This post will teach you two ways to set up Google Search Console for your WordPress site. This simple process is an important step for your WordPress site.
What Is Google Search Console and Why Is It Important?
Google Search Console is a free tool that allows you to see how your website is performing on Google search.
While you don’t have to sign up for Google Search Console to be found in Google search results, it definitely works in your favor to sign up for it. It allows you to:
- Submit your sitemaps directly to Google Search Console. Google uses your sitemap to crawl your website and index it. A sitemap is an organized file of your website’s content and how it is structured.
- Discover which search terms were used to bring traffic to your WordPress site. Knowing which search terms are in demand for your blog will help you to shape future content.
- Be notified of issues with your site. Google keeps you informed with any issues on your site and makes it easy to update Google when you’ve fixed the problem.
- Know if your WordPress site is mobile friendly. A mobile-friendly website is super important because so many users are on a smartphone or tablet.
- Determine who’s linking to your website. Backlinks are great for your WordPress site, and now you can know who’s linking to your awesome site.
How to Set Up Google Search Console
There are two ways to add your website to Google Search Console: by domain or by URL prefix. Below I will illustrate how to do both.
- Head over to Google Search Console, and click Start now.
- You will be prompted to log in to your Google account. If you don’t already have a Google account, create one. Once logged in, you will be prompted to select a property type.
The domain property type allows you to verify using your main domain URL. It will verify all URLs for all the subdomains and protocols associated under this one domain. This process requires you to have access to your DNS settings.
The URL prefix property type allows you to verify your website; however, you must enter a URL for every subdomain and protocol you wish to add. Unlike the domain property where you only have to verify using the main URL.
Verifying Your Website Using Domain Property Type
Verifying your website using the domain property type is super easy and quick, but you have to have access to your DNS manager on your host.
- Choose the Domain property type, and simply add your domain URL and click continue.
- Now you will be sent to verify domain ownership via DNS record. Google Search Console will provide you with a TXT record. Hit the COPY button.
- Now take this TXT record and login to your host or domain name provider and locate the DNS Manager. Each host or domain name provider is slightly different. For me, I went to my host’s cPanel and located DNS Zone Editor.
- Once in the Zone Editor, locate your domain and click Manage.
- From here, click the down arrow on the + Add Record button, and select Add TXT Record.
- Now to add the TXT Record.
- Name: Domain Name
- TTL: 3600
- Type: TXT
- Record: TXT Record copied from Google Search Console
- Then hit Add Record
- Once the TXT record is added in the DNS, then go back to the Google Search Console page that was previously open and select Verify.
Now you’re verified!
If you weren’t able to verify with this method, continue below with the URL prefix verification method.
Verifying Your Website Using URL Prefix Property Type
I prefer using the domain verification, however, if you aren’t able to verify your site using this method you can verify your website using your URL prefix. In order to verify using this method, you will need to already have Google Analytics set up on your site.
- Choose the URL prefix property type, and add your website URL and click continue.
- Scroll down until you find Use your Google Analytics account. Select this option.
- If your website is not already set up with Google Analytics, go here to set this up first. Once your website is set up with Google Analytics, click Verify.
- Now your site is verified, but you will need to repeat this process a few more times. From this Google Search Console page, continue the previous steps for each variation of your website. For example, I would verify:
- https://blogthere.com
- https://www.blogthere.com
- http://blogthere.com
- http://www.blogthere.com
So, essentially, the https, http, and with the www, and without the www.