One of the biggest mistakes I made early on with my own microblog was creating content I thought people wanted, rather than content people were actually searching for. I'd spend hours writing about topics that interested me, hit publish, and... crickets. Then I started paying attention to my Search Console data, and everything changed.
The gap between what you think people want and what they're actually searching for is often surprisingly large. That's where Search Console becomes your secret weapon. It shows you the exact queries bringing people to your site, how often they're searching for those things, and whether you're showing up for them.
What Your Search Console is Telling You
If you haven't looked at your Search Console in a while, you're leaving insights on the table. The data there is gold—it's actual human behavior, not guesses or algorithms. People are literally telling you what they want to find.
Start by going to Google Search Console and navigating to the Performance report. You'll see three critical metrics: total clicks, total impressions, and average position. More importantly, you'll see the exact queries that brought people to your site.
I started tracking this religiously about a year ago, and it completely reframed how I think about content creation. What I noticed was that people were finding my site through queries I'd never explicitly targeted. These weren't vanity searches either—they were real problems people were trying to solve.
Finding Content Gaps
Here's a mental shift I had to make: not all of my best content comes from what I think is important. Some of my highest-traffic jots are about topics I almost didn't publish.
When you look at your Search Console data, you're essentially looking at a map of content gaps. If you're getting impressions for a query but a low click-through rate, it means you're ranking for it, but your result isn't compelling enough to click. That's an optimization opportunity.
If you're getting zero impressions for queries you think you should rank for, it means either nobody's searching for those terms (unlikely) or you haven't written about them yet. That's a creation opportunity.
I started keeping a simple spreadsheet of queries I was getting impressions for but not clicks. These were the low-hanging fruit. A small update to the existing jot, a better excerpt, or a more specific title could move the needle immediately.
The Three Buckets of Search Queries
I've found it helpful to mentally organize queries into three buckets:
Bucket 1: Already Winning — These are queries where you rank in the top 3 positions and get decent clicks. Don't break what's working. Maintain these.
Bucket 2: Almost There — These are the queries where you rank between positions 4-10. These are your quick wins. Small optimizations here can move you into the top 3. Update the jot, improve the title, or expand the answer.
Bucket 3: Completely Untapped — These are queries where you don't show up at all, but you think you should. Before creating a new jot, make sure the search volume actually justifies it. A query with 50 searches per month might not be worth the effort.
Optimizing Existing Content
This was my biggest breakthrough. I was so focused on creating new content that I ignored optimizing what already existed.
Pick one of your Bucket 2 queries—something you're ranking 4-8 for. Read the top-ranking jots for that query. Ask yourself: why are they ranking higher than me? Is their answer more comprehensive? More current? Better structured?
Sometimes it's as simple as adding a specific section or updating statistics. Other times, you realize you need to completely reframe how you're answering the question.
The beautiful thing about microblogging is that you can update jots easily and frequently. If you find new data, a better example, or a clearer way to explain something, update it. Search Console rewards fresh content and relevant updates. Your click-through rates will improve, and so will your ranking over time.
The Feedback Loop
Once you start this process, something interesting happens. You begin to think about content differently.
Instead of "what should I write about today?" you ask "what are people searching for that I could help with?" Instead of hoping people find your content, you're intentionally showing up for queries where demand exists.
I check my Search Console weekly now. Not obsessively, but consistently. I look for:
- Queries gaining clicks and impressions (validate I'm on the right track)
- Queries with high impressions but low clicks (quick optimization targets)
- Queries in my niche that I'm not showing up for yet (create or improve content)
This feedback loop transforms your content strategy from guesswork to evidence-based decisions. You're not trying to be everything to everyone. You're focusing on the real problems people are actually searching for.
When Numbers Don't Tell the Whole Story
I should be honest though—Search Console data isn't the complete picture. Some of your best work might be content that serves your existing readers, even if it doesn't drive search traffic. Community-building content, updates to your niche, personal insights... these matter too, even if they're not "SEO gold."
The goal isn't to turn your microblog into a keyword factory. The goal is to create a feedback loop where you understand what your audience needs, and you intentionally create content that serves those needs while staying true to your voice.
Getting Started
If you're running a microblog and haven't optimized for search yet, this is your starting point:
- Connect Google Search Console if you haven't already
- Spend 30 minutes reviewing your Performance report
- Identify your Bucket 2 queries (the easy wins)
- Pick one and improve the jot
- Repeat weekly
That's it. No complex tools, no subscription services. Just you, your data, and your content.
The beauty of platforms like Jottings is that you own your content, you understand your audience directly, and you can iterate quickly. Use your Search Console data to get smarter about what you create and how you present it. Your readers are already telling you what they want—you just need to listen.
Your content will improve, your traffic will grow, and you'll publish with more confidence knowing you're solving real problems people are actually searching for.
Running a microblog? Start paying attention to your search data this week. If you're looking for a platform that makes it easy to publish, track performance, and own your content while you're doing this optimization work, Jottings is built for creators exactly like you.