When you launch your website, one of the first questions that comes to mind is: how long before Google finds me? You want to show up in search results — and not just anywhere, but in the best possible way. Let’s break it down.
What is Google Search Console?
Google Search Console is a free tool from Google that helps you monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot your site’s presence in search results. You don’t need to sign up for it to be included in Google Search, but having access to the data it provides is a game-changer. It shows you how Google views your site, helping you make improvements that boost your visibility.
Now, let’s focus on what really matters — getting traffic and optimising your site’s performance.
How does Google find and index your website?
Google uses a bot (also called a crawler) to scan web pages that are publicly accessible. If your page is available (meaning it returns an HTTP status code of 200), it can be indexed. However, if a page returns a 404 (not found), it won’t appear in search results.
Another important factor? Mobile-friendliness. Google prioritises mobile-friendly sites because they provide a better user experience. If your website isn’t optimised for mobile, it could impact your ranking.
Google Search Console gives you insights into:
- Indexing issues and how to fix them
- Which queries bring up your site in search results
- Click-through rates (how many people actually click your site)
- Which websites link to yours (backlinks matter!)
- Alerts for spam, security, or indexing problems
One of the biggest advantages of Google Search Console is that you can request manual indexing for new or updated content — sometimes getting your changes reflected in search results within hours.
Who should use Google Search Console?
Anyone with a website. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, blogger, marketer, or web developer, this tool gives you the insights needed to improve your site’s search performance. And the best part? You don’t need to be an SEO expert to use it.
What do you need to get started?
To use Google Search Console, you’ll need:
- A Google account
- A recent version of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari
- Cookies and JavaScript enabled
That’s it. Most people already meet these requirements without even realising it.
Setting your website up for success
The best part? My templates are built with Google Search Console’s best practices in mind, giving you a strong foundation for search visibility. Keep in mind, if you make major changes, it could impact how Google indexes your site — but I’ve already taken care of the key elements to set you up for success.
I hope this breakdown was helpful! If you have any thoughts or questions, feel free to share them in the comments.
