Submitting your Website’s sitemap to Google Search Console

Google’s search console gives you the tools and reports necessary to help you keep track of your website’s performance, fix any issues it may be experiencing, and overall help you make your website stand out from the competition. Setting it up properly is a process, and we are here to help you nail it.

Adding and verifying a site in Google Search Console

If you’re new to Google Search Console, you’ll need to add and verify your site(s) before you can do anything else. Adding and verifying your site in search console proves to Google that you’re either a site’s owner, webmaster, or another authorized user. After all, the search console provides you with all sorts of incredibly detailed information and insights about a site’s performance. Google doesn’t want to just hand that kind of information over to anybody who asks for it.
Adding a site to Search Console is a very simple process. First, log in to your search console account. Once you’re logged in, you’ll see a box next to a red button which says “Add Property.”

Enter the URL of the site you’re trying to add in the box and click “Add Property.” Congratulations, your site is now added to your Search Console account!

Next, you will be asked to verify your site. There are a few different ways you can go about this. The method that will work best for you depends on whether or not you have experience working with HTML, if you have access to upload files to the site, the size of your site, and whether or not you have other Google programs connected to your site. If this sounds overwhelming, don’t worry—we’ll help you figure it out.

Adding an HTML tag

This verification method is best for users and site owners who have experience working with HTML code.

From the Search Console dashboard, select “Manage Property,” then “Verify this property.” If the “HTML Tag” option does not appear under “Recommended method,” then you should click on the “Alternate methods” tab and select “HTML tag.” This will provide you with the HTML code you’ll need for verification.

Copy the code and use your HTML editor to open the code for your site’s homepage. Paste the code provided within thesection of the HTML code. If your site already has a meta tag or other code in thesection, it doesn’t matter where the verification code is placed in relation to the other code; it simply needs to be in thesection. If your site doesn’t have asection, you can create one for the sake of verifying the site.

Once the verification code has been added, save and publish the updated code and open your site’s homepage. From there, view the site’s source code. The verification code should be visible in thesection.

Once you’re sure the code is added to your site’s homepage, go back to Search Console and click “Verify.” Google will then check your site’s code for the verification code. If the code is found, you will see a screen letting you know the site has been verified. If not, you will be provided with information about the errors it encountered.

When your site has been verified by Search Console, do not remove the verification code from your site. If the code is removed, it will cause your site to become unverified.

Uploading an HTML file

To use this method, you must be able to upload files to a site’s root directory.

From the Search Console dashboard, select “Manage site,” then “Verify this site.” If “HTML file upload” is not listed under “Recommended method,” it should be listed under the “Alternate method” tab.

When you select this method, you will be asked to download an HTML file. Download it, then upload it to the specified location. Do not make any changes to the content of the file or the filename; the file needs to be kept exactly the same. If it is changed, the search console will not be able to verify the site.

After the HTML file has been uploaded, go back to Search Console and click “Verify.” If everything has been uploaded correctly, you will see a page letting you know the site has been verified.

Once you have verified your site using this method, do not delete the HTML file from your site. This will cause your site to become unverified.

Verifying via domain name provider

The domain name provider is the name of the company you purchased the domain from, or where your website is hosted. When you verify using your domain name provider, it not only proves you’re the owner of the main domain but also that you own all of the subdomains and subdirectories associated with it. This is an excellent option if you have a large website and if you do not have coding experience.

From the Search Console dashboard, select “Manage site,” then “Verify this site.” If you don’t see the “Domain name provider” option listed under “Recommended method,” look under the “Alternate method” tab.

When you select “Domain name provider,” you will be asked to choose your domain name provider from a list of commonly used providers, such as GoDaddy.com. If your provider is not on this list, choose “Other” and you will be given instructions on how to create a DNS TXT record for your provider. If a DNS TXT record doesn’t work for your provider, you will have the option of creating a CNAME record instead. Both options are equally viable.

Adding Google Analytics code

If you already use Google Analytics (GA) to monitor your site’s traffic, this could be the easiest option for you. But first, you’ll need to be able to check the site’s HTML code to make sure the GA tracking code is placed within the section of your homepage’s code, not in the section. If the GA code is not already in the section, you’ll need to move it there for this method to work.

From the Search Console dashboard, select “Manage site,” then “Verify this site.” If you don’t see the “Google Analytics tracking code” option under the “Recommended method,” look under the “Alternate method” tab. When you select the “Google Analytics tracking method,” you’ll be provided with a series of instructions to follow.

Once your site has been verified, do not remove the GA code from your site, or it will cause your site to become unverified.

Using Google Tag Manager

If you already use Google Tag Manager (GTM) for your site, this might be the easiest way to verify your site. If you’re going to try this method, you need to have “View, Edit, and Manage” permissions enabled for your account in GTM. Before trying this method, look at your site’s HTML code to make sure the GTM code is placed immediately after your site’s tag.

From the Search Console dashboard, select “Manage site,” then “Verify this site.” If you don’t see the “Google Tag Manager” option listed under the “Recommended method,” it should appear under “Alternate method.”

Select “Google Tag Manager” and click “Verify.” If the Google Tag Manager code is found, you should see a screen letting you know your site has been verified.

Once your site is verified, do not remove the GTM code from your site or your site will become unverified.