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How to Add Your Site to Google Search Console and Submit a Sitemap

Google Search Console is a free tool that shows how Google sees your website. In this guide you will add your site, prove you own it, submit a sitemap and ask Google to look at your most important pages.

Search Console is where Google tells you about problems that keep pages out of search results. It also shows the exact searches that bring people to your site and how often your pages appear. Setting it up once gives you an early warning system for your search visibility.

⏱ 20 minutes◎ Beginner☰ 8 steps↻ Updated Oct 2026

What you need

  • A Google account owned by the business
  • Access to your DNS settings or website admin
  • Your sitemap address

Steps

1

Choose your property type

Search Console offers two property types. A Domain property covers your whole domain, including www, non-www, http, https and any subdomains. It can only be verified with a DNS record. A URL-prefix property covers only addresses that start with the exact prefix you enter, such as https://www.example.com, and offers more verification options. Choose Domain if you can edit your DNS. It gives the complete picture in one place.

2

Add your property

Go to search.google.com/search-console and sign in. Open the property selector at the top left and click Add property. For a Domain property, type just your domain, like example.com, with no https and no www. For a URL-prefix property, enter the full address exactly as it appears in your browser, including https and www if your site uses them.

3

Verify a Domain property with DNS

Search Console gives you a TXT record value to copy. Add it wherever your DNS is managed. In cPanel, that is usually Domains, then Zone Editor, then Manage next to your domain. Add a TXT record, leave the name as your domain or @, and paste the value. If your domain uses outside nameservers, add the record at that provider. Return to Search Console and click Verify.

Tip: Leave the TXT record in place after verification, because removing it will unverify the property.
4

Or verify a URL-prefix property

If you cannot edit DNS, use a URL-prefix property and pick another method. You can upload a small HTML file to your site’s main folder, which is public_html in cPanel File Manager. You can paste a meta tag into your site’s head section, and most WordPress SEO plugins have a field for it. If your site already uses Google Analytics or Google Tag Manager with the same Google account, you can verify through those.

5

Find your sitemap address

A sitemap is a file that lists the pages you want Google to find. WordPress has created one automatically since version 5.5 at yoursite.com/wp-sitemap.xml. Many SEO plugins replace it with their own, often at /sitemap_index.xml, so check your plugin’s settings. Other platforms usually use /sitemap.xml. Open the address in your browser to confirm it loads and is not behind a login.

Tip: In WordPress, make sure Settings, Reading, Discourage search engines from indexing this site is unchecked, because it also turns off the built-in sitemap.
6

Submit your sitemap

In Search Console, click Sitemaps under Indexing in the left menu. In the Add a new sitemap box, enter your sitemap address and click Submit. Google fetches it right away. The status column should show Success. If it says Couldn’t fetch or Has errors, click the row to see what went wrong, fix it and submit again.

7

Inspect and request indexing for key pages

Paste the full address of your homepage into the inspection bar at the top of any Search Console screen. The result shows whether the page is in Google’s index. For a new or updated page that is not indexed yet, click Request indexing. Do this for a handful of your most important pages, not every page. Google sets daily limits, and a request does not guarantee indexing.

8

Add your team and check back

Under Settings, then Users and permissions, you can give a teammate or web professional access without sharing your password. Data usually appears within a few days. After that, check the Performance report monthly to see your top searches and the Pages report to catch indexing problems. Google also emails owners when it finds serious issues.

Common Mistakes

  • Creating a URL-prefix property for the wrong version of the site, such as http instead of https, and then seeing almost no data.
  • Deleting the verification TXT record or HTML file after setup, which quietly removes your access later.
  • Submitting a sitemap while WordPress is still set to discourage search engines from indexing the site.

FAQ

Should I choose a Domain property or a URL-prefix property?

Choose a Domain property if you can add a DNS record, because it covers every version of your site and all subdomains in one view. A URL-prefix property is fine when you cannot reach your DNS, but it only counts addresses that match the exact prefix. Some owners add both, which is allowed and can help with troubleshooting.

Do I need to resubmit my sitemap every time I add a page?

No. Once Google knows where your sitemap lives, it checks it again on its own schedule and picks up new pages. Most WordPress sitemaps update automatically when you publish. Resubmit only if your sitemap address changes, such as after switching SEO plugins, or after fixing an error Search Console reported.

How long does it take Google to index a new website?

It varies from a few days to several weeks. Submitting a sitemap and requesting indexing for key pages helps Google discover them sooner, but Google decides what to index based on quality and usefulness. Links from other reputable sites, such as your Google Business Profile or local directories, also help Google find a new site.