Google Search Console is a free tool from Google for seeing how your site is performing in search engines. It is the tool to use for measuring how many times you appear in search engines, ranking, and click-through rate.
If you do not have Google Search Console set up already, start with Part 1.
If you already have Google Search Console you can skip ahead to Part 2.
Part 1: Set Up Google Search Console
1. Navigate to https://search.google.com/search-console/welcome
2. Create your account using the same email address that you have connected to your Shopify account.
3. If you don't have the Google search console set up already, click on "Search Property" on the left-hand side, then "Add Property."
4. Add your URL in the "URL Prefix" section. To do this:
Log into your Shopify store.
Navigate to "Online Store" on the left-hand side, then "Preferences."
NOTE: If the shop is password-protected. Remove your online store password or deselect the "Page Password Protection" option.
Save your changes.
Copy your domain name from the "Online Store" page
5. Go back to the Google Search Console and paste your domain into the "URL Prefix" section.
6. Click "Continue" and then locate the "HTML Tag" section.
7. Copy the meta tag provided.
8. Navigate back to your Shopify store and:
Edit your theme code.
Locate "theme.liquid" in the left-hand side menu.
Paste the HTML tag you copied earlier right after the <head> tag
Save your changes.
9. Go back to the Google Search Console and click "Verify" under the "HTML Tag" section.
Now, you can measure your website's performance on Google search.
Depending on the size and popularity of your site, it could take some time before changes are reflected in search results.
Part 2: Connect Plug In SEO to Google Search Console
Before you connect
Check that the SEO Google Search Console app embed is active. Open your Plug In SEO Dashboard and look at the status row — you should see SEO Google Search Console: Active (green).
If it shows inactive, click on SEO Google Serach Console and it will open your theme. Toggle on "SEO Google Search Console". Or, go to Shopify → Online Store → Themes → Customize → App Embeds and toggle on "SEO Google Search Console." The connection won't work until this is active.
Connect
1. In the Plug In SEO dashboard, scroll to the Search Trends section and click "Connect to Google Search Console."
2. A Google login window will open. Sign in with the same email address you use for your Shopify account.
3. Accept the permissions when prompted — this allows Plug In SEO to read your search data.
Troubleshooting
Connected but not seeing any data?
Data can take 24–48 hours to appear after connecting. If your store is new to Google, it may take a few more days.
No properties found when connecting?
Your store isn't verified in Google Search Console yet. Go back to Part 1 and complete the verification steps first.
Using different emails for Shopify and Google?
The Google account you connect must have access to the GSC property for your store. If you set up GSC with a different email, add your Shopify email as an owner in GSC before connecting.
Store is password protected?
Google can't verify a password-protected store. Remove the password in Shopify → Online Store → Preferences, then try connecting again.