Latest Updates on Google Search Console API

Over the past year, Google has been working to upgrade the infrastructure of the Search Console API, and finally, they have announced few updates that would help to enhance the performance of the API as demand increases.

NOTE: If you’re not querying the API yourself, you need not take action.

If you are querying the API for your own data or if you maintain a tool which uses that data (e.g. a WordPress plugin), read on below changes:

1.   Changes on Google Cloud Platform dashboard: you’ll see is a drop in the old API usage report and an increase in the new one.

2.   API key restriction changes: if you have already set API key restrictions, you might need to change them.

3.   Discovery document changes: if you’re querying the API using a third-party API library or querying the Webmasters Discovery Document directly, you will require updating it by the end of the year.

NOTE: The API is backward compatible and there are no changes in scope or functionality.

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) changes

In the Google Cloud Console dashboards, you will see a traffic drop for the legacy API and a rise in calls to the new one. This is the same API, just under the new name.

API key restriction changes

These instructions are important only if you query the data yourself or provide a tool that does that for your users.

NOTE: If you have added an API restriction for your API keys, you will need to take action by August 31.

In order to allow your API calls to migrate automatically to the new API infrastructure, you need to make sure the Google Search Console API is not restricted.

->     If your API restrictions are set to “Don’t restrict key” you’re all set.

->     If your API restrictions are set to “Restrict key”, the Search Console API should be checked as shown in the image below.

Discovery document changes

If you’re querying the Search Console API using an external API library or querying the Webmasters API discovery document directly you will require taking action as they would drop the support in the Webmasters discovery document. Google's current plan is to support it until December 31, 2020.

Source: Google