The short answer
Use Search Console for the search visibility and click information it provides, and analytics for the on-site behavior your implementation actually measures. The datasets have different scopes and methods. Investigate discrepancies rather than forcing their totals to match or treating either one as a complete account of user intent.
A worked example
A fictional report shows search clicks that differ from recorded analytics sessions. The team checks reporting windows, timezone, consent behavior and metric definitions before diagnosing a traffic problem. It does not fill the gap with invented sessions or imply that an exact reconciliation is always possible from the available data.
A practical checklist
- Write down each metric's source, period and definition. Align comparison windows and note differences that cannot be removed by changing the date selector.
- Inspect tracking implementation and consent-related behavior when interpreting on-site counts. Confirm what events are actually emitted and received.
- Report each source in its own context. Use a narrative explanation for discrepancies instead of combining incomparable totals into one authoritative number.
What to avoid
Avoid inferring that a lower analytics count automatically proves a lost visitor or broken site. Measurement boundaries can differ. Verify access and configuration safely, and do not place private account identifiers or user-level records in a public article.
A useful follow-up
Which dataset should I use for every SEO decision?
Neither alone. Choose the source appropriate to the question and retain its scope and measurement limitations.