Setting up Google search console for SEO

Setting Up Google Search Console

Hey there fellow illustrators and surface pattern designers! In this post, we’ll walk through the basics of setting up Google Search Console and how to use the free version of Rank Math to help with SEO on your  WordPress website.

As a creative trying to license or sell your art, you might be wondering how to boost your visibility online and actually get found by potential partners for art licensing or print on demand customers. Don’t worry; I’ve got you covered! 

If you’re following along, last week I talked about driving organic traffic to your website and art by using SEO on your website’s images.

The steps in today’s blog post will help you track and analyze how those SEO keywords are helping you (or not) by showing you how and why people are visiting your website. So let’s get started.

Step 1: Setting Up Google Search Console
  1. Create a Google Account (if you don’t have one)
    Head over to Google Accounts to create your account. You’ll need this to access Google Search Console.
  2. Go to Google Search Console
    Visit Google Search Console and click on the “Start Now” button.
  3. Add Your Website
    Enter your website URL in the box and click “Continue.” You might need to choose between the “Domain” or “URL prefix” option. For most, “URL prefix” is easier to use.
  4. Verify Your Website
    To prove you own the site, you’ll see several verification methods. The easiest way is to use the HTML tag method. Click on it, copy the provided meta tag, and then:
    • For WordPress Users:
      Install the RankMath SEO plugin (see below).
    • Activate the plugin and in your dashboard go to RankMath > General Settings > Webmaster Tools.
    • Paste the meta tag into the header section and save your changes.
    • For Squarespace Users:
      Go to Settings > SEO > Google Search Console. Paste the meta tag into the “Verification” box and save your changes.
    • For Wix Users:
      Go to Settings > SEO (Google). Find the “Search Console” section, and click “Verify.” Paste the meta tag into the verification field and save.
  5. Finish Verification
    Go back to Google Search Console and click “Verify.” You should see a confirmation message that you’ve successfully verified your site!
Step 2: WordPress Users: Install the Rank Math Plugin
  1. Install the Rank Math Plugin
    In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New. Search for “Rank Math,” then click “Install Now” and activate it.
  2. Set Up Rank Math
    Once activated, you’ll see a setup wizard pop up. Follow these simple steps:
    • Connect Your Account: If you have a Rank Math account, log in; if not, you can create one easily. Don’t worry it’s free unless you want the pro version.
    • Configure Basic Settings: Select the type of website (like a blog or portfolio) and choose the relevant options for your site.
    • Import Settings (optional): If you’re switching from another SEO plugin, you can import settings here.
  3. Optimize Your Pages and Posts
    When you create or edit a page or post, scroll down to the Rank Math section. Here’s what you can do:
    • Focus Keyword: Enter your primary keyword (like “floral surface patterns”).
    • SEO Title & Description: Use the suggestions Rank Math gives you to craft catchy titles and descriptions that include your keyword.
    • Readability Score: Rank Math provides a readability analysis, so you can adjust your content for better engagement.
Step 3: Generate and Submit Sitemaps
  1. Generate Your Sitemap
    Rank Math automatically creates a sitemap for your site. To find it, go to Rank Math > Sitemap Settings in your WordPress dashboard. You can customize which content types to include, like posts, pages, and portfolios. If you have a blog you can also include taxonomy like your blog post categories and tags.
  2. Access Your Sitemap
    Your sitemap will typically be located at https://yourwebsite.com/sitemap_index.xml. Copy this URL.
  3. Submit Your Sitemap to Google Search Console
    • Go back to your Google Search Console.
    • Click on your site in the dashboard.
    • In the left sidebar, click on “Sitemaps.”
    • Paste your sitemap URL into the “Add a new sitemap” box and hit “Submit.”

By submitting your sitemap, you help Google understand the structure of your site, making it easier for your content to be indexed! Once you’ve submitted it, be patient. This can take a few days to a few weeks.

Step 4: Monitor Your Progress

After everything is set up, give it some time! Check back in Google Search Console to see how your site is performing. You’ll get insights into how often people are finding you and which keywords they’re using.

Since I’ve only recently changed my business name and URL to Kerry Boan Creative, Google hasn’t indexed all my pages yet (it takes time!) and I don’t have enough organic traffic to show you what one of these reports might look like to be able to analyze how your keywords are doing. I’ll come back to this in a future post when I have more data to share with you.

Conclusion

And that’s it! Setting up Google Search Console and using Rank Math is a simple way to boost your site’s visibility without getting overwhelmed. Remember, you don’t have to be a tech wizard to get your work noticed online. With these tools, you’ll be well on your way to attracting more eyes to your beautiful illustrations and patterns.

If you have any questions or run into any issues, feel free to reach out!

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Copyright Info

Unless stated otherwise, all artwork on this website is copyrighted by Kerry Boan & Kerry Boan Creative.

You may not reproduce, distribute, or use any artwork without written permission from the copyright holder. If you have not entered into a licensing agreement or freelance contract with Kerry Boan Creative and use any artwork from this website or one of my social media accounts without permission, legal action may be taken.

If you’re interested in discussing the possibility of art licensing or freelance work, please contact me. Thank you.