Why connect your website to Google Search Console?
Google Search Console is a free tool from Google that shows how your website is doing in Google search. It does three important jobs:
- It registers your site with Google. Submitting your sitemap tells Google which pages you have and where to find them.
- It shows how people find you. You can see the search terms people used, how often your pages appeared, and how often they were clicked.
- It tells you when something’s wrong. If Google finds a problem, such as text too small on mobile, buttons too close together, or pages it can’t index, it tells you through Search Console and by email. If you’re not registered, you could slip down the rankings without ever knowing why. Once you’ve fixed a problem, Search Console is also where you tell Google it’s sorted.
Setting it up
- Search for “Google Search Console” and click Start now, signed in with your business Google account.
- Choose URL prefix and paste in your website address. Copy it from your browser’s address bar so it’s exactly right.
- Verify that you own the site. If Google Analytics is already on your website, verifying through Google Analytics is usually the quickest option. If that doesn’t work, there are other methods, and your web developer can help.
Submit your sitemap
Most websites generate a sitemap automatically, usually at an address ending in .xml, such as sitemap.xml or sitemap_index.xml. In Search Console go to Sitemaps, enter the address and click Submit. If you’re not sure of your sitemap address, ask whoever built your site, or check your platform’s help pages.
Link Search Console to Google Analytics
Linking the two lets you see search terms alongside what visitors did once they arrived. In Google Analytics 4, go to Admin, find Search Console links under Product links, click Link, choose your Search Console property and confirm.
Then let it run
Data takes a week or two to build up, so don’t expect much straight away. Google also only reports the more common search terms, not every one. Once it’s set up, you can largely leave it alone and respond when Google emails you about an issue. If you’d like us to set it up for you, get in touch.
