In a nutshell, Google Search Console (GSC) is a completely free web service provided by Google that helps website owners to monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot their site’s presence in Google Search results.
What’s so great about GSC? It’s all about insight. An invaluable tool for webmasters, SEO professionals, and digital marketers, it offers insights into how Google views your site and how to improve its performance in search results – kind of like having a direct line to Google’s brain!
Better still, GSC provides a treasure trove of data, including search queries that bring users to your site, your pages’ performance in search results, and any technical issues that might affect your site’s visibility. It also allows you to submit sitemaps, request indexing of new or updated content, and receive notifications about potential problems or Google policy violations.
Setting up Google Search Console is a straightforward process, but it does require a few steps to ensure proper verification and access.
Let’s break it down into manageable chunks.
The first step in setting up Google Search Console is to have a Google account. If you’re already using services like Gmail, Google Drive, or Google Analytics, you’re all set. If not, you’ll need to create one.
To register for a Google account:
If you already have a Google account, ensure you can access all areas of it for verification purposes later on. It’s crucial to have full control over the account you’ll use to manage your GSC properties.
Once you have a Google account, you’re ready to add your website to Google Search Console. Here’s how:
You’ll be presented with these two options:
For most website owners, the ‘Domain’ option is recommended as it provides the most comprehensive coverage.
Enter your domain name (without ‘www’ or ‘http://’) if you chose the Domain property type, or the full URL if you chose the URL prefix option.
Click ‘Continue’ to proceed to the verification step.
Verifying ownership of your website is a crucial step in setting up Google Search Console. This process ensures that only authorised individuals have access to your site’s data and can make changes to its search settings.
Google offers eight different methods of verification, catering to various technical abilities and access levels:
The method you choose will depend on your level of access to your website and your technical expertise. For most users, the HTML tag or Google Analytics methods are the simplest options.
To complete the verification process:
If successful, you’ll see a confirmation message, and you’ll gain access to your site’s data in GSC. It’s worth noting that verification can sometimes take a bit of time, especially if you’ve used the DNS method. If you encounter any issues, Google provides troubleshooting guides for each verification method.
Once your site is verified, you’ll have full access to all the features of Google Search Console. You can start exploring your site’s performance in search results, submit sitemaps, check for crawl errors, and much more.
Setting up Google Search Console is a crucial step in managing your website’s presence in Google Search. By following these steps, you’ll gain access to valuable insights and tools that can help improve your site’s visibility and performance in search results.
Just keep in mind that GSC is an ongoing tool – regular check-ins and updates will ensure you’re making the most of this powerful resource.
It’s very simple. Just fill in the form and we will be in touch with your reports. We will also ask you to book a 30 min call with us so we can run through the report and explain what the issues are with your site, what your goals are and how we can help you.
