Telling Google your site exists, step by step

Telling Google your site exists, step by step

Google finds sites on its own eventually, but you can introduce yourself and watch how you're doing. The tool is the free Google Search Console.

1. Go to search.google.com/search-console and sign in with a Google account.
2. Add your site address as a property.
3. Google asks you to prove you own it. The easiest beginner method: a small verification plugin or your theme's built-in field where you paste a code.
4. Once verified, find your sitemap address (often yoursite.com/sitemap.xml, created by your SEO plugin).
5. Submit that sitemap in Search Console, under Sitemaps.

A sitemap is just a map listing all your pages, so Google reads it like a table of contents.

In plain words: verify your site, hand Google your sitemap, then let it list your pages.