Adding Your Site to Google Search Console (GSC)

Google Search Console (also known as Google Webmaster Tools) is one of the most important free SEO tools that you should never ignore. Google Search Console (GSC) is a tool developed by Google to monitor the technical aspect of your website.

Google Search Console has amazing tools and reports that you can use to identify your website problems and improve the site’s performance on search result pages.

How To Add Your Site on Google Search Console?

Once your site is completely developed, the first thing you want to do is integrate with Google Search Console and verify ownership of your website.

Follow this step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Create Google Search Console Account

You can either search for “Google Console” on the Google search box or click on this link https://search.google.com/search-console/about

You need to have a Google account to create a Google Search Console Account. If you’re using your business email with G Suite, you can use it as well.

Make sure to have your Google Analytics and Google Search Console on the same Google Account. It will be easier to verify your ownership later on.

Step 2: Add Your Website To Google Search Console

Click on Add Property. Enter your website URL in the URL prefix section.

You need to know that the Google Search Engine treats URL prefixes differently. So you need to repeat steps 2 and step 3 for each URL prefix.

Following are the four URL prefix:

http://www.[yoursite].com
http://[yoursite].com
https://www.[yoursite].com
https://[yoursite].com

You can also add your domain name to Google Search Console and get all your URLs added. But it requires you to do DNS verification with your domain registrar. As the method is slightly technical it is up to you whether you want to use that method.

You just need to start with one URL prefix.

Step 3: Ownership verification of your website

There are 5 ways to verify ownership of the added website.

HTML File Verification
HTML Tag Verification
Google Analytics
Google Tag Manager
Domain Name Provider

HTML File Verification

This is one of the common methods used by webmasters. To use this method you need to have access to your website hosting. You need to download the given HTML file and upload it to the root of your website folder. In most cases, you need to upload it to the public_html folder of your website.

Once you upload the HTML file, just click on VERIFY and you’re done with the verification.

html-file-verification — HTML File Verification

HTML Tag Verification

If you opt to use this method to verify your ownership, you just need to copy the given meta tag and paste it to the <head> section of your homepage.

If you’re using WordPress, you can use Yoast SEO Plugin. Yoast SEO plugin allows you the add the meta code to their “Webmaster Tool Section”

yoast-plugin-html-tag-verification — Yoast Plugin HTML Tag Verification

Hover on Yoast SEO on your WordPress Dashboard and then click on “General”. Click on Webmaster Tools tab and add the code in the Google Verification box.

Get back to your Google Search Console page and click VERIFY.

Google Analytics

The Google Analytics verification method is the easiest. You can use this method only if your site has been integrated with Google Analytics. You need to use the same account for both Google Analytics and Google Search Console.

Just click on the VERIFY button and you’re good to go.

Google Tag Manager

There are very few using the Google Tag Manager method to verify their sites on Google Search Console. Same as Google Analytics, you need to make sure the Google Tag Manager script has already been installed on your website.

I won’t go in-depth with Google Tag Manager as other alternative methods are relatively easier for non-technical website owners.

Domain Name Provider

This method should be your last option if all the other methods are not working for you. If you’re not a technical person, please avoid this method. This verification method requires editing domain DNS values in your domain registrar dashboard.

If you still insist on using this method as your last resort, it will be better to contact your domain registrar and request their assistance.

This is the complete guide on adding your website to Google Search Console.

If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below.