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Lesson 2
Google Search Console
Why this matters
Search Console is the only direct line you have to Google. It tells you what's indexed, what's broken, and what queries you actually rank for.
Create your account
Sign in at search.google.com/search-console with the Google account you want to own the property.
Verify ownership
Choose Domain (DNS TXT record) or URL prefix (HTML meta tag, file upload, Analytics, or Tag Manager). DNS verification covers all subdomains and protocols.
Submit your sitemap
Sitemaps → Add a new sitemap → enter sitemap.xml. Resubmit after major content updates.
Inspect & request indexing
Paste any URL into the top search box → URL Inspection → Request Indexing. Use sparingly; Google rate-limits this.
Reports to check weekly
- •Page indexing — what's in vs. out
- •Performance — queries, clicks, CTR, position
- •Sitemaps — last read date & error count
- •Core Web Vitals — speed/UX issues
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