How to Get Google Search Console API Keys (with Example)

This post is part of the Guide on Python for SEO and the guide on the Google Search Console API

You want to be able to use Google Search Console API but know nothing about Google APIs?

This beginner guide will show you how to get your Google Search Console API keys to help you use the API from R, Python or any other programming language.

If you already know how to get your API keys, but would like to use the API. Read those two guides:


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How to use the Google Search Console API with Python

How to use the Google Search Console API with R

How to connect to the Google Search Console API

If this is your first time using an API, don’t worry, I will try to show you how to use the API and make it as easy as possible. Read this if you’d like to know more about Google Search Console.

What is an API?

Simply put, an API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of defined methods of communication between various software components. Basically, someone creates a bit of code, or software, and give you access to parts of it via an API. In this case, Google gives you access to advanced functionalities of the Search Console via their API.

Step 1: Create a Project in Google API

1. Go to Google’s developers console, and sign-in.

Here, I will call my project google-search-console.

create project in API

2. Go to the Dashboard and click “Enable APIs and Services”

3.  Search and click on the “Google Search Console API”

enable search console api

4. Click on “Enable”

enable api

Step 2: Create your credentials

Now, the reporting API being activated, Google tells you that you need credentials.

To use this API, you may need credentials. Click ‘Create credentials’ to get started.

you now need to generate your client.id and your client.secret.

1. To do this, go in the “credential” tab on the left, click on “create credential” and select OAuth Client ID.

auth client id

2. You will need to configure the consent screen. So click on the blue button.

configure consent screen

3. You will now have to set your product name and add your Support email which is associated with your Google Search Console Account. Save your product.

give API product a name

4. Once saved a new screen will appear and you will choose the application type. Select Desktop app.

Previewing image.png

Name it whatever you want. Hit “Create”.

You now need to save your client.id and client.secret somewhere safe. We will use it later.

copy client id and client secret

Step 3: Get Your API Keys

Great! You have enabled your Google Search Console API. Let’s see how to download the API key in case you haven’t saved it in previous step.

Remember, this is your “password”. you will need it to connect to the API will ask you for your client.id and client.secret.

Get your API Keys (via client ID and client secret)

Now that we have enabled the Google Search Console API, you will create your credentials. Basically, you want to get your client.id and your client.secret.

To find you go to “Credentials” and click on the pen.

If you don’t have any client IDs here, you should go back to step two to review what you missed.

Here, you can download your client ID and client secrets.

Get your API Keys (via JSON)

If you want to download your credentials via a JSON file (for automation), just click on “Download JSON”.

Other APIs You Might Be Interested In

Looking for the next steps to improve your skills using APIs?

This is it you are now ready to make your first API call with R or Python.

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