Easily Submit Website to Google & Track SEO Performance

In this tutorial, we walk through the process of how to submit your website to Google Search Console and set it up with Google Analytics. Together, you'll be able to leverage these platforms to optimize your site's SEO, monitor performance, and find opportunities for growth. We'll cover how both offer similar and different features and benefits to ensure your website has the best presence online.

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Introduction to Google Search Console and Google Analytics

Google Search Console and Google Analytics are two most helpful tools for the owners of websites. While the former is a visible tool for detection, aimed at visibility with regards to error detection, Google Analytics focuses on user behavior and performance metrics. Let's understand their unique roles and how to set them up.

1. Why You Need Google Search Console

Google Search Console provides insights into how your website is performing in search results. It helps you:

• Detect and fix errors affecting visibility.
• Provide a sitemap for indexing efficiency.
• Research top keywords and top pages.

Benefits:

• Better search engine rankings.
• More granular performance metrics: clicks, impressions, and CTR.
• Better page experience insights for SEO optimization.

2. Why You Need Google Analytics

Google Analytics gives you the full understanding of user behavior, traffic source, and conversation. It's the answer to the most important questions:

• How are people using your site?
• Which pages have the best engagement?
• How well does each of your marketing campaigns work?

Benefits:

• Advanced tracking for detailed audience segmenting.
• Real-time data monitoring.
• Integration with Google Ads and other marketing platforms.

3. The Step-by-Step Process of Adding Your Website to Google Search Console

a. Preparing Your Website

• Ensure that your website has a speed score of 90+, using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights.
• If you're wordpress user then you can try free speed plugin Airlift or WP Rocket for optimization.

b. Adding Your Website

• Find the phrase "Google Search Console" and open the official link.
• Domain or URL prefix verification: choose URL prefix as it's easier.
• Paste your website URL and proceed to verification.

c. Verification Process

• Use an HTML meta tag for easy setup.
• Install the WP Code plugin on WordPress to add the verification code.
• For blogger user the verification process will be automatic. 

d. Submitting a Sitemap

• Copy your sitemap URL, such as https://yoursite.com/sitemap.xml
• Submit it under the "Sitemap" section in Search Console.
• For blogger user the sitemap URL like: 

    https://YOURSITE.blogspot.com/atom.xml?redirect=false&start-index=1&max-results=500

    Replace "YOURSITE" with your site name.

e. Monitoring Performance

• Track clicks, impressions, CTR, and search position.
• Top keywords and linking data analysis for SEO strategy action.

4. How to Set Up Google Analytics Step by Step

a. Creating the Google Analytics Account

• Open Google Analytics and log in.
• Add a new account by filling in the required information: property name, timezone, and industry.
• Click Accept Terms and set up your account.

b. Linking Your Website

• Install the Site Kit plugin from WordPress.
• Activate the plugin and configure it to connect your website with Google Analytics.

If you don't want to use extra plugins then you can simple use HTML code in between HEAD tag

c. Data Analysis

• Active users, page views, bounces, etc.
• Collect data to work on your marketing strategies and user experience improvements.

5. Key Differences Between Google Search Console and Google Analytics

Feature	Google Search Console	Google Analytics
Focus	Search visibility and indexing	User behavior and performance
Data Sources	Search engine interactions	On-site user interactions
Reporting Metrics	Clicks, impressions, CTR	Sessions, bounce rate, conversion
Ease of Use	Beginner-friendly	Advanced

6. How to Use Both Tools Together

Combining Google Search Console and Google Analytics offers a 360-degree view of your website:

• Identify search visibility issues with Search Console.
• Track user engagement and conversions using Analytics.
• Optimize performance leveraging data from both tools.

7. Common Challenges and Solutions

a. Data Discrepancies

Search Console and Analytics may report some data differently due to the way the data is aggregated.

Solution:

Understand that these tools complement each other. Use Search Console for visibility metrics and Analytics for user behavior analysis.

b. Slow Website Speed

Slow loading times impact user behavior and search rankings.

Solution:

Optimize your site speed with free plugins like Airlift to ensure accurate data collection and improved user experience.

Final Words:

Working together, Google Search Console and Google Analytics can revolutionize your website's SEO approach. While Search Console guarantees that your website is visible and running without errors, Analytics helps perfect user experience and marketing campaigns. If done properly, both can provide better results in traffic, engagement, and long-term success.

This guide simplifies the process, empowering you to leverage these powerful tools to their fullest potential.