In today’s digital era, having a solid online presence is crucial. To make sure your website shows up prominently on search engines, you need some handy tools. One of the most important tools you shouldn’t overlook is Google Search Console. In this article, we’ll explain why Google Search Console is something your website needs.
What is Google Search Console?
Google Search Console is a free service by Google that allows website owners and SEO professionals to monitor and optimize their site’s performance in Google Search results. It provides a wealth of information and tools to help you understand how Google sees your site, identify issues that may affect your ranking, and optimize your website for better search engine visibility.
Key Benefits of Google Search Console
Site Confirmation and Crawling: Ensure that Google can discover and crawl your website, making your content accessible to search engines.
Indexing Issue Resolution: Quickly identify and fix indexing problems and request re-indexing for new or updated content, ensuring that your site’s latest information is included in search results.
Traffic Insights: Gain valuable insights into your website’s Google Search traffic, including data on how often your site appears in search results, the search queries that lead to your site, and the click-through rates for those queries.
Alerts for Issues: Receive timely alerts from Google when it encounters indexing issues, spam, or other potential problems on your site, allowing you to address them promptly.
Backlink Information: Discover which external websites link to your site, helping you understand your online presence and improve your website’s search engine ranking.
How to Add a Website Property to Search Console
- Sign In and Access Search Console
- Visit the Google Search Console website (https://search.google.com/search-console) and sign in with your Google account. If you don’t have a Google account, you’ll need to create one.
- Open the Property Selector
- Once you’re signed in, you’ll be on the Search Console dashboard. Open the property selector dropdown, which allows you to manage and view different properties in Search Console. You can find this selector on any Search Console page, or you can directly access it by clicking here.
- Add a New Property
- In the property selector, select “+ Add property” from the dropdown menu.
- Choose the Property Type
- You’ll need to choose the type of property you want to add:
- Domain property (e.g., example.com)
- URL-prefix property (e.g., https://example.com)
- We recommend using the domain property type because it covers all URLs and sub-domains, which reduces maintenance. Use the URL-prefix property only if you want to maintain search settings for a specific sub-domain
- You’ll need to choose the type of property you want to add:
- Select a Verification Method
- After choosing the property type, you will be prompted to select a verification method. Google offers various methods for verification:
- DNS Record Verification: You add a unique DNS (Domain Name System) record to your domain’s DNS configuration. (Domain Properties can only be verified using DNS Record Verification)
- HTML File Upload: This method involves uploading an HTML file provided by Google to your website’s root directory.
- HTML Tag: You insert a specific HTML meta tag provided by Google into your website’s homepage’s <head> section.
- Google Analytics Tracking Code: If you have Google Analytics set up for your website, you can verify ownership by connecting your Google Analytics account to Search Console.
- Google Tag Manager Container Snippet: Similar to Google Analytics, you can use Google Tag Manager.
- After choosing the property type, you will be prompted to select a verification method. Google offers various methods for verification:
- Complete Verification
- You can either verify your property immediately by clicking “Verify” in the popup, or you can save your settings and finish the verification process later.
- Start Collecting Data
- Once your property is verified, data collection for that property will begin. It’s important to note that data collection starts as soon as anyone adds the property to their Search Console account, even before verification. Data should begin to appear in your property within a few days.
Google Search Console provides vital data, helps resolve issues, and boosts your website’s performance in Google Search. Set it up today to enhance your online presence and climb the search engine rankings. Google Search Console is just one example of the tools we include as part of our managed services offering, tailored to optimize your online presence and ensure your website’s ongoing success.