Before you start
- Your WordPress site loads in the browser at https://example.com/ (no certificate errors).
- A Google account you are willing to connect to Search Console (workspace or consumer Gmail both work).
- Optional but helpful: administrator access to wp-admin to paste an HTML verification tag via an SEO plugin.
Open Search Console and sign in
Visit https://search.google.com/search-console/welcome in a private window if you use multiple Google accounts, so you pick the correct one.
Accept terms the first time Google shows the Search Console welcome screens.
Choose “URL prefix” (not Domain) for most WordPress workflows
Click Add property (or the equivalent entry point in the left navigation).
Select the URL-prefix option. Enter your exact site URL including https:// and without a trailing path — for example https://www.example.com or https://example.com.
Pick ONE canonical hostname (www or non-www) and stick to it everywhere: WordPress settings, internal links, and GSC must match.
Understand verification before you rush
Google needs proof you control the property. Until verification succeeds, reports stay empty or locked.
Common methods: HTML file upload (needs hosting file access), HTML meta tag (easy with WordPress SEO plugins), DNS TXT at registrar (best when many subsites), or Google Analytics / Tag Manager if already installed on the same exact URL.
Method A — HTML tag via SEO plugin (common on WordPress)
In Search Console, open the HTML tag verification instructions and copy the full meta tag Google shows (it contains a long content= token).
In WordPress, open Yoast SEO → General → Webmaster tools (path may vary slightly by version) or Rank Math → General → Webmaster Tools.
Paste only the verification content token if the plugin asks for the token alone; otherwise paste the meta tag if the plugin offers a raw HTML field.
Save plugin settings, then visit your public homepage HTML source in the browser and confirm the meta tag appears near the top of <head>.
Method B — DNS TXT record at your registrar
In Search Console choose the DNS verification tab and copy the TXT record Google provides.
At your DNS host (often the domain registrar), create a TXT record at the root or the host Google specifies.
DNS can take minutes to hours to propagate — use a DNS checker tool before clicking Verify in GSC repeatedly.
Click Verify in Search Console
Return to the Search Console verification screen and press Verify.
If verification fails, read the exact error: “Not found” usually means the meta tag is missing from the rendered HTML, DNS TXT is wrong, or you verified the wrong hostname (www vs non-www).
Keep the verification signal in place
Do not remove the meta tag or DNS TXT after success — Google re-checks ownership periodically.
If you migrate SEO plugins, copy the verification token to the new plugin before deleting the old one.
Add a single page to Google: open URL Inspection
At the top of Search Console, use the “Inspect any URL in …” search bar (URL Inspection tool).
Paste the full URL of the page you care about, including https:// and path — for example https://example.com/contact/
Press Enter. Google fetches what Googlebot would see and shows indexing state.
Request indexing for that one page (when eligible)
If the inspection result shows the URL is not indexed or has changed substantially, click Request indexing (wording may be “Request indexing” or “TEST LIVE URL” then request).
This is a queue request, not an instant guarantee. Google still applies quality and crawl budget rules.
Use sparingly for truly important URLs (launch pages, key products). Do not request hundreds of URLs manually — use sitemaps at scale (see the XML sitemap tutorial).
Confirm the page is reachable by Googlebot
If URL Inspection shows “Blocked by robots.txt”, fix robots rules before requesting indexing.
If it shows “Page with redirect”, ensure you submitted the final URL users should see (usually HTTPS canonical).
If it shows authorization or login required, Googlebot cannot index private pages — that may be expected for /wp-admin/.
Explore Overview, Performance, and Pages after a few days
Performance shows queries and clicks only when data exists — new properties can look empty for days.
The Pages report (formerly Coverage) lists indexing decisions; fix errors it highlights rather than re-requesting blindly.
Optional: add users with restricted roles
Under Settings → Users and permissions you can invite an agency with “Full” or “Restricted” access.
Never share your personal Google password; invite their Google account instead.