translate key pages.
How to Check:
In GSC, look for:
- Hindi characters (if you serve Indian audiences)
- Arabic characters (if you’re getting Middle East traffic)
- Spanish search phrases like cómo, qué, dónde (for Spanish-speaking users)
Learn more about how Google Search Console works here.
See Google’s official guide on using regular expressions in GSC.
Quick Summary: What You’ll Learn from These Filters
| What You’re Checking | Why It’s Useful |
|---|---|
| Why people search | Create better content & pages |
| Which pages work | Focus on what’s bringing traffic |
| Link-related searches | Understand how people talk about you |
| Short vs long searches | Plan content for different search types |
| Price/social searches | Spot buying signals or social trends |
| Language/region | Prepare for international traffic |
Final Thoughts: SEO in 2025 Requires Better Tools
Google Search Console is not just for reporting anymore—it’s for finding new growth opportunities.
By using these filters, you’ll:
- Understand your audience better
- Find new ways to market your products or services
- Stay ahead of your competition
And the best part?
You don’t need to be tech-savvy to do this.