If you’re a website administrator or an SEO enthusiast, Google Search Console (GSC) is undoubtedly one of your best tools. With GSC, you can gain insights into your website’s performance on Google Search, check index status, find potential SEO issues, and optimize your site accordingly. Today, we’re going to walk you through the steps of adding your domain to Google Search Console so you can take control of and improve your website’s search performance.
Step 1: Visit Google Search Console’s Official Website
First, go to the official Google Search Console website: Google Search Console. On this page, you’ll need to log in with your Google account. If you don’t have one yet, make sure to create one.
Step 2: Log In to Your Account
Once you’ve logged in successfully, Google will automatically redirect you to the main GSC interface. Here, you’ll see your Google Search Console dashboard. If you haven’t added any websites yet, it will show a clean interface.
Step 3: Add a New Website
In the upper left corner of the dashboard, you’ll see a dropdown box. Click on it and select “Add Property” to add your domain.
This will redirect you to a new page where you’ll be asked to choose a verification method. To make sure your domain is correctly linked to Google Search Console, we recommend selecting the “Domain” option on the left.
Step 4: Enter Your Top-Level Domain
On the next page, enter your website’s top-level domain (e.g., www.yourdomain.com). Important: Do not include “http://” or “https://” or any subdirectories (like “/blog”) in the domain name. Make sure you enter only the complete top-level domain.
Once you’ve entered your domain, click the “Confirm” button to submit it.
Step 5: Verify Domain Ownership
After you submit your domain, if you’re using Cloudflare (CF) or other third-party DNS services, you may see a verification pop-up. This is normal, and it means Google needs to verify your ownership of the domain through Cloudflare.
Click the “START VERIFICATION” button in the pop-up to proceed to the Cloudflare verification interface.
Step 6: Authorize and Complete Verification
On the Cloudflare verification page, you’ll see an “Authorize” button. Click it to confirm authorization. This allows Google to verify your ownership of the domain via Cloudflare, completing the domain linking process.
Once authorized, return to Google Search Console, and you’ll see a successful verification message. This confirms that your website has been successfully added to GSC.
Success Screen After Adding Your Domain
Once your domain is successfully added and verified, the Google Search Console dashboard will show your website’s information and begin collecting data. You can now explore various reports and data, such as search performance, index status, and coverage, to better understand your site’s performance in Google Search and make necessary optimizations.
Tips & Tricks
Verification Method: While Google Search Console offers several verification methods (such as HTML file upload, DNS TXT records, etc.), if you’re using a service like Cloudflare, the “Domain” option is typically the simplest and most direct verification method.
Keep Authorization Active: Make sure that the Cloudflare authorization remains intact. If it’s changed, the verification could fail, affecting your GSC usage.
Conclusion
By following the steps above, you can easily add your website to Google Search Console and start benefiting from its SEO optimization features. GSC provides you with valuable insights into your website’s performance, helps you uncover technical issues, and allows you to make adjustments that can improve your search rankings. So, don’t hesitate – add your website to Google Search Console today and take control of your SEO efforts!
Need Assistance?
If you have any questions or need support, don’t hesitate to contact our team. We’re here to assist you!