Google Search Console for your social accounts

Google Search Console now works for your social accounts, not just your website. It's called a "platform property". Once connected, you can see the words people typed into Google before landing on your TikTok, Instagram, X or YouTube content. None of those platforms' own analytics show you this.

Related: Connect Google Search Console to Claude.

Why set it up

• New visibility. Platform analytics show what happened inside the app. This shows what people searched on Google before they clicked.
• Pattern-matching instead of guessing. See the query groups sending you traffic, and which are trending up or down.
• Catch momentum early. The 24-hour filter shows a post spiking the same day, early enough to cross-promote.
• Revive old content. Posts that regain search traction show up in the data.
• Test your instincts. Annotations mark when you changed a title or caption, so you can compare before and after.

How to set it up

1. In Search Console, choose "Add property", then the platform property option for TikTok, Instagram, X or YouTube.
2. Verify each account separately. There's no single connection for all of them.
3. Check whether it's already done. If you've claimed your Search profile, your accounts may already be listed.
4. Open the Insights report first: traffic trends, top content, top queries and audience location.

Tip: give it a few days after verifying. The data needs time to fill in, especially the 24-hour and trend views.

How to use it

1. Mine query groups for ideas. In Insights, the query groups card shows top, trending-up and trending-down themes. Trending-up groups are your next caption, hook or video topic.

2. Rewrite captions, titles and bios in search language. If people search "skincare routine oily skin" and your caption says "my everyday glow-up", you're missing that traffic.

   Tip: keep the caption short and built around 2–3 real query phrases. Put the full transcript in closed captions or the YouTube description, not the caption field.

3. Catch trends with the 24-hour filter. In the Performance report, turn it on. If a new post is trending up, cross-promote it right away.

4. Compare formats. On YouTube, compare URLs containing /watch against /shorts/. On Instagram, compare /p/ (posts) against /reels/. Do the same across playlists.

5. Compare platforms. Export each platform property's data and compare countries, devices and queries side by side.

6. Extend what's already working. When an old post spikes again, pin it, reference it elsewhere, or film a follow-up.

7. Track your changes with annotations. Add one when you rewrite a caption or title. It's a simple before-and-after marker.

Quick-start checklist

• Add and verify each platform account as a property
• Check none were already auto-added through a claimed Search profile
• Open Insights and review top and trending query groups
• Rewrite your next caption, title or bio using real search phrases
• Check the 24-hour filter after every new post for the first week
• Set up one comparison (Shorts vs long-form, or posts vs reels)
• Export each platform's data and compare countries, devices and queries
• Add an annotation the next time you change a caption or title

Source: Google's guide, Analyze your social and video platform content performance in Search Console.