🚀 How to Get Started with Google Search Console

Verify Site Ownership #

• Add your site to Search Console and verify it.
  
• Methods:
  
  • DNS record
    
  • HTML file upload
    
  • Google Analytics / Tag Manager
    
• Why? Gives you full access to all reports and insights.
  

Ensure Google Can Find Your Pages #

• Check Index Coverage Report:
  
  • ✅ See which pages are indexed.
    
  • ❌ Fix errors (blocked by robots.txt, noindex tags, server errors).
    
• Pro Tip: Always make important pages accessible and crawlable.
  

Submit a Sitemap (Optional but Recommended) #

• Speeds up discovery of your pages.
  
• Submit through the Sitemaps Report.
  
• Monitor for errors (broken links, missing pages).
  

Monitor Search Performance #

• Use Performance Report to see:
  
  • 🔍 Queries people use to find you
    
  • 📄 Pages that get clicks & impressions
    
  • 🌏 Countries driving traffic
    
• Watch for drops → If traffic declines, check:
  
  • Algorithm updates
    
  • Indexing issues
    
  • Technical problems
    

📊 Key Reports for SEO Marketers / Site Owners #

• Manual Actions Report → Check if penalties exist.
  
• Removals Tool → Temporarily hide unwanted pages.
  
• Change of Address Tool → Notify Google if you migrate domains.
  
• Rich Results Report → Debug structured data for rich snippets.
  

🛠 Key Reports for Developers #

• Index Coverage Report → Fix crawl/indexing issues site-wide.
  
• URL Inspection Tool → Check live/indexed status of specific pages.
  
• Security Issues Report → Detect malware, hacking, phishing.
  
• Core Web Vitals Report → Improve page speed & UX for SEO.