Google Search Console Setup Checklist
Choose and verify the property
A Domain property covers the domain across protocols and subdomains and uses DNS verification. A URL-prefix property covers the specified prefix and supports its available verification methods. Follow the instructions displayed for the chosen property and retain the verification record or method.
- Use the exact production domain and confirm ownership.
- Keep the business as an owner and grant only the access collaborators need.
- Check that verification survives a website redesign or DNS change.
- Keep login and recovery information under the business’s control.
Submit and inspect
Open the Sitemaps report and submit the absolute production sitemap URL where the interface requires it. Confirm that the XML loads and lists canonical, indexable pages rather than redirects or drafts. Inspect representative important URLs to understand access and indexing status. Do not assume a successful sitemap submission means all entries were indexed.
Use the reports consistently
Review performance by query, page, country and device over a meaningful period. Separate branded discovery from service demand. Compare the indexing report with the intended published inventory and investigate specific exclusions. Keep a record of major releases so later changes can be interpreted in context. Search Console data is not a complete sales report, so connect it with analytics and qualified enquiries without expecting every number to match exactly.