The Five Most Important Things You Can Do with Google Webmaster Tools

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One of the most important tools available to any webmaster is Google Webmaster tools. This is a FREE tool from Google, and its sole purpose is characterizing and diagnosing website technical-related issues. The objective is to make the website as search engine friendly as possible, not only for Google but other search engines as well. A search engine friendly website will then have no problems in rankings and maximize visitors' site experiences.

To be able to use Google webmaster tools, you need to have the following:

• A Google account – Since this product belongs to Google, it needs you to have a Google account. Registering is straightforward and easy, just go to: https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount
  
• Access to your website's main header template -- This does not necessarily mean full FTP access. As long as you can access the main header template of the website, you can install the Google verification code. For WordPress users, this will be placed in header.php. For Blogger users, this will be placed in the template source code.
  
• A fully indexable website -- If you have placed restrictions on your website such as requiring a password or blocking the site in robots.txt, you cannot verify the site in Google Webmaster Tools.

Below are the important steps you need to take to use Google webmaster tools.

1. Create a Google account here: https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount.
   
2. Log in to Google webmaster tools here: http://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/ using your new account. 
   
3. Add your website to the Dashboard. When adding your website, add only the root and canonical URL of your domain.

For example, if the canonical version is http:// and you're using www version, it should be in the form of http://www.yourwebsite.com. If the canonical version of your domain (canonical means “the official” or your “preferred version” to be indexed and to be shown to the visitors) is non-www, you should be adding the non-www version to the Dashboard (Add site), so it will be http://yourwebsite.com .

You can even add the secure version of your domain. In this case, add something like https://www.yourwebsite.com . The tricky thing in Google Webmaster Tools is that if you have both secure and non-secure versions of your domain, you really need to add and verify each of them, unlike in Google Analytics where you can add the secure JavaScript code which will gather traffic data for both secure and non-secure versions of the domain.

It is recommended to add only the root URL and not other URLs in the domain. For example, do not add something like http://www.yourwebsite.com/thisisanotherpage.html. Instead add only the root in the “Add site” section, http://www.yourwebsite.com .

Next: Finish Verifying the Site >>
 

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