Webmaster Tools Can Make You a Better Marketer

If you have a website or are thinking about creating a website, the smartest thing you can do is use Google Webmaster Tools. Owning a website can be a confusing and frustrating process if you’re not seeing the traffic you anticipated. There’s a lot that goes into the marketing and development process of a website that you may not have even thought of. Luckily, Google has a tool that can assist you with that process. Google Webmaster Tools is a vital part of building, maintaining, and operating a successful website. Here we are going to break down what it is, how it works, and ultimately, how it can make you a better marketer. 

how do I log into Google Webmaster Tools

What is Google Webmaster Tools?

Let’s begin with the basics. What is Google Webmaster Tools? Google Webmaster Tools is a free service engineered by Google that analyzes websites to decipher any issues with structured data or to optimize visibility on the SERP (search engine results page). This service is vital for anyone who wants to appear higher on a search engine. Google will tell you what you need to alter on your website to make it more promotable.

In 2015, Google renamed Google Webmaster Tools to Google Search Console as a way of reaching an audience that may have been intimidated by the word “webmaster.” But aside from a few new features, Google Search Console works in the same way.

Who Can Use Google Webmaster Tools?

If you’re not particularly tech-savvy, don’t worry. Google Webmaster Tools is for anyone who wants to build a website. It does not require previous knowledge of website design or coding for use. Google Webmaster Tools will be an extremely beneficial for people in any of the following positions: 

  • Business Owner
  • Search Engine Optimization Specialist
  • Marketer
  • Website Owner
  • Website Developer
  • App Creator

Google Webmaster Tools might seem a little intimidating at first, but the more you use it, the easier it gets. Its function is to be used in a multitude of ways and by a diverse set of professionals. 

Google webmaster tools

Why is Google Webmaster Tools Important? 

In 2020, 88% of all searches were done via Google. Using Google as a resource to help you understand the pros and cons of your website can be very beneficial. A good example of how Google Webmaster Tools helps your website is to think of your website like your body and Google Webmaster Tools as your doctor. If your body isn’t working at 100%, you’d want to know why and what you can do to fix it. That is exactly what Google Webmaster Tools does for your website. 

Best Features of Google Webmaster Tools for SEO 

Before using Google Webmaster Tools, it’s good to know what you want to use it for. Are you a business owner and you want to use it for your e-commerce website? Are you a blogger and you want to optimize your blog? Google Webmaster Tools can be used to improve the efficiency of websites, blogs, and SEO. Let’s look at the best features of this service. 

View Statistics of Your Website 

If you have had your website for a while and you feel like you’re not making any progress, Google Webmaster Tools is great for checking the statistics of your website. What will this look like? Well, if you want to know how many people have clicked on your website, their geolocation, or even how long they stayed on your website, Google will have the answer. 

This information is really important because it can help you understand who your audience is. In order to properly optimize your website, you will need to know who currently uses your site as well as who you want to use your site. 

Check and Set Web Crawl Rate

Google Webmaster Tools are also important for their use in understanding web crawlers. You may have also heard the terms spiders or crawler bots. All of these do the same thing: virtually download and index information from your website to better understand it from a search engine’s perspective. 

This feature is extremely important if your goal is to improve the SEO of your website. Web crawlers can read the coding language, keywords, and structured data of your website and tell you where you need to improve in order to appear higher on the search engine’s result page. Search engine marketing consultants will do this same thing, however, Google Webmaster Tools will do it for free if you’re on a limited budget. 

Optimize Keywords on Website 

If you’re familiar with how SEO works, then you know keywords are an important part of website design and content creation. Including specific keywords that Google recognizes and can therefore promote to people who search for them means higher foot traffic on your website. 

Google Webmaster Tools will do this very thing through the use of web crawlers. Keywords themselves could be an entire article, but know that some keywords rank higher or lower for Google. Underperforming keywords can often be a reason why a website isn’t experiencing the necessary traffic. Google’s Webmaster Tools can help fish out bad keywords so you can replace them with better ones. 

search engine optimization

Identify Penalties

Google has a set of rules for websites that can range from website hacking to using bad backlinks. There’s a chance you could be under penalty by Google and not even realize it. Google won’t promote websites that have these penalties, so Google Webmaster Tools will be a great resource if you suspect your website is not up to Google’s specifications. 

Add or Remove Website Property Owners

It’s important to understand Google’s managing owners, users, and permissions tab to make sure everything you’re doing to your website is under your control. Google Webmaster Tools can provide you with the necessary information you will need to add or remove a website property owner. 

Check Security Issues

Google Webmaster Tools can also help you with your website’s security issues. You will want to make sure that your website is secure and up to date with the correct software. The reason this is so important is because users will mistrust a website that they deem unsafe and will likely not return. This can quickly lead to a loss in customers or website viewers. Regular checks of the security of your website is necessary for any website.

Preferred Domain

Before Google Webmaster Tools became Google Search Console, there was a feature that allowed a website owner to set a preferred domain. Having a preferred domain means that you could choose how you want Google to identify your website. This might seem like it takes away control of your website URL, however, Google is choosing your domain based entirely on what users are more likely to choose. This benefits you because it makes it easier for users to find you.

Check Indexing Status

Reworking the index of your website is an extremely beneficial process for improving the SEO of your website. A lot of people may be confused as this is typically a web developer-focused feature. 

In simpler terms, Google’s search engine understands websites using a specific coding language. If you’re not using that on your website, it will make it that much harder for Google to understand your content. Google Webmaster Tools is a great solution to this problem because it will give you insight into areas of your website that you need to alter. 

webmaster tools

How to Add Your Website to Google Webmaster Tools

Google Webmaster Tools is now Google Search Console, so we’re going to list the steps for adding your website to Google Search Console:

  1. Sign in to your Google account.
  2. Go to Google Search Console.
  3. Click “Add a Property.”
  4. Choose “Website” from the drop-down menu and enter the URL of your site. Make sure to enter the exact URL that appears in the browser bar.
  5. Click “Continue.”   
  6. Choose a way to verify you own the website (HTML file upload, domain name provider, HTML tag, GA tracking code, or GTM container snippet).
  7. Add each necessary domain.

Why Google Webmaster Tools is Great for Marketers

For marketers, Google provides the resources necessary to advertise and sell their products. Having a website only benefits you when people are actually viewing it. Google Webmaster Tools has everything you need to make sure your target audience is seeing your site.

Other Google Tools for Marketing

Mastering all of Google’s features will be useful if you’re looking to market content, build a website, or generally just understand how search engine optimization works. However, if you’re looking for a short cut, we recommend understanding these other Google Tools for marketing:

  • Google Insights
  • Google Analytics
  • Schema.org

how to add your website to Google Webmaster Tools

How SEO Design Chicago Can Help Market Your Website 

At SEO Design Chicago, we have all the tools you need to help you build a website and understand how to market it properly. We are experienced in search engine optimization strategies that can help improve your status on the Google search results page. We also offer a variety of other digital marketing services to get you the exposure you desire. Contact us today with any questions and we’ll get started! 

FAQs on Google Webmaster Tools

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  • What does Google Webmaster Tools do?
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  • Who can use Google Webmaster Tools?

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