A deployed site isn't necessarily an indexed site. Google Search Console lets you check what Google has discovered, which pages it has indexed, and which searches bring people to your site.
This guide covers adding a property, verifying ownership, and the first checks I'd make after setup. You need a Google account and access to the site's DNS settings, or help from whoever manages them.
What Search Console tells you
Google Search Console is Google's free tool for tracking search performance. It reports impressions and clicks, the queries behind them, indexing status, and technical issues that may affect visibility.
Google Analytics measures what visitors do on your site. Search Console measures how the site appears in Google Search before they click. They answer different questions. Search Console alone won't tell you whether a visitor submitted a form or became a customer.
Sign in with your Google account
Open Search Console and sign in. Choose an account you'll retain access to. If you're setting this up for a client, make sure they retain ownership rather than leaving access tied only to your account. You can add other users with their own permissions later.
Add your website: domain or URL prefix
Click "Add property" and choose between two types:
- A domain property covers the entire domain, including subdomains and both HTTP and HTTPS. Enter the domain without a protocol or path. This requires DNS verification.
- A URL-prefix property covers addresses that begin with the exact prefix you enter, such as
https://www.example.com/. Use this when you deliberately want to measure one part or version of the site, or need a verification method other than DNS.
For a whole website, I'd usually start with a domain property. Be careful with URL prefixes: https://example.com/ and https://www.example.com/ are different prefixes.
Verify ownership
For a domain property, copy the TXT value Google provides and add it to the DNS records at your DNS provider. Keep existing records intact. Then return to Search Console and click "Verify."
DNS changes can take time. If verification fails, check the record name and value against your provider's instructions before trying again. Keep the verification record after setup so Google can recheck ownership.
A URL-prefix property supports additional methods, including an HTML file or tag, Google Analytics, and Google Tag Manager. Each has its own requirements. Google's verification documentation explains those requirements and troubleshooting steps.
Submit your sitemap
Open "Sitemaps" and submit the actual XML sitemap URL generated by your site. Common paths include /sitemap.xml and /sitemap-index.xml, but check your deployment rather than guessing.
Open that URL yourself first. It should return the sitemap, not an HTML error page or a login screen. A sitemap helps Google discover URLs; it doesn't guarantee indexing.
Inspect an important page
Paste a complete page URL into the URL Inspection field. Start with your homepage and one important content page.
Read the indexed result before running a live test. The indexed result describes Google's stored information; a live test checks the current page. A successful live test doesn't mean the URL is already indexed.
For a new or substantially updated page, you can request indexing through URL Inspection. That is a request, not a guarantee of inclusion or a particular crawl time.
Use the Performance report
Data collection starts when the property is first added to any Search Console account, even before verification. It doesn't recreate search performance from before that first addition.
Once you have enough data, open the Performance report and select "Search results."
Start in the Pages tab. Click a page with substantial impressions, then switch to Queries to see the searches associated with it. Ask whether the page answers what those people are looking for before changing its title or adding content.
Average position isn't a fixed ranking. It combines different searches, and results vary by device, location, and other factors. Likewise, low click-through rate doesn't prove that a title is wrong. Compare similar queries and conditions, then inspect the actual search results.
If you want more context on choosing relevant queries, I've written a guide to keyword research.
Review indexing separately from traffic
The Pages report under Indexing shows which URLs are indexed and which are not, with reasons. "Discovered, currently not indexed" and "Crawled, currently not indexed" can have several causes. Inspect the affected URL and its content before assuming you need a code fix.
The Sitemaps report shows the status of submitted sitemaps and the URLs Google discovered through them. Those discovery counts aren't a count of indexed pages.
For ongoing work, keep a record of what you changed and when. Review a meaningful period rather than reacting to a single day's movement. If the goal is more inquiries or sales, track those outcomes separately from search clicks.
Adapted from my guide on setting up Google Search Console, originally published on Straffe Sites.
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