If you’ve ever peeked into your Google Search Console stats and wondered, What exactly is an “impression”?—you’re not alone.
An impression happens every time a link to your website appears in a Google search results page, even if the user doesn’t click it. It’s basically Google saying: “Hey, we showed your page to someone.”
You can find your impressions (along with clicks, click-through rate, and average position) inside Google Search Console, under the Performance tab. It’s one of the best places to track how visible your website really is in search.
Here’s where it gets interesting:
I just saw my impressions increase by 108%—which means my visibility more than doubled. (Yes, a 100% increase = doubled. 108% = even better.)
What changed?
I made 3 strategic SEO-related moves, and I believe they worked together like magic (or… strategy):
1. I Redesigned My Website
I shifted from “alternative geek with magical vibes” to a boutique, polished feel aimed at local business owners. I toned down the whimsy and made the messaging super clear—what I do, who I help, and why I’m worth hiring. This aligned my wording with what my ideal audience is actually searching for. Better alignment = better SEO.
2. I Published a LinkedIn Newsletter
After an extended break, I revived my LinkedIn newsletter and linked back to my website. While this isn’t SEO in the traditional sense, it drove real people to my site—some of whom probably stayed, clicked around, or shared. Google notices that kind of engagement.
3. I Updated My Sitemap in Google Search Console
I uploaded a fresh sitemap.xml file, which is like giving Google a clean blueprint of my website. This helps the bots crawl and index your updated content more efficiently—especially if you’ve recently made changes to your site’s structure or content.
Takeaway:
SEO wins aren’t always about obsessing over keywords. Sometimes it’s about realigning your message, showing up again online, and making sure Google has what it needs to do its job.
If your impressions are feeling a little… meh, try one of these small-but-mighty steps. You might be just a few tweaks away from doubling your visibility too.
