Google Search Console URL Inspection API Overview

The new Google Search Console (GSC) URL Inspection API provides programmatic access to the data available in GSC's manual URL Inspection tool. This API is designed to help users automate the process of checking the indexing status and other critical information for a large number of URLs, integrating this data into custom dashboards and internal tools.

Key Benefits and Use Cases

The primary advantage of the API is its ability to automate tasks that would otherwise be manual and time-consuming. This includes:

Automated Monitoring: Efficiently monitor the indexing status of thousands of URLs across large websites.
Data Integration: Seamlessly integrate GSC data into custom SEO dashboards, reporting systems, or other internal tools for comprehensive analysis.
Bulk Checks: Perform bulk checks on various aspects of a URL, such as its indexing status, mobile usability, AMP status, and rich result eligibility.

Common use cases involve auditing canonicalization, tracking rich result implementation, and identifying widespread indexing issues on a site.

Important Data Points and Limitations

The API returns crucial information about a URL, primarily categorized into:

indexStatusResult: Details on the URL's indexing status, including the last crawl date, user-declared canonical, Google-selected canonical, mobile usability, and AMP status.
richResultsResult: Information regarding the status and validity of any rich results (e.g., FAQ, HowTo, Product snippets) detected on the page.

However, it's important to be aware of the API's limitations:

Quota Limits: There are strict daily (2,000 queries per property) and per-minute (600 queries per property) quotas.
No "Request Indexing": The API does not support the "Request Indexing" feature available in the manual GSC tool.
Data Latency: The data provided reflects the last crawl and is not real-time, meaning there might be a slight delay in reflecting the absolute latest status.

To use the API, users need to enable it in the Google Cloud Console and set up appropriate credentials (API key or OAuth 2.0 client ID) to make requests programmatically.