Country and Market Performance Shifts
How to read country and market performance changes in Search Console.
Country and market performance shifts show where your traffic comes from and how it changes over time. For local businesses serving specific markets, understanding geographic performance is essential. This guide covers how to read country and market performance in Search Console. See Reading Search Console Performance Reports for the data source.
Reading country performance
In Search Console, filter the Performance report by country. Compare impressions and clicks across countries. For a local business, most traffic should come from the country and region you serve. Unexpected international traffic may indicate a targeting issue or an opportunity.
Interpreting shifts
| Shift | Possible cause |
|---|---|
| Traffic from a new country | International interest or a targeting issue |
| Traffic decline in your market | Increased competition or a ranking drop |
| Traffic increase in your market | New content, a ranking improvement, or seasonal demand |
| Traffic from unexpected regions | Incorrect hreflang or a content mismatch |
Primary sources
- Search Console performance data — Google Search Console Help (accessed 2025-01-15)