Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool from Google that helps you monitor your website’s health, track its performance in search results, and ensure your pages are properly indexed. It’s an essential tool for anyone looking to improve their website’s SEO and visibility.
Why Is Google Search Console Important?
Track Your Organic Performance: See what keywords (queries) people search for when your pages appear in Google search. GSC also shows impressions (how often your page is seen) and clicks (how often users click through).
Fix Indexing Issues: Identify pages that are not indexed or returning errors (like 404 pages), and request Google to re-index them.
Submit Your Sitemap: A sitemap is like a roadmap for search engines — it helps Google find and understand your website’s content. This is especially useful for blogs or sites with lots of pages.
Spot Redirects and Errors: Discover which pages are redirected or broken, so you can clean up your site and provide a better user experience.
How to Connect Your Website to GSC
Add Your Website (Property)
Go to Google Search Console and click “Start Now.”
Choose the “Domain” option to connect your entire website (e.g., yourwebsite.com).
Verify Your Ownership
To confirm you own the domain, you’ll need to add a verification code to your DNS records.
How? If you’re not familiar with DNS settings, ask your web developer or hosting provider for help.
Submit Your Sitemap
Once your site is verified, submit your sitemap (usually yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml).
Why? A sitemap helps Google crawl and understand all the important pages on your site, which improves how quickly new content is indexed.
Wait for Verification
Google will process the connection, which may take up to 48 hours. Once verified, you’ll start seeing data about your website’s performance.
Once you see these instructions, share them with your web developer or hosting provider (e.g., GoDaddy). After the changes are made, click Verify and check back in two days to confirm the connection status.
PRO TIP Connect your Google Search Console with Google Analytics for deeper insights. By linking both tools, you’ll see how your organic traffic performs alongside other channels, which pages attract the most visitors, and how users engage with your site. To connect:
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What’s Next?
Once your website is connected, take a look at the Performance Report in GSC. Check what keywords your site ranks for and which pages get the most traffic. Use this data to create better content, fix errors, and improve your SEO step by step.
