Setting up your website on Google Search Console (GSC) with both the www and non-www versions is an essential step for ensuring your site’s optimal performance in Google search results. This detailed guide will walk you through each step of the process, helping you to effectively manage your website’s presence in search.

Here is how to to add a website now step by step

Follow every step one by one

1. Verify Ownership of Your Website

Before you can make any changes or track your site’s performance in GSC, you must prove ownership. Google offers several verification methods:

• HTML file upload: Google provides a unique HTML file to upload to your website’s root directory.
• Domain name provider: Verify through your domain registrar by adding a DNS TXT record.
• HTML tag: Add a meta tag to your site’s home page.
• Google Analytics: Use your existing Google Analytics account by linking it to GSC.
• Google Tag Manager: Similarly, if you use Google Tag Manager, you can verify ownership through your GTM container snippet.

Each method has its detailed instructions on GSC, ensuring a smooth verification process for website owners.

2. Add Both WWW and Non-WWW Versions

In Google’s eyes, www and non-www versions of your website are seen as separate entities. It’s critical to add both versions in GSC to ensure comprehensive indexing. To do this:

• Log into Google Search Console.
• Click ‘Add a Property’ and enter the URL of both the www and non-www versions of your site.
• You’ll need to verify ownership for both versions, even if they point to the same content.

3. Set Your Preferred Domain

After adding both versions of your site to GSC, it’s time to select your preferred domain. This preference tells Google which version of your URL you wish to appear in search results. Here’s how:

• In GSC, go to ‘Site Settings.’
• Choose your preferred domain (www or non-www).
• This will help consolidate your site’s ranking signals towards your preferred version, aiding in SEO.

4. Submit Your Sitemap

Submitting a sitemap to GSC is crucial for SEO. It helps Google understand your website’s structure and index it more effectively. If you don’t have a sitemap, many CMS platforms like WordPress offer plugins to generate one. Once ready, submit it by:

• Going to the ‘Sitemaps’ section in GSC.
• Entering the URL of your sitemap.
• Clicking ‘Submit.’

5. Monitor Your Site’s Performance

Finally, use GSC to monitor your site’s search performance regularly. GSC provides valuable data on search queries, site traffic, indexing status, and issues affecting your site. Regular monitoring allows you to:

• Identify and fix crawl errors.
• Understand how users find your site.
• Optimize your site’s performance in search results.

Conclusion

Setting up your website on Google Search Console with both the www and non-www versions is a fundamental aspect of managing your online presence. Following these detailed steps ensures that Google accurately indexes your site, improving your visibility and performance in search results. Remember, maintaining an active role in monitoring and updating your GSC settings is key to the long-term success of your website in Google search.