Configure Google Search Console

Google Search Console, formerly Webmaster Tools, shows how a site appears in Google search results, including keyword rankings, page performance, and indexing status. This article details how to connect it to a Finalsite site, including verifying the domain with an HTML meta tag added to the theme's External Assets field and submitting the XML sitemap.

In this article

• Step 1: Access Google Search Console
• Step 2: Select and enter URL
• Step 3: Verification
• Step 4: Select and configure HTML tag
• Step 5: Navigate to Themes, External Assets
  • ⚠️ What goes in External Assets (and what to watch for)
• Step 6: Complete the process by verifying the HTML tag
• Step 7: Submit the site's dynamic XML sitemap file to Google

Google Search Console provides detailed information on how a site appears in Google searches, including:

• which keywords, the search terms visitors type into Google, drive traffic to the site,
• how highly the site ranks in searches for specific keywords,
• which pages within the site are attracting search attention,
• and other information useful for search engine optimization and site maintenance.

Google Search Console also accepts a sitemap of the website, removes certain pages from Google listings, and more.

Step 1: Access Google Search Console

Access Google Search Console, previously called Webmaster Tools, at https://search.google.com/search-console/welcome.

Step 2: Select and enter URL

On this page, select the URL prefix box and enter the site URL.

Step 3: Verification

Google prompts for verification that the site entered belongs to its administrator.

Step 4: Select and configure HTML tag

Under the Other verification methods tab, select HTML Tag.

Expand the box and copy the meta tag provided.

Step 5: Navigate to Themes, External Assets

The meta tag copied in Step 4 now goes into Composer. Navigate to the Themes tab in the Composer left navigation and scroll to the External Assets box. Drag the handle in the bottom right corner to expand the box if the contents are hard to read.

Click at the very beginning of the first line already in the box, paste the meta tag, then press Enter so the existing entries move down to their own line. Click Update in the bottom right corner.

⚠️ What goes in External Assets (and what to watch for)

• Add the meta tag above any existing code. Place the cursor at the very top of the box and paste there, so the existing entries move down.
  
  
• Never delete or edit existing entries. Other tools on the site depend on them. Removing a line that another service relies on takes that service offline.
• Adding code here cannot break the page design. External Assets writes to the head section only. Deleting the added line and clicking Update restores the previous state.
• A grayed-out field means access has not been granted. Refresh the page first. Access is granted by the implementation team at launch. If the field is still grayed out, contact the Project Management Team.
• Google still cannot verify after saving. The homepage may need to be published so the new code appears in the live header.

For the full procedure and a list of other services that use this field, see Adding third-party code to your site.

Step 6: Complete the process by verifying the HTML tag

Return to Google Search Console and click the Verify button under HTML Tag to complete the process.

If this popup is no longer visible, click the Already started? finish verification link on the welcome page to return to it.

Step 7: Submit the site's dynamic XML sitemap file to Google

After Google Search Console is set up for the site, submit the site's dynamic XML sitemap file. This gives Google useful context on the site's layout and content, improving its relevance in user searches. See Submit sitemap to Google Search Console to learn more about this process.

More from Google Help is available at Google Search Console Help.