Definition
An MCP server is a program that exposes tools and data to an AI assistant through the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open standard for connecting assistants to outside systems. The assistant reads the list of tools the server offers, picks the one that fits your question, calls it, and answers with the result.
A server can run locally, started by the assistant as a process on your machine, or remotely at a URL. Remote servers usually ask you to sign in with OAuth, so the server can act for you without you copying API keys around.
Why it matters for SEO work
Without a server, an assistant can only guess about your site. With a Search Console MCP server it can read your real clicks, impressions, index status and sitemaps, then explain what changed. You ask in plain language instead of exporting reports or writing scripts against the API.
mowteng as an MCP server
mowteng is a remote MCP server at https://mowteng.app/mcp. You add that URL to your assistant and sign in with Google: no Google Cloud project, no API key, no OAuth client of your own and nothing to install. It connects Google Search Console, optionally Bing Webmaster Tools and Yandex Webmaster, and IndexNow. Write actions, such as submitting a sitemap, are marked so your assistant asks before running them.
Setup steps for each assistant are in Connect mowteng to your assistant. For how hosted and self-hosted servers differ, see Search Console MCP servers compared. Every tool is listed in the tools reference.
Check what your assistant can reach
Most assistants list connected servers and their tools in their connector or MCP settings. You can also ask directly:
Which mowteng sources are connected right now, and which Search Console properties can you see?