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Table of Contents
- What is Google Search Console
- Why is Google Search Console Important
- How to Set Up Google Search Console
- Telling Google About Your Site
- Ask for Help
- Google Search Console Tools
- Final Thoughts
- ☕️ How many cups of Coffee?
- More Practical SEO Resources
- FAQ
What is Google Search Console
Hey there, fellow entrepreneurs and SEO enthusiasts 🤓 I'm going to walk you through one of the most powerful tools in the SEO world—Google Search Console. You might wonder, what is Google Search Console? It's a free tool from Google that helps you 🔎monitor, 🧑🔧 maintain, and 👾 troubleshoot your site's presence in Google Search results. Think of it as your site's control panel for everything search-related.
Setting up Google Search Console, in short GSC, is the first thing you do before searching or even buying SEO tools. By first configuring GSC, you lay down the groundwork for all your SEO efforts. SEO tools come in later, adding to the insights and data you first gather from GSC.
Why is Google Search Console Important
You might be asking, why is Google Search Console important? In simple terms, it gives you insights straight from Google about how your site is performing in search. This means you can see which keywords bring people to your site, how often your pages appear in search results, and even fix issues that might prevent your site from showing up at all. If you're serious about improving your site's SEO, this tool is a must-have.
How to Set Up Google Search Console
First things first, you'll need a Google account. Once you're logged in, head over to the 👉 Google Search Console website.
- Add Property: Click on the "Add Property" button and enter your website's URL.
- Google Search Console Verification: You'll need to verify that you own the site. There are several methods for this, including adding a meta tag to your site's HTML, uploading an HTML file, or using your domain name provider. I prefer verifying my domain using DNS records.
- Submit Your Sitemap: After successful verification, the next step is to submit your Google Search Console sitemap. This helps Google understand the structure of your site and index it more effectively. ⚠️ Side note: If you are still building your website, still not 100% sure how your new website will look like, or not ready with the content, wait until everything is ready to be published to the public and then add the sitemap.
Telling Google About Your Site
It's crucial to inform Google about your site, especially if it's new⚠️ Google can't index what it doesn't know. Use your sitemap URL (e.g., yourexampledomain.com/sitemap.xml) and submit it to Google Search Console.
Be patient, as the indexing process may take some time to begin, but eventually, Google will start indexing your site.
⚠️ Side note: Indexing is not the same as ranking. Indexing means that Google is ‘aware of your website’, it doesn’t necessarily mean you rank for certain keywords. If you need more help with sitemaps, check out this page.
Ask for Help
If you run into any issues, don't hesitate to seek Google Search Console help.
Google Search Console Tools
Now that you're all set up, let's explore some of the fantastic Google Search Console tools available:
- Performance Report: This is where you can see how your site is doing in Google Search. You'll get data on clicks, impressions, and average position. You can also see which Google Search Console keywords are driving traffic to your site.
- Coverage Report: This shows you which pages of your site have been indexed by Google and alerts you to any errors or issues.
- URL Inspection Tool: This useful tool lets you check how Google sees a specific URL. It's perfect for troubleshooting indexing issues.
- Mobile Usability: With more people using their phones to search, this tool tells you how mobile-friendly your site is.
- Links Report: See which sites are linking to yours and what your top linked pages are. It's great for your Google Search Console SEO strategy in the long run.
👉The Google Search Console dashboard is your hub for all these tools, making it easy to switch between reports and insights.
Final Thoughts
Whether you're an entrepreneur looking to boost your site's visibility or an SEO enthusiast eager to learn more, this tool is invaluable. Remember, the key to effective SEO is not just about having great content but also understanding how that content performs. Google Search Console gives you the insights you need to make informed decisions and improve your site's performance over time. Don’t forget, SEO is all about patience…
Good luck 😉
☕️ How many cups of Coffee?
Getting started with Google Search Console is super easy once you get the hang of it. Using my coffee cup expense metric, it'll take you ☕️☕️ cups of coffee to grasp the basics and start using its features for your SEO needs. This small investment makes it an ideal tool for beginners starting their SEO journey.
More Practical SEO Resources
- If you're new to SEO, you might also want to check out some insights from Neil Patel that we've broken down. It's packed with tips that can really help your SEO strategy.
- And if you're wondering why Google might not be indexing your pages, don't miss our quick guide on troubleshooting that issue.
FAQ
How long does it take to rank on Google?
It can take some time to rank on Google. It depends on how tough the competition is for your keywords, the quality of your content, and how strong your website is. If you keep creating good content regularly, you might notice progress in 3 to 6 months. Check out our guide for more details on how long it takes to rank on Google.