Website registration with Google: sense or nonsense?

Your website is live. Do you then still have to submit your website to search engines? Google or Microsoft? Or will you be found by yourself? We look at how Google works and what you can do yourself to be found better.  

In the beginning of the internet there were already many paid services to submit your website to as many as 100 search engines. Today we know that it's mainly about Google.nl, and a little bit about Microsoft's Bing. How does Google teach you that new website exists?

Google will find your site automatically

At least if you have enough links to your website. Google regularly views all sites and follows all links. If a link points to a completely new website, Google will index your site, so that your site and all pages are included in the search results. Is your website completely new? Then registering your website is so wise.

Register website with Google

The former 'website registration' is still possible here at Google. Enter your URL and description ... but wait !!! That is not all. These days it works differently and better. Google has now Google Webmaster Tools. After a verification you can then:

• Indicate on which language area your website focuses. Bloeise.nl, for example, focuses on the Dutch language. At Bloei.se I was unable to state this at all: Swedish, Google said.
• Indicate whether the URL of your website with or without WWW Bloeise uses without WWW, that is nicer. For that you have to register both versions with Google.
• You can site index This is the map of your website with which Google can easily see which pages, images and videos your site has.
• You can txt give up. With this you tell Google which pages may and may not be shown in the search results. Some pages, for example with a password, or only for partners and customers, you do not want to show to everyone.
• You can possibly crawl errors see to adjust. We start a blog when Google expects a page on your website, because of a link, which subsequently appears not to be there. For example, because the page URL has been modified or because the page has been deleted.
• You can crawl statistics is your site regularly visited by Google? You can also specify how you would like Google to index your website.
• Any security issues to be mentioned. Google is very keen on this: a website with security problems is banned from the search results to protect visitors.

No website errors in Google Webmaster Tools. That's the way it should be!

A little more is added than just 'registering your website with Google'. Fortunately, Google offers all the support and explanation to use Google Webmaster Tools. A website that is well registered in Google Webmaster Tools will certainly score better. Recommended.

Verification Google Webmaster Tools

The first step is to verify your website with Google Webmaster Tools: this is the new website registration. Google offers the following options for this:

Recommended method

The method that Google recommends itself is not immediately the easiest:

• Upload HTML file. Google offers a simple file that you must place on the website, for example http://bloeise.nl/google44ggdgdfsdggr.html. After uploading, for example via an FTP program or via the website builder, you can click on Verify click.

Alternative method

The alternative methods are actually easier:

• Google Analytics. Actually the easiest method, as long as your website is already registered in Google Analytics. If so, choose this option and click Verify.
• HTML tag. This method already works when you have access to the CMS system of your website. You add a piece of HTML code to the HTML code of your homepage. This is possible in WordPress via the Yoast plugin for example.
• Domain name provider. You choose your domain name provider. That is not necessarily your website builder, but the party behind it that can publish domain names. Google explains how you find it.
• Google Tag Manager. A method that uses Google's Tag Manager. That is a code that you place on every page, just like Google Analytics, with which you can then easily add all kinds of codes. For example for Google Webmaster Tools, Google Analytics or for example the Facebook Pixel.

Of course, the most convenient method differs per situation, but in practice everyone uses Google Analytics. When that is installed, it is advisable to use it too.

Is your website in Google?

Search for your own website in Google.
Does the site not exist in Google?
Then you will see this message:

Register website with Bing Webmaster Tools

Microsoft's search engine Bing also offers Webmaster Tools On. It offers a number of additional insights that can be useful for SEO, such as SEO reports and keyword search, but it is not a supplement to be found better. Only recommended for large websites where more Bing traffic will actually deliver.

This article was previously on MarketSun.com; that label was lifted from 1 May 2017;