Google Search Console: Setup Guide and How to Use It

Key Facts at a Glance

• Google Search Console offers two website property types: URL-prefix and Domain, according to Google Search Console Help.
• A Domain property covers all subdomains and protocols, while a URL-prefix property only covers URLs that match the exact prefix you add.
• Domain properties require DNS verification. URL-prefix properties can use several verification methods, including an HTML file, HTML meta tag, Google Analytics or Google Tag Manager.
• Submitting a sitemap helps Google discover URLs, but Google Search Console Help says discovery through a sitemap does not guarantee crawling or indexing.
• The main reports for most business owners are Performance, Page indexing, URL Inspection and Core Web Vitals.

How to Set Up Google Search Console

The setup process is straightforward once you decide which property type fits your website. Google Search Console Help lists two choices: a URL-prefix property and a Domain property. A URL-prefix property includes only URLs beginning with the exact prefix you enter, including the protocol. A Domain property covers the domain more broadly, including subdomains and both http and https.

For many businesses, a Domain property gives the most complete view because it includes versions such as www and non-www automatically. Google says not to include www when defining a Domain property. If you only need to monitor one specific section or protocol version, a URL-prefix property can be more precise.

1. Add your website in Google Search Console and choose either a Domain property or a URL-prefix property.
2. Complete the appropriate ownership verification method.
3. Keep the verification token in place after verification so Search Console can continue to confirm ownership.
4. Submit your sitemap in the Sitemaps report.
5. Check the Performance report once data is available and review which queries and pages are generating impressions and clicks.
6. Use the Page indexing report to understand which pages are indexed and why other pages are not.
7. Use URL Inspection when you need to investigate an individual page or request indexing after an important update.
8. Review Core Web Vitals for mobile and desktop to spot groups of pages with experience issues.

Google Search Console Verification Methods

Verification proves that you control the site or domain. The method you can use depends partly on the property type you chose. Google Search Console Help says Domain properties use DNS records, while URL-prefix properties support several additional methods.

If you use DNS verification, allow for the possibility of a delay. Google Search Console Help says DNS changes can take up to two or three days to be seen.

Do not remove the verification record, file or tag once the property is verified. Google says verification lasts only while Search Console can continue confirming that the token is present and valid. Several people can also verify the same site using the same or different methods, provided one owner's token does not overwrite another owner's token.

How to Submit a Sitemap and Check Indexing

Once verification is complete, submit your sitemap through the Sitemaps report. Google Search Console Help says the report shows discovered pages for each submitted sitemap. If you submit a sitemap index, the discovered page total is counted across its child sitemaps.

Treat a sitemap as a discovery aid, not an indexing guarantee. Google states that a URL found in a submitted sitemap is not guaranteed to be crawled or indexed.

For a broader view of indexing, use the Page indexing report. Google Search Console Help divides pages into Indexed and Not indexed. A page that is not indexed is assigned a reason, which helps you decide whether there is a real problem to fix or an exclusion that is expected.

Reasons can include Crawled - currently not indexed, meaning Google crawled the page but has not indexed it, and Discovered - currently not indexed, meaning Google found the page but has not yet crawled it. Other reasons include exclusion by a noindex directive, Page with redirect, Alternate page with proper canonical tag, Duplicate without user-selected canonical, Not found, Soft 404, Blocked by robots.txt and Server error.

Not every non-indexed URL needs fixing. Google Search Console Help says site owners should not expect every URL on a site to be indexed, only the canonical pages. Redirects, duplicate URLs and alternate canonical pages may therefore be completely normal.

If you fix a genuine indexing problem, the Page indexing report offers Validate fix. Google says validation typically takes up to about two weeks and can take much longer, so do not treat it as an instant recheck.

Which Google Search Console Reports Matter Most

The Performance report is the best starting point for understanding how your site appears in Google Search. Google Search Console Help defines clicks as visits generated when someone clicks through from Google Search results, impressions as appearances in results, CTR as clicks divided by impressions, and average position as the average position of the topmost result from your site.

The default Performance view covers the past three months. For practical analysis, look for queries with many impressions but a low click-through rate, because the result may be appearing without attracting enough clicks. You can also look for useful pages sitting just off page one and review whether their content, title or search intent alignment needs attention. Avoid treating any single metric as a guaranteed route to higher rankings.

The URL Inspection tool is useful when you need detail on one page. Google Search Console Help says it shows the indexed version of a page, while a live test fetches the current version. The two can differ after recent changes.

Request indexing places a URL into a queue. Google says there is a daily request limit, the request does not guarantee indexing, and indexing typically takes a day or so but can take much longer. If you have many pages to submit, Google recommends using a sitemap instead.

The Core Web Vitals report groups URLs as Poor, Need improvement or Good for LCP, INP and CLS, using real user data from the Chrome User Experience Report. Google reports mobile and desktop separately, so check both rather than assuming one reflects the other.

The Manual actions report also exists and is worth checking so you can see whether Google has reported a manual action affecting your site.

The Links report also exists and can help you review how Google sees links associated with your site.

Do not look for the old Mobile Usability report. Google Search Central's documentation changelog says Google removed mentions of the Mobile-Friendly Test and Mobile Usability report in December 2023 because they were going away. Likewise, use the current Page indexing report rather than relying on older guidance built around the previous Coverage report.

Monthly Google Search Console Checklist

You do not need to spend hours in Search Console every week. A regular monthly review is usually enough to spot obvious changes, technical problems and opportunities that deserve a closer look.

• Check the Performance report for changes in clicks, impressions, CTR and average position.
• Review queries with strong impression levels but weak click-through rates.
• Look at important pages sitting just off page one and decide whether the content still matches the search intent.
• Open the Page indexing report and investigate new or unexpected Not indexed reasons.
• Check whether important new or recently updated pages appear as indexed.
• Use URL Inspection for individual pages that need closer investigation.
• Review submitted sitemaps for discovery issues.
• Check Core Web Vitals separately for mobile and desktop.
• Review the Manual actions report for any reported issues.
• Review the Links report if you need a broader view of how Google sees links to and within the site.

Once the basics are running, the natural next steps are structured data for the pages that qualify and, for businesses that serve a local area, the checks in our local SEO guide. If you would rather hand the monthly review to someone else, it is part of our SEO service.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Google Search Console Free?

Yes. Google Search Console is a free Google tool that helps site owners monitor how their website appears in Google Search, review indexing information and inspect technical search-related issues.

Domain Property or URL Prefix: Which Should I Choose?

Choose a Domain property if you want coverage across the whole domain, including all subdomains and protocols. Google Search Console Help says Domain properties automatically include both www and non-www and require DNS verification. Choose a URL-prefix property if you only need URLs matching a specific protocol and prefix, or if one of its alternative verification methods is more suitable.

How Long Does Google Take to Index a New Page?

Google Search Console Help says indexing after a request typically takes a day or so but can take much longer. Request indexing only adds the URL to a queue and does not guarantee indexing. For many pages, Google recommends submitting a sitemap rather than requesting indexing one URL at a time.

Why Are Some of My Pages Not Indexed?

The Page indexing report gives a reason for each Not indexed page. Google lists reasons including Crawled - currently not indexed, Discovered - currently not indexed, noindex exclusions, redirects, canonical alternatives, duplicate pages, 404s, soft 404s, robots.txt blocks and server errors. Google also says you should not expect every URL on a site to be indexed, only the canonical pages.