Everyone who owns a website has a simple goal: to appear on Google. That process starts with the production of a quality website, continues with the management of your Google Business Profile (often called Google My Business), and finishes with Google Search Console.
Of all of Google’s various tools, it may be the most overlooked of them. Yet when it comes to proactive management of your online presence, it can be one of the most beneficial.
So what is Google Search Console?
Simply put, Google Search Console is an online tool to help you manage your Google presence. Specifically, within its Dashboard you can:
- Confirm and request indexing of your site;
- Fix issues;
- Submit new or updated content;
- See additional analytics insights;
- Be alerted to issues or spam-like behaviors coming from your website;
- Analyze inbound links, which are helpful for SEO ranking;
And more. It’s an all-in-one tool to maximize your hard work in building and optimizing your site for search engines.
When would I use Google Search Console?
Most commonly, a webmaster or website owner would use Google Search Console shortly after launching their new or revamped website. One of the biggest benefits is the ability to submit your website for indexing. This is a proactive step to get your website listed on Google search results.
You may also use the Console when there is a coding-based error on your site. Typically, Google will alert you via email that something is interfering with displaying your site within search engines. This allows you to fix the issue quickly so that you can get back to your marketing plans or running your business.
Isn’t SEO enough for my site to appear on search engine results?
With good SEO, yes your site will eventually appear within various search engines — including Google. The difference here is that Google Search Console is a proactive process. Rather than waiting for Google to crawl and index your site, via Search Console you’re able to submit it directly to Google. This often results in your site showing up far quicker than it would otherwise.
Is Google Search Console difficult to use?
Google Search Console isn’t necessarily difficult to use. It has a relatively simple interface with few menu options (compare to, say, the older version of Google Analytics).
The difficulty for most comes with the interpretation of the messages. Often, users will get an email notification stating there is a problem with Google Search. This causes concern, which is often something as simple as small errors that Google is simply advising you to fix.
Using Google Search Console
Thankfully, Google Search Console isn’t a service you will need to log into daily. Rather, it’s a tool to generate awareness of how your website is performing. It provides a quick and painless method to get your site indexed faster and can alert you to problems within your code.
As a part of our marketing packages, we can manage all of your Google Search Console settings for you. Let us know what issues you’ve seen within your Dashboard (or if you need help setting it up) by sending us a message HERE.
