How do you set up Google Search Console?
To set up Google Search Console, sign in at search.google.com/search-console with a Google account, add a Domain or URL-prefix property, verify that you own the site (DNS record, HTML tag or file), then submit your XML sitemap. Data starts appearing within a few days and becomes useful after a few weeks.
Search Console is Google's free dashboard for your site's presence in Google Search. It shows which queries bring impressions and clicks, which pages are indexed, and what is broken. In 2026 it also matters for AI search. Google states that traffic from AI Overviews and AI Mode is counted in the Performance report, under the "Web" search type.
This guide covers the full setup for any website, then the specific steps for WordPress, Shopify and custom-built sites. It ends with the reports worth checking every week.
Which property type should you choose: Domain or URL prefix?
Choose a Domain property if you can edit your DNS records, because it covers every protocol and subdomain in one view. A URL-prefix property only covers the exact address you enter, such as https://www.example.com/, and nothing outside it.
Google's own help page on adding a website property explains the difference. Here is how the two compare in practice:
| Feature | Domain property | URL-prefix property |
|---|---|---|
| Covers http and https | Yes | No, one protocol only |
| Covers www and non-www | Yes | No, one host only |
| Covers all subdomains | Yes | No |
| Verification methods | DNS record only | HTML file, HTML tag, Google Analytics, Tag Manager, DNS |
A Domain property gives you the complete picture. That matters if you ever migrated from http to https, or from www to non-www. Old URLs can still collect impressions, and you want to see them.
Many teams add both. The Domain property is the master view. A URL-prefix property is handy for a single section, such as a blog folder, or when you cannot touch DNS.
How do you verify ownership in Google Search Console?
You verify ownership by proving you control the site, usually by adding a TXT record at your domain provider or placing a Google-supplied tag or file on your homepage. Domain properties require the DNS method. URL-prefix properties accept several methods.
Google's verification help page lists every supported method. The common ones are:
- DNS TXT record. Copy the TXT value Search Console gives you and add it in your registrar or DNS host, such as Cloudflare or GoDaddy. DNS changes can take minutes to a day.
- HTML tag. Paste a meta tag into the head section of your homepage.
- HTML file upload. Upload a small file to your site's root folder.
- Google Analytics or Tag Manager. Works if the same Google account already manages those tags.
Keep the token in place permanently. Google notes that verification lasts only as long as Search Console can still find a valid token. If a redesign removes the tag, you lose access.
Add a second verified owner too. If one employee leaves, the property should not leave with them.
How do you add Google Search Console to WordPress?
The easiest way to add Search Console to WordPress is Google's official Site Kit plugin, which verifies the site and shows Search Console data inside your dashboard. SEO plugins such as Yoast or Rank Math also accept the HTML verification tag.
Follow these steps:
- Install and activate Site Kit from Plugins, then Add New.
- Sign in with the Google account that should own the property.
- Allow Site Kit to verify the site and connect Search Console.
- Confirm the property appears in Search Console itself.
If you prefer not to add a plugin, choose the Domain property and verify by DNS. This survives theme changes, which the HTML tag method does not.
WordPress generates an XML sitemap by default at /wp-sitemap.xml. SEO plugins often replace it with their own, usually at /sitemap_index.xml. Submit whichever one is live, not both.
If your WordPress site needs deeper technical work after setup, our WordPress development team can help with the fixes Search Console flags.
How do you add Google Search Console to Shopify?
On Shopify, use a Domain property verified by DNS, or paste the HTML verification tag into your theme's theme.liquid file inside the head section. Then submit the sitemap Shopify builds for you at yourstore.com/sitemap.xml.
Shopify creates and updates the sitemap automatically. Its help centre explains where to find your sitemap. The file links to child sitemaps for products, collections, pages and blog posts.
A few Shopify-specific points:
- Your storefront password must be turned off. Google cannot read the sitemap of a store in private mode.
- Verify the primary domain you actually use, not the myshopify.com address.
- If you edit theme.liquid, note the change. A theme switch will remove the tag, so DNS verification is safer.
After verification, watch the Pages report closely. Shopify stores often show filtered collection URLs and variant URLs as "Duplicate without user-selected canonical." Most of these are normal and handled by Shopify's canonical tags.
How do you add Google Search Console to a custom website?
For a custom-built website, add a Domain property and verify it with a DNS TXT record, since this is independent of your code and templates. If DNS is not available, add the HTML meta tag to the shared head template so it loads on the homepage.
Custom sites need a little more care than platforms do:
- Generate a sitemap. Your framework or CMS should output an XML sitemap. Google's guide to building a sitemap covers the format and limits.
