Connect Google Search Console to an Atoms project to view search-performance and indexing information for the project’s published website in Marketing.

This guide explains how to authorize the correct Google account, connect or add the property for your live custom domain, choose the correct verification method for its property type, confirm that the connection worked, and submit the sitemap.

How the connection works

Google Search Console organizes website data in a property. When you connect Search Console, Atoms first authorizes a Google account, then looks for a property that matches the custom domain used by the current Atoms project.

There are 2 stages to the connection:

1. Authorize the Google account. Use an account that can access or verify the Search Console property for the live site.
2. Match and verify the property. Atoms connects an existing verified property automatically when it matches the live custom domain. If the site is missing or unverified, add or verify it before completing the connection.

After the property is connected, Performance and Operations can show data returned by Search Console. These views do not describe what Sarah generated, and the connection is not required for Sarah to plan or create SEO content.

Before you start

Before connecting Google Search Console, make sure that:

• The website has been published on a live custom domain. The default Atoms address cannot be used for this Search Console workflow.
• You can open the live homepage without signing in.
• You have a Google account that can access an existing matching Search Console property or can verify a new one.
• Your browser allows Google authorization pop-ups from Atoms.
• You have permission to manage project integrations. If the connection controls are unavailable, ask the workspace owner or an administrator with this permission to complete the connection.

For the shortest automatic-verification route, use a URL-prefix Search Console property and connect the GA4 property used by the live site through the user authorization flow. Use the same Google account for both services, and make sure it has Edit access to the GA4 property. This route is not available for a Domain property or an Analytics setup managed automatically by Atoms. See Connect Google Analytics 4.

If you need a custom domain, see Connect and manage domains.

Never paste a Google password, verification code, DNS value, access token, or other credential into Chat.

Connect Google Search Console

Open the Search Console connector

1. Open the Atoms project for the published website.
2. Select Marketing in the project toolbar, then open Operations. If an SEO task has already completed and Overview → Marketing → SEO shows Open Dashboard, you can select it as a shortcut to the same reporting area.
3. If Atoms shows Manage Domains, connect and verify the custom domain before continuing.
4. Select Connect Search Console.

Authorize the Google account

1. In the Google authorization window, sign in to the Google account that can access or verify the property for the custom domain.
2. Check that the correct Google account is selected.
3. Review the access requested by Atoms. Continue only if you agree.
4. Return to Atoms and wait for the authorization step to finish.

If the browser blocks the Google authorization window, select Open authorization page and continue in the new tab. You can also allow pop-ups for Atoms and retry the connection.

Connect the property for your custom domain

After authorization, Atoms looks for a Search Console property that matches the project’s live custom domain.

• If a matching verified property exists: Atoms connects it automatically. Continue to Check that the connection worked.
• If the domain is not found: Select Add site in Atoms. This creates a URL-prefix Search Console property for the current custom domain; it does not create another Atoms website.
• If the site is found but not verified: Use one of the verification methods below.

Identify the property type before choosing a verification method. A URL-prefix property distinguishes between http and https and between hostnames such as example.com and www.example.com. A Domain property covers its protocols and subdomains and must be verified through DNS.

Verify the site

If Atoms finds the site but shows that it is not verified, choose the method that matches the property type. For a URL-prefix property, use Google Analytics only when the eligibility conditions below are met; otherwise use a manual method. For a Domain property, complete Google DNS verification.

Verify through Google Analytics

Use this route only for a URL-prefix property when the live site already uses GA4, the GA4 property was connected by you in Atoms, and the same Google account has Edit access to that Analytics property. It is not available for a Domain property or for an Analytics setup managed automatically by Atoms.

1. Select the Analytics tab in Atoms.
2. Complete the steps in Connect Google Analytics 4 using the GA4 property for the live site.
3. Return to the Search Console setup screen.
4. Select Refresh.
5. When it becomes available, select Auto Verify via Google Analytics.
6. Wait for Atoms to confirm the verification result.

Google Analytics verification also requires a public homepage with a supported Analytics tag. If any condition is not met, use the relevant manual method. See Google’s site-ownership verification guide.

The screenshot shows the Analytics link, Refresh, Auto Verify via Google Analytics, and the manual verification link. Auto Verify via Google Analytics remains unavailable until the URL-prefix and Analytics eligibility conditions above are met.

Connect GA4 first for automatic verification, or verify the site manually

Verify manually in Google Search Console

1. Select Verify manually in Google Search Console.
2. In Google Search Console, choose a verification method for the property type. For a Domain property, use the DNS method shown by Google. For a URL-prefix property, use any method Google offers that you can complete.
3. Complete Google’s instructions. The available methods depend on the property type and the access you have to the website or domain.
4. Return to Atoms and select Refresh.
5. Confirm that the domain shows Verified in Google Search Console.

Do not remove the verification file, tag, DNS record, or other verification token after the connection succeeds. Google can check the token again later.

Check that the connection worked

1. Open