Google Search Console for Beginners: Get Your Website on Google

You built a website. It looks great.

But when you search for it on Google… nothing.

Sound familiar?

The fix usually starts with a free tool from Google called Google Search Console.

In this guide, I'll show you how to set it up — even if you're not technical at all.

What Is Google Search Console?

Google Search Console is a free tool that shows how Google sees your website.

With it, you can:

• Tell Google about your website and all its pages
• See which searches bring people to your site
• Find pages that Google can't show, and why
• Ask Google to check a new or updated page

You can read Google's own overview in About Search Console.

Step #1: Add Your Website as a "Domain" Property

Go to Google Search Console and sign in with your Google account.

Google asks you to choose a property type. You'll see two options:

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• Domain — covers everything: with and without www, http and https. Recommended.
• URL prefix — covers only one exact address. Easier to verify, but more limited.

Type your domain without https or www — for example, yourbusiness.com — and click Continue.

Step #2: Verify That You Own the Website

For a Domain property, Google gives you a short TXT record to add in your domain's DNS settings.

1. Copy the TXT record from Search Console
2. Open the place where you bought your domain (or your hosting, e.g. Vercel, GoDaddy, Hostinger)
3. Find DNS settings → add a new TXT record → paste it
4. Go back to Search Console and click Verify

Sometimes it works in minutes; sometimes DNS takes a few hours to update. Google lists every method in Verify your site ownership.

Step #3: Submit Your Sitemap

A sitemap is a list of all the pages on your website. It helps Google find them faster.

Most modern websites create one automatically at yourbusiness.com/sitemap.xml. (Our site's is at /sitemap.xml.)

In Search Console, open Sitemaps, type sitemap.xml and click Submit.

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Want to understand sitemaps better? Read Google's What is a sitemap and the Sitemaps report help.

Step #4: Check Any Page with URL Inspection

Paste any page address into the search bar at the top of Search Console.

Google tells you if that page is on Google — or why it isn't.

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Published a new page or changed an important one? Click Request indexing. It doesn't guarantee instant results, but it asks Google to visit again. Details: URL Inspection tool.

Step #5: Read the Performance Report (The Fun Part)

After a few days, open Performance → Search results. You'll see four numbers:

Scroll down to Queries — these are the actual words people typed to find you. Use them as ideas for new pages and blog posts.

Step #6: Fix the "Pages" Report Issues

Open Indexing → Pages. It shows which pages are on Google and which aren't.

Some "not indexed" pages are normal (like admin pages). Focus on important pages — your home, services and contact pages — and make sure they're indexed.

Also check the Core Web Vitals report for speed problems. Our guide on checking your website speed explains it in simple words.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

Search Console is like a health report for your website — straight from Google.

Set it up once, submit your sitemap, and check it once a month. You'll know exactly what's working and what needs fixing.

Planning a new website? Use our free Website Planner first.