- Reference it in robots.txt. Add a line such as "Sitemap: https://example.com/sitemap.xml".
- Check canonical tags. Each page should declare one preferred URL.
- Test rendering. Use the URL Inspection tool to confirm Google sees your content in the rendered HTML.
That last point is critical for JavaScript-heavy sites. Content that only appears after client-side rendering can be delayed in Google. It is often invisible to AI crawlers that do not execute JavaScript.
How do you submit a sitemap to Google Search Console?
To submit a sitemap, open Sitemaps in the left menu, enter the sitemap path after your domain, and click Submit. Search Console then reports the status and how many URLs it discovered.
An XML sitemap is a file listing the URLs you want search engines to find. Google's sitemaps overview says they help most with large sites, new sites with few links, and sites with rich media.
Keep your sitemap clean:
- Include only canonical, indexable URLs that return a 200 status.
- Exclude redirects, noindex pages and parameter URLs.
- Keep each file under 50,000 URLs or 50 MB uncompressed. Use a sitemap index for more.
- Update the lastmod date only when content genuinely changes.
A sitemap is a hint, not a command. Submitting it does not guarantee indexing. It simply helps Google discover and prioritise URLs.
Also consider Bing. Bing's index powers Microsoft Copilot and other AI search tools, so submitting the same sitemap in Bing Webmaster Tools widens your reach beyond Google.
What do impressions, clicks, CTR and average position mean?
These four metrics in the Performance report describe how your site appears in Google Search. Impressions count how often a URL was shown. Clicks count visits. CTR is clicks divided by impressions. Average position is your mean ranking.
The Performance report help page explains each metric. The default view shows the last three months, but you can widen the date range.
| Metric | What it means | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Impressions | Times your URL appeared in results | Rising impressions signal growing visibility |
| Clicks | Visits from Google Search | The metric closest to business value |
| CTR | Clicks divided by impressions | Low CTR on high impressions means weak titles |
| Average position | Mean ranking of your top result | Positions 5 to 15 are quick-win candidates |
Filter by Queries to see search terms and by Pages to see landing pages. The Search Appearance tab breaks out rich results.
Remember that AI Overview impressions are blended into the Web totals. A page can gain impressions and lose CTR at once when an AI Overview answers the query directly.
Which Search Console reports should you check every week?
Check the Performance report, the Pages indexing report and the Core Web Vitals report every week. Together they show whether traffic is moving, whether important pages are indexed, and whether real users get a fast experience.
A simple weekly routine takes about 15 minutes:
- Performance. Compare the last 28 days with the previous period. Note pages with falling clicks.
- Pages. Look for new "Not indexed" reasons, especially server errors and "Crawled, currently not indexed."
- URL Inspection. Test any new or updated page. The URL Inspection tool shows the indexed version and lets you request indexing.
- Core Web Vitals. Review URL groups marked Poor on mobile.
- Manual actions and security issues. These should always be empty.
Record changes in a shared log. When traffic drops, a dated history of fixes makes diagnosis far faster. If you want a second pair of eyes, our technical SEO team audits Search Console data as part of every engagement.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Search Console free to use?
Yes. Google Search Console is completely free for any website owner. You only need a Google account and proof that you control the site. There are no paid tiers or usage limits for normal websites, and you can add many properties to one account and share access with colleagues or agencies.
How long does Google Search Console take to show data?
Most properties start showing data within a few days of verification. Performance data can lag by roughly two days behind real time. For a brand-new site, reports stay thin until Google has crawled and indexed enough pages, which can take several weeks depending on links and sitemap quality.
Does Google Search Console show AI Overview traffic?
Partly. Google counts clicks and impressions from AI Overviews and AI Mode inside the Performance report under the Web search type. It does not split them out as a separate filter, so you see AI-driven visibility blended with classic results rather than a dedicated AI Overview view.
What is the difference between Search Console and Google Analytics?
Search Console shows what happens before a visit: impressions, rankings, queries and indexing. Google Analytics shows what happens after a visit: sessions, engagement and conversions. Use both together. Search Console explains how people find you, while Analytics explains what they do once they land on your site.
Can I add Search Console without editing my website code?
Yes. Choose a Domain property and verify it with a DNS TXT record at your domain provider. This method never touches your website files or theme. It also survives redesigns and platform migrations, which makes it the most durable verification option for most businesses.
Why does Search Console say my page is not indexed?
Common reasons include a noindex tag, a canonical pointing elsewhere, a redirect, a robots.txt block, duplicate content or low perceived value. Open the Pages report to see the exact reason, fix the cause, then use URL Inspection to request indexing. Some reasons, like "Crawled, currently not indexed," need stronger content.