Google Search Console: A Beginner's Setup Guide
Set up Google Search Console step by step: choose a property type, verify ownership, submit a sitemap and learn the reports that matter for a new website.
Google Search Console is a free tool from Google that shows how your website performs in Google Search. It tells you which searches bring visitors, which pages are indexed, and what problems Google found while crawling your site. If you own a website, it is the first SEO tool you should set up. This guide takes you from zero to a working account.
What you can do with Search Console
- See the search queries that show your pages, with clicks, impressions, click-through rate and average position
- Check whether a specific URL is indexed and request indexing
- Submit sitemaps
- Find indexing problems such as 404s, redirects and blocked pages
- Check Core Web Vitals and HTTPS status
- See which sites link to you and your most linked pages
- Get alerts about manual actions and security issues
It does not show competitors' data and does not replace an analytics tool. It shows what happens before the click, in Google Search.
Step 1: Choose a property type
When you add a site, Search Console asks you to choose between two property types.
| Property type | What it covers | How to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Domain | All subdomains and both http and https, for example example.com, www.example.com and blog.example.com | DNS record only |
| URL prefix | Only URLs starting with the exact prefix, for example https://www.example.com/ | HTML file, HTML tag, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager or DNS |
A Domain property is the best choice for most site owners because it gives you the complete picture in one place. Choose a URL prefix property if you cannot edit DNS records, for example on some website builders, or if you want a separate view of one section.
Step 2: Verify ownership
Domain property: DNS verification
- Search Console gives you a TXT record that starts with google-site-verification.
- Log in to your domain registrar or DNS provider, such as GoDaddy, Hostinger, Namecheap or Cloudflare.
- Add a new TXT record for your root domain and paste the value.
- Return to Search Console and click Verify.
DNS changes can take some time to spread. If verification fails, wait a while and try again rather than adding duplicate records.
URL prefix property: the easiest methods
- HTML tag: paste a meta tag into the head of your homepage. WordPress SEO plugins such as Yoast and Rank Math have a field for this.
- HTML file: upload the file Google gives you to your site's root folder.
- Google Analytics or Tag Manager: if either is already installed with the right permissions, verification can be one click.
Keep the verification record or tag in place permanently. If it is removed, you can lose access.
Step 3: Submit your sitemap
Go to Indexing, then Sitemaps, enter your sitemap URL and click Submit. Most platforms create one automatically at /sitemap.xml or /sitemap_index.xml. Our XML sitemap guide explains what it should contain and how to fix "Couldn't fetch" errors.
Step 4: Add users
Under Settings, then Users and permissions, you can add your developer, agency or team members. Give full access only to people who need to change settings, and restricted access to people who only need to view reports.
The reports that matter most
Performance
The Performance report shows clicks, impressions, average click-through rate and average position for Google Search. Use the Queries tab to see what people search for, and the Pages tab to see which pages earn traffic. Search Console keeps up to 16 months of performance data, so it is worth setting up early even before traffic arrives.
A useful habit: filter for queries where your average position is between 8 and 20. These pages are close to page one, and improving the content or internal links often helps them most.
URL Inspection
Paste any URL from your site into the search bar at the top. It shows whether the URL is on Google, which canonical Google selected, when it was last crawled and whether crawling and indexing are allowed. Click Test live URL to check the current version, and Request indexing to ask Google to crawl it again. Requests are subject to a quota, so use them for important new or updated pages.
Pages (indexing)
The Pages report shows how many of your known URLs are indexed and lists the reasons others are not, such as "Crawled - currently not indexed" or "Excluded by noindex tag". Many non-indexed URLs are normal, such as redirects and duplicates. Our guide to fixing each Search Console status explains which ones need action.
Links
The Links report lists your top linking sites, top linked pages and top anchor text, plus internal links. It is a free way to see who links to you, though it shows a sample rather than every link.
Experience and security
Core Web Vitals shows real-user speed and responsiveness data for pages with enough traffic. HTTPS shows whether your pages are served securely. Manual actions and Security issues should both say no issues detected. If they do not, fix them first.
A simple weekly routine
- Check Performance for the last 7 days compared with the previous period.
- Look at the Pages report for sudden jumps in not-indexed URLs.
- Inspect and request indexing for any new important pages.
- Read any emails Search Console sends about new issues.
For a new website, indexing is often the first hurdle. Beyond submitting a sitemap and requesting indexing, links from other sites give Google more ways to find your pages. Our checklist for getting a website indexed faster covers the full process, and a free run with Backlink Generator adds up to 100 public discovery mentions of your URL with a free account. It does not guarantee indexing, but it gives crawlers more paths to your site.
FAQ
Is Google Search Console free?
Yes. Search Console is completely free for any site owner. You only need a Google account and the ability to verify that you own or manage the site.
How long until data appears in Search Console?
Performance data usually starts appearing within a few days of verification, once Google has crawled and shown your pages. A brand-new site with no indexed pages will show little until Google indexes it.
What is the difference between Search Console and Google Analytics?
Search Console shows how your site appears in Google Search before people click: queries, impressions and indexing. Google Analytics shows what visitors do on your site after they arrive from any source. Most sites should use both.