If SEO is the engine that grows your website, Google Search Console is the dashboard that tells you how the engine is running. It is free, it comes straight from Google, and it reveals exactly how your site appears in search. Yet many Jordanian business owners never set it up, flying blind while competitors read the data. In this guide from Spiderlap we show you how to set up Search Console and actually use it, step by step.
What Google Search Console Is
Google Search Console is a free tool that connects your website to Google and reports back on your search presence. It shows which queries bring you visitors, how many clicks you earn, which pages are indexed, and any technical issues blocking your success. Think of it as a direct line to how Google sees your site.
Unlike guessing from the outside, Search Console gives you Google's own view. That makes it the foundation of any serious
Step One: Add and Verify Your Site
Start by signing in with a Google account and adding your site as a property. Google offers two property types: a domain property covering your whole site, and a URL-prefix property for a specific version. For most owners, the domain property is the cleaner choice.
You then verify ownership so Google knows the site is really yours. Common methods include:
- DNS record: add a code to your domain settings, best for a domain property.
- HTML file: upload a small file to your site's root.
- HTML tag: paste a meta tag into your homepage header.
- Google tag or Analytics: verify through a connected Google product.
Pick whichever method matches your setup and access. Once verified, data begins appearing within a day or two.
Step Two: Submit Your Sitemap
A sitemap is a file listing all the pages you want Google to know about, and submitting it speeds up discovery. In Search Console, open the Sitemaps section and submit your sitemap URL, usually ending in sitemap.xml. This is especially helpful for new or large Jordanian sites.
Submitting a sitemap does not force rankings, but it ensures Google can find every important page efficiently. If you are unsure your pages are being found at all, this is the first place to look. Our
Step Three: Read the Performance Report
The Performance report is where the insight lives. It shows four core metrics you should learn to read together.
| Metric | What it tells you | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Clicks | Visitors who came from search | Track growth over time |
| Impressions | How often you appeared | Spot rising opportunities |
| Average position | Where you rank on average | Find pages close to page one |
| Queries | The exact words people searched | Discover content ideas |
Look for queries where you rank on page two, since a small push often lifts them to page one. Also watch which pages earn impressions but few clicks, a sign your title or description needs improving.
Step Four: Fix Indexing Issues
The Page Indexing report tells you which pages Google has indexed and which it has excluded, with the reason for each. This is where you catch silent problems, like a page blocked by a noindex tag or missing from the index entirely.
When a page you care about is excluded, read the reason and act. If it is genuinely blocked, fix the block; if Google just has not crawled it, use the URL Inspection tool to request indexing. If your pages keep failing to appear, our related guidance in the
Step Five: Use the URL Inspection Tool
The URL Inspection tool lets you check any single page in detail. Paste a URL and Search Console tells you whether it is indexed, when Google last crawled it, and any issues found. It is the fastest way to confirm a new or updated page has been picked up.
After publishing important content, inspect the URL and request indexing to nudge Google along. Combined with a healthy
Checklist: Search Console Set Up Right
- Your site is added and ownership is verified.
- Your XML sitemap is submitted and shows as processed.
- You review the Performance report regularly.
- You watch for queries ranking on page two to improve.
- You check the Page Indexing report for excluded pages.
- You use URL Inspection to confirm and request indexing.
- You act on any errors or warnings Google reports.
The Spiderlap Takeaway
Google Search Console turns SEO from guesswork into a measured process. Set it up, submit your sitemap, and make a habit of reading the Performance and Indexing reports. The data it hands you, straight from Google, points you exactly to the pages and queries worth your effort in the Jordanian market.
If you would like help setting up Search Console or interpreting what it reveals, the Spiderlap team is ready through our