How do I get my website on Google?
Make your site crawlable
Google finds pages by following links. Make sure your site is not blocking Googlebot in your robots.txt file. Also, ensure your site has a clear structure with links between pages. If your site is new, it may take time for Google to discover it naturally.
Check that your site works on mobile devices and loads reasonably fast. Google prioritizes mobile-friendly sites. Also, avoid using JavaScript to load essential content if you can—plain HTML is easier for crawlers.
Submit your site to Google
The most direct way is to use Google Search Console (GSC). Create a free account, verify your site ownership, and then use the URL Inspection tool to request indexing for your homepage and key pages. This tells Google to look at your site sooner.
You can also submit a sitemap—an XML file that lists your pages—through GSC. Many website builders generate a sitemap automatically. If yours doesn't, you can create one manually or use a plugin.
- Create a Google Search Console account.
- Verify your site ownership (via DNS, HTML file, or meta tag).
- Submit your sitemap in GSC.
- Use the URL Inspection tool to request indexing for important pages.
- Be patient—indexing can take days to weeks.
After you're indexed
Once your pages are indexed, they can appear in search results. But indexing doesn't guarantee ranking. To rank well, you need good content and SEO. Keep adding useful content and building links over time.
Monitor your performance in GSC. It shows which queries bring people to your site and any errors Google finds. Fix issues as they arise.
Common mistakes
- Assuming Google will find your site automatically—new sites often need a push via Search Console.
- Blocking Googlebot with robots.txt or noindex tags by accident—this prevents indexing.
- Expecting immediate results—indexing and ranking take time, often weeks or months.
