Synthetic teaching example for a website delivery brief. Not a client result, live account test or certification.
Four impressions and one visible query are not four known keywords
A small website can see a chart total larger than the sum of visible query rows. Before asking for more pages or rewriting a service, establish what those two views actually measure. A residual is useful evidence of incomplete visibility, not a list of search terms you can recover by subtraction.
| Field | Chart | Query table |
|---|---|---|
| Period | 7–13 October 2026 | 7–13 October 2026 |
| Search, country, device | Web, AU, all devices | Identical |
| Aggregation | Property | Property |
| Query filter | None | None |
| Synthetic impressions | 4 | 1 visible row, value 1 |
Use the filled example
Download the finite Node checker and filled input. Run with Node 24 or newer; no account, API or network is used.
node checks.mjs gsc-visible-row-reconciliation gsc-visible-row-reconciliation.jsonThe input is fictional, not today’s MadRaven account. The output is chart 4, visible 1, residual 3 and RESIDUAL_UNASSIGNED. It deliberately does not label the three impressions as three anonymised queries, three visitors or three potential customers. One query can generate several impressions, and omitted rows can have several causes.
Try the failure branch before relying on the result
In a separate copy, change table.aggregation to page. The checker returns INCOMPARABLE and identifies aggregation. A different date window, metric or filter also blocks the subtraction. If both sources are marked non-final, it reports PROVISIONAL instead of presenting a settled result. The final flag is supplied evidence, not something this program authenticates.
For an actual SEO brief, retain property identity, export time, report timezone, query-filter state and the table limit. Decide the next investigation from known landing pages and genuine service intent, not imagined missing keywords. A sitewide average and an individual page export must not silently become one comparison.
This finite resource reads only the downloaded JSON. It does not access GSC, recover private queries, measure ranking or show that new content generated enquiries. Keep a fresh account report and any business outcome in separate evidence records.
Primary facts and limits
Google: Performance report discrepancies: Explains anonymised queries, row limits and aggregation/filter differences; not every residual has one identifiable cause.
Sources reviewed 15 October 2026. The supplied input and acceptance rules are original teaching design; check current platform versions and your actual delivery contract before implementation.
Inventory filter combinations before deciding what to publish