You have just launched a new website, and want your website to turn up in Google Search results. What is a quick way to get this done? You can submit your website for indexing in Google Search through Google Search Console.
Create a Sitemap
Before you submit your website to Google, it is a good idea to create a sitemap for your website.
A sitemap is a file that lists all the pages on your website, making it easier for search engines to crawl and index your site. This is not necessary in order to get your website into Google Search, but your sitemap will ensure that all the pages that you want indexed will indeed be indexed.
- Generate a sitemap. You can use a sitemap generator tool or a website plugin to automatically create a sitemap for your website. If you have a custom-built website, you will need to request your website developer to build a sitemap.
- Verify the sitemap. Check the sitemap and ensure that it includes all the pages of your website that you want to be indexed in Google Search.
Add Your Website to Google Search Console
Google Search Console is a free tool provided by Google that helps you monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot your website’s presence and ranking in Google Search results.
- Create your Google Search Console account. If you haven’t already, sign up for a Google account, and then log in to Google Search Console.
- Add your website as a Property in Google Search Console. You will need to enter your website URL, after which you need to complete the verification process. The verification process will prove that you indeed own or manage the website.
Submit Your Website for Indexing
After you have set up the sitemap and your Google Search Console account, you can submit your website to Google Search.
- Submit the sitemap. In Google Search Console, go to the “Sitemaps” section and submit the URL of your website’s sitemap. Google will crawl your website and index the pages listed in your sitemap. This may take some time to complete, so you might need to wait a couple of days before you can see the crawl status of your website.
- Request indexing of specific pages. In Google Search Console, you can use the “URL Inspection” tool to request indexing of specific pages. This can help speed up the process of getting your website into Google.
Additional Tips
- Quality Content: Make sure your website has high-quality, relevant content. This can help improve your website’s ranking in search results.
- Backlinks: Encourage other reputable websites to link to your new website. This can help Google discover and index your site more quickly, and improve the ranking of your website.
- Patience is Key: After submitting your website to Google, be patient. It may take some time for Google to crawl and index your site, especially if it’s a new website.
Remember that being indexed by Google is just the first step. Ongoing SEO efforts will be important to improve your website’s visibility and ranking in search results.