How to get your site indexed on Google: a practical guide
Your site doesn't show up on Google? Here's how to get it indexed step by step: sitemap, Search Console and the checks to run — in plain words.
You've published your website, but when you search for it on Google… it's not there. No trace. It's one of the most common frustrations — and, luckily, one of the easiest to fix.
In this guide I'll explain, in plain words, what it means to "index" a site and how to do it step by step: sitemap, Google Search Console and the checks to run. At the end, I'll show you how a free plugin takes most of the work off your hands.
In short
- Indexing ≠ ranking: two different things
- How to check if you're already on Google (in 5 seconds)
- The 4 steps to get indexed
- How long it really takes
What "indexing" means (and what it doesn't)
Indexing means Google has found your pages, read them and added them to its huge archive. Only indexed pages can appear in the search results.
Don't confuse it with ranking: being indexed means "existing" for Google; ranking well means "getting to the top" when someone searches. First you get indexed, then you work on ranking. This guide is about the first step.
First things first: are you already on Google?
Checking is instant. Go to Google and search:
site:yoursite.com
Replace "yoursite.com" with your domain. If some pages show up, you're (at least partly) indexed. If nothing appears, Google hasn't found you yet: let's follow the steps below.
The 4 steps to get indexed
1. Create and verify your property in Google Search Console
Google Search Console is Google's free tool that lets you talk directly to it: you tell it which your pages are, and it tells you whether and how it sees them. It's the starting point.
Go to search.google.com/search-console, add your site and verify you own it (usually with a DNS record or a file/tag your hosting or theme lets you add).
2. Submit the sitemap
The sitemap is the orderly list of all your pages. Submitting it to Search Console is the fastest way to tell Google "here's everything I have, come and get it".
In Search Console open the Sitemaps section, enter your sitemap address (usually yoursite.com/sitemap.xml) and hit Submit. From then on Google knows where to look, including for pages you'll add in the future.
3. Request indexing for your important pages
For the pages you care about most (home, services, contact) you can give them a push: in Search Console use URL Inspection at the top, paste the page address and click Request indexing. It's like telling Google "look at this one now".
4. Make sure you haven't blocked yourself
Sometimes a site doesn't get indexed because, without realising it, we told it not to. The two most common culprits:
- A "noindex" setting active on the page (it tells Google: don't show me).
- The WordPress option Settings → Reading → "Discourage search engines" ticked (it often happens after going live). Untick it.
Also check that your important pages aren't set to "noindex" and that your robots.txt doesn't block them.
How long does it take?
It's not instant: after submitting, Google can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to index everything, depending on the site. "Request indexing" speeds up individual pages, but some patience is always needed. If after 2-3 weeks an important page doesn't show up, go back to Search Console and check URL Inspection to find out why.
How Chiaro SEO makes it simple
A good chunk of this work can be handled by the plugin. Chiaro SEO (free) takes care of the technical parts for you:
- It builds and updates the sitemap on its own, at
yoursite.com/sitemap.xml— and shows you exactly how to submit it to Search Console. - In the checklist it flags if there's a blocked page or a sitemap to submit, with a button to fix it.
- On every page there's a clear option — "Do you want this page to show on Google? Yes / No": no hidden "noindex" to guess.
In practice: you verify yourself in Search Console, Chiaro SEO handles the rest and tells you what to do, one step at a time.
In conclusion
Getting indexed isn't hard: you need to tell Google you exist (Search Console), give it the list of your pages (sitemap) and not block yourself. Once that's done, you're "visible" — and you can start working on ranking.
👉 Discover Chiaro SEO — free on WordPress.org: automatic sitemap, a clear checklist and a Search Console submission guide.