If you have recently created a website, one of the first things you should do is connect it to Google Search Console. It is a free tool from Google that helps website owners understand how their websites appear in Google Search.

Google Search Console can help you monitor search performance, check indexing status, submit XML sitemaps, inspect URLs, identify technical problems, and understand how Google discovers your website.

In this guide, you will learn how to submit your website to Google Search Console, verify ownership, submit your sitemap, request indexing, and check whether Google has discovered your pages.

What Is Google Search Console?

Google Search Console is a free service provided by Google for website owners, developers, SEO professionals, and publishers.

It provides information about your website’s visibility in Google Search.

With Google Search Console, you can:

• Monitor Google Search traffic
• Check your website’s indexing status
• Submit XML sitemaps
• Inspect individual URLs
• Request indexing
• Identify indexing problems
• Monitor search queries
• Check impressions and clicks
• Monitor website performance
• Identify certain security issues
• Review Core Web Vitals
• Understand how Google discovers your pages

If you own a website, setting up Google Search Console is highly recommended.

Why Should You Submit Your Website to Google Search Console?

When you create a new website, Google may eventually discover it through links and other signals.

However, connecting your website to Search Console gives you much more visibility into Google’s interaction with your site.

You can see whether Google has discovered your pages and whether there are indexing problems.

Submitting an XML sitemap can also help Google discover important URLs on your website.

Remember that submitting your website does not guarantee indexing or rankings.

Google decides which pages to crawl, index, and rank.

How to Submit Your Website to Google Search Console

Follow these steps to set up Google Search Console.

Step 1: Open Google Search Console

First, open Google Search Console and sign in with your Google account.

You will need a Google account to use the service.

After signing in, select the option to add a property.

You will normally see two property options:

• Domain
• URL prefix

Step 2: Choose a Property Type

Google provides two main ways to add your website.

Domain Property

A Domain property covers the entire domain.

For example:

example.com

It can include different protocols and subdomains.

URL Prefix Property

A URL Prefix property covers URLs beginning with the specific address you enter.

For example:

https://example.com

For many website owners, Domain property provides broader coverage.

Step 3: Verify Website Ownership

Google needs to verify that you have permission to access Search Console data for the website.

The verification method depends on the property type you choose.

For a Domain property, DNS verification is commonly used.

Google provides a TXT record that you need to add to your domain’s DNS settings.

After adding the record, return to Google Search Console and click Verify.

DNS changes can sometimes take some time to become available.

Step 4: Add the DNS Record

If Google provides a TXT record, open the DNS management panel for your domain.

Depending on your provider, this may be called:

• DNS Management
• DNS Zone
• DNS Records
• Manage DNS
• Zone Editor

Create a new TXT record and enter the information provided by Google.

Save the record.

Then return to Search Console and complete the verification process.

Step 5: Submit Your XML Sitemap

Once your website is verified, the next important step is submitting your sitemap.

An XML sitemap contains URLs that you want search engines to discover.

If you use WordPress with an SEO plugin, your sitemap may already be automatically generated.

A common sitemap URL is:

/sitemap_index.xml

For example:

https://example.com/sitemap_index.xml

The exact URL depends on your SEO plugin and website configuration.

Step 6: Open the Sitemaps Section

Inside Google Search Console, open the Sitemaps section.

Enter your sitemap URL.

For example:

sitemap_index.xml

Then click Submit.

Google will process the sitemap.

If the sitemap is valid and accessible, Search Console should show that it has been successfully submitted.

Step 7: Check Your Sitemap

After submitting your sitemap, check its status.

Make sure:

• The sitemap URL is correct
• The sitemap can be accessed publicly
• The sitemap contains valid URLs
• Important pages are included
• Google can crawl your website

A sitemap is especially useful for new websites because it helps search engines discover important pages.

Step 8: Inspect Your Website URL

Google Search Console includes a useful URL Inspection tool.

Enter the URL of an important page.

For example:

https://example.com/about-us

Search Console will tell you whether Google has discovered and indexed the URL.

If the URL is eligible but isn’t indexed, you may have an option to request indexing.

Step 9: Request Indexing

If you have published a new important page, you can use URL Inspection to request indexing.

Enter the URL.

After Google checks the URL, select Request Indexing if the option is available.

This tells Google that you would like the URL to be considered for crawling.

However, requesting indexing does not guarantee immediate indexing.

Avoid repeatedly submitting the same URL.

Step 10: Check Your Indexing Report

The indexing report can show you information about pages Google has discovered.

Depending on your website, you may see URLs that are:

• Indexed
• Not indexed
• Crawled but not indexed
• Discovered but not indexed
• Redirected
• Blocked
• Duplicate

Don’t panic if some URLs aren’t indexed.

Not every URL on a website needs to be indexed.

Why Is My Website Not Indexed by Google?

There are many possible reasons.

Your website may be:

• Very new
• Difficult to crawl
• Blocking search engines
• Using noindex
• Missing internal links
• Containing low-value pages
• Experiencing technical problems
• Having duplicate content
• Not yet discovered by Google

Check the URL Inspection and indexing reports to understand the specific situation.

Check Your Robots.txt

Your robots.txt file provides crawling instructions to search engines.

For example:

https://example.com/robots.txt

Make sure you haven’t accidentally blocked important areas of your website.

A robots.txt mistake can prevent search engines from crawling pages that you want to appear in search results.

Check Your Robots Meta

Individual pages can also contain robots directives.

For example:

noindex

A page with a noindex directive generally tells search engines not to include that page in their index.

If an important page isn’t being indexed, check its SEO settings.

Create Internal Links

Internal links are another important way to help search engines discover your content.

For example, your SEO article could link to your Google Search Console guide.

Your Google Search Console guide could link to your sitemap guide.

This creates a connected website structure.

For example:

SEO for Beginners

↓

Google Search Console Guide

↓

XML Sitemap Guide

↓

Google Indexing Guide

Does Google Search Console Improve SEO Rankings?

Google Search Console itself does not automatically improve your rankings.

Instead, it provides information that can help you understand your website’s performance.

You can use that information to:

• Find opportunities
• Fix indexing issues
• Improve pages
• Understand search queries
• Improve titles
• Improve content
• Identify technical problems

Good SEO still requires useful content, technical quality, internal linking, and a good overall user experience.

How Long Does Google Take to Index a Website?

There is no guaranteed indexing time.

A new website may be discovered relatively quickly, while some pages may take longer.

Factors can include:

• Website size
• Website popularity
• Internal linking
• Crawl availability
• Content quality
• Technical accessibility
• Google’s crawling systems

Therefore, don’t expect every page to appear immediately after submitting your sitemap.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Google Search Console free?

Yes. Google Search Console is a free service provided by Google.

Does submitting a sitemap guarantee indexing?

No. A sitemap helps Google discover URLs but does not guarantee that Google will index every URL.

Should I submit every URL manually?

No. You generally don’t need to manually request indexing for every page. A properly configured sitemap and internal linking structure can help Google discover your content.

Can I use Google Search Console for a new website?

Yes. It is particularly useful for new websites because you can monitor indexing and search performance from the beginning.

Do I need an XML sitemap?

An XML sitemap can help search engines discover important pages, especially on larger or newer websites.

Can Search Console show my Google rankings?

It provides search-performance information including impressions, clicks, average position, and queries for your website.

Final Thoughts

Setting up Google Search Console is an important first step for any website owner who wants to understand their presence in Google Search.

After verifying your website, submit your XML sitemap, inspect important URLs, monitor indexing, and regularly review your search performance.

But remember that getting indexed is not the same as ranking.

Your long-term goal should be to create useful, original, well-structured content that answers real questions better than competing pages.

Build your website patiently, keep improving it, and use Search Console to understand what Google and your visitors are telling you.