In short
- Serpkin asks for read-only Search Console access and syncs a connected property about once a day.
- It reads the current 28 days and the previous 28, plus 90 days of daily data for charts and trends.
- A verified property proves ownership and unlocks full scans and site watch.
- Disconnecting revokes the token at Google and deletes the stored tokens and synced data for that site.
Connecting Google Search Console turns Serpkin from a scanner into a system that knows what people actually search for and which pages already get impressions. Missions then target real queries, results are measured with the same data, and ownership is verified without a file. Access is read-only. This page covers what Serpkin reads, how often it syncs, what the two date windows mean, and how to fix a connection that needs attention.
Why connect it
- Real queries, not guesses: missions come from the searches that already show your pages, including queries you rank for on page two or three.
- Measured results: after you verify a mission, Serpkin compares clicks, impressions and position with the previous period instead of relying on a rank estimate.
- Ownership: a verified Search Console property proves the site is yours, which unlocks full scans, site watch and competitor watch.
- Indexing detail: URL inspections show whether a page is indexed, its coverage state and when Google last crawled it.
Without Search Console, Serpkin still works. It uses its own crawl, estimated rankings and search data for missions, and you can verify ownership with a file instead. The difference is precision: no other source knows your actual impressions and average position for a specific query on your site.
Connect a property
- Open the site's Search Console panel
In the app, open the site and find the Search Console section under site settings. Choose Connect Search Console. Serpkin sends you to Google with a short-lived, single-use request tied to your signed-in session.
- Pick the Google account that owns the property
Use an account that has Owner, Full or Restricted access to the property. The property has to exist in Search Console already. If the site is not there, add it in Search Console first, then come back.
- Approve read-only access
Serpkin asks for the
webmasters.readonlyscope. It can read your properties and performance data and cannot change settings, submit sitemaps or alter your site. The token is encrypted at rest. - Wait for the first sync
Serpkin matches the site to a property and starts the first sync. Missions update when it finishes, usually within a few minutes. The panel shows the property, your access level and the last sync time.
If Google has no property for the site under that account, the connection fails with a message that says so. This is the most common setup problem, and it is fixed in Search Console, not in Serpkin. Add the exact site (domain property or URL prefix) and reconnect with the same account.
What Serpkin reads
| Data | Window | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Queries and pages | Current 28 days and the 28 days before, up to 25,000 rows per period | Finding pages near page one, queries with high impressions and low clicks, and period comparisons |
| Pages | The same two periods | Choosing which pages a mission should change |
| Daily site series | 90 days ending at the current window | Charts and trend detection on the Results page |
| Daily query series | 90 days for the top 50 queries by impressions | Showing whether a specific query moved after a fix |
| URL inspection | Up to 20 pages per property per UTC day | Checking indexing, coverage state and last crawl time |
The current window ends two days ago, because Google's performance data has a lag. The previous window is the 28 days before that. Comparing the two avoids the trap of calling a normal weekly dip a regression. The daily series uses the same end date, so charts and totals agree.
What it does not read
Serpkin does not read your Search Console users, your sitemaps, your settings or your removals. It does not ask for write access, and it does not use Google data to build a profile of you. The data is used to produce your missions, results and charts, which is the limited use Google's API terms require.
How missions use the data
- 1Find the signalA query with impressions on page two, a page with a falling click-through rate, or a page that lost position.
- 2Add the pageThe query is tied to the page that ranks for it, and the route map adds the source file.
- 3Explain why nowThe mission quotes the numbers and the period they come from, not a generic tip.
- 4Measure afterVerification records a baseline, and results compare the same query and page at 14 and 28 days.
A site needs at least 100 impressions over 28 days before Search Console drives missions. Below that, there is not enough signal to separate a real opportunity from noise, so Serpkin falls back to its own scan, estimated rankings and new-site sources. The panel says which data level the site is on, and it changes on its own as impressions grow.
Sync, lag and freshness
Serpkin syncs a connected property about once a day. The sync replaces the stored snapshot in one transaction, so a page never shows half of an old period and half of a new one. If Google is slow or returns an error, the previous snapshot stays in place and the last sync time does not move.
Expect a two-day lag in the data itself. A change you deploy today cannot appear in Search Console performance until Google has crawled it, indexed it and reported the impressions, which can take days or weeks. That is why verification checks the page directly, while results wait 14 and 28 days before drawing a conclusion.
When the connection needs attention
| State | What happened | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Connected | The token works and the last sync succeeded | Nothing. Check the last sync time if data looks stale |
| Needs reconnect | Access expired, was revoked, or the property permission was removed | Reconnect with an account that still has access. Earlier data is kept |
| Not connected | No property has been connected for this site | Connect one, or verify ownership with the file method |
| Unavailable on this server | The server has no Google OAuth credentials configured | Use the file verification method, or ask the operator to configure Google access |
A reconnect does not throw away history. The stored rows remain, but new missions stop using them until the connection works again, so a revoked token cannot silently feed stale decisions. Reconnecting resumes the daily sync and refreshes the snapshot.
If the property list shows several similar properties, choose the one that matches your canonical host. Asc-domain: property and a URL-prefix property can both exist, and their numbers differ. Serpkin uses the property you connected, so pick the one you actually report on.
Disconnect and delete the data
Disconnecting in the site panel revokes the token at Google and deletes the stored tokens and synced Search Console data for that site. It does not delete your site, missions or results. You can also remove Serpkin's access from your Google account page, which has the same effect the next time Serpkin tries to sync.
If you delete your Serpkin account, the connection and its data go with it. The privacy policy lists retention for everything else, including the audit log.
Privacy and Google's rules
Search Console access is read-only and encrypted at rest with AES-256-GCM. Serpkin does not sell Google data, use it for advertising, or transfer it to third parties except the processors that run the service. The one place a query can leave is an AI content review, where the target query and the public page text go to OpenRouter and a model provider that does not store requests for training. Clicks, impressions, account details and the rest of your Search Console data are never sent there.
For the full picture, including how to export or delete your data, see Data and privacy.
Questions
Does Serpkin need write access to Search Console?
No. It uses the read-only webmasters scope. It cannot change settings, submit sitemaps or modify your site.
Why does the data end two days ago?
Google's performance data has a lag. Serpkin ends the current 28-day window two days ago so the totals are complete and the comparison with the previous period is fair.
Can I use Search Console without connecting Google?
You can verify ownership with a file and use scans, estimated rankings and search data. Search Console is what adds your real queries, clicks and impressions.
What happens to my data if I disconnect?
Serpkin revokes the token at Google and deletes the stored tokens and synced Search Console data for that site. Your site, missions and results stay.