Google Webmaster Tools Rebrands to Google Search Console

Re-brands to Google Search Console

It seems even the most successful companies are not averse to a product rebrand following the news last week that Google has changed the name of Google Webmaster Tools to Google Search Console.
So deeply entrenched with website analysis and management under its previous name it’s a move that would have surprised many, but in a post on Webmaster Central Blog Google explained that the decision to rebrand was to ensure the product remains inclusive of everyone involved in search. It specifically states that the term “webmaster” is somewhat outdated and no longer accurately describes everyone who uses Google Webmaster Tools and it is this realisation that prompted the name change.
Why have Google re-branded a product that everyone got?
When Google Webmaster Tools was originally launched a decade ago, it was more or less for the sole benefit of webmasters. It enabled them to modify many aspects of the sites they managed – submit sitemaps to Google, set a preferred domain name, generate a robots.txt file – all so they could create better, more efficient sites to show up on the search engine results pages (SERPs).
The decision to re-brand Google Webmaster Tools is an acknowledgement from Google that it’s now a product whose end users extend way beyond the traditional webmaster. Indeed, those who benefit from the insight it gives into websites include but are not limited to programmers, SEO experts, bloggers and marketers.
Once the frustration at the updated Google Webmaster Tools dashboard subsides, the re-brand is likely to be looked on favorably. This is because it demonstrates that Google’s commitment to improving the user experience is not confined to those who simply use Google as a search engine, but includes those who need to make informed decisions on how to improve their websites.
New features of Google Search Console
Two new features added to Google Search Console have already been widely reported. Focused on App Indexing, the features include a Search Analytical report for your Android apps, as well as “Fetch,” which provides insight into how the content within your Android app is viewed by Google. These are expected to be the first of many new tools that Google Search Console users will have at their disposal for gaining a better understanding of how they are meeting the needs of their contemporary user base.
The branding for Google Search Console is expected to update over the next few weeks.
Are other search engines likely to follow suit?
There has been no immediate re-brand for Bing Webmaster Tools in the wake of Google’s announcement, but it should come as no surprise if they and the other search engines follow the lead of the world’s biggest search engine in switching to a more all inclusive name.