Set up Google Search Console from scratch

  • seo
  • search-console
  • verification
  • google

Google Search Console shows how your site performs in Google search: which searches bring people in, which pages are indexed, and any errors Google finds. Setting it up means adding your site, proving you own it, and submitting a sitemap.

Add your site

  1. Open Google Search Console and sign in with the Google account you want to keep using for it.
  2. Click Add property.
  3. Choose URL prefix. (Choose Domain only if you're comfortable verifying through your domain's DNS settings.)
  4. Enter your site address exactly as it appears in the browser, including https:// and www if you use it.
  5. Click Continue.

A URL-prefix property covers one exact address. If you later switch from http to https, or add or drop www, add a new property.

Verify with the HTML tag

  1. In Search Console, choose the HTML tag verification method.
  2. Google shows a line of code like <meta name="google-site-verification" content="abc123…" />. Copy only the text between the quotes after content=.
  3. In WordPress, go to Appearance → Customize → Scripts & Embeds → Analytics & Tracking.
  4. Paste it into Google Site Verification ID.
  5. Click Publish.
  6. Go back to Search Console and click Verify.

Paste only the token, not the whole meta tag. Dirigible adds the tag to your site for you.

If verification fails, make sure you clicked Publish in the Customizer, wait a few minutes, and try again. Checking the site in a private window confirms your change is live.

Submit your sitemap

Once you're verified, open Sitemaps in Search Console and submit wp-sitemap.xml. WordPress creates this sitemap automatically at yourdomain.com/wp-sitemap.xml.

Search Console is not Google Analytics

Search Console covers search results. To see visitor traffic, set up Google Analytics separately. See Add Google Analytics 4 to your site. Page titles and descriptions are covered in Edit the SEO title and meta description for a page. For the markup Dirigible already adds to pages, see Check structured data.