Set up Google Search Console

Google Search Console is Google’s free tool that shows how your site appears in search: which searches you show up for, how many clicks you get, and which pages have problems.

Why it matters

It’s the only place Google tells you directly about your site. Most of the other guides here use it, and Marketing Feed uses it for your search numbers.

How to set it up

1. Go to Google Search Console and sign in with your business Google account.
2. Select Add property from the property list.
3. Choose a property type:
   • Domain (recommended): covers your whole site, with and without www, http and https. Enter just example.com.au. You verify it by adding a DNS record where your domain is managed.
   • URL prefix: covers only addresses starting exactly as you enter them, such as https://www.example.com.au/. It has more ways to verify, such as uploading a file or using Google Analytics.
4. Follow the verification steps. A DNS record can take a few hours to be picked up, so you can save and finish later.
5. Once verified, submit your sitemap.

If you don’t manage your domain’s DNS yourself, send the verification record to whoever does, usually your web developer or domain registrar.

Data starts building from when you verify, so set it up as early as you can.

Connect it to KnowYourMarket.ai

See Google Analytics and Search Console.

Google’s guide

Add a website property to Search Console (Search Console Help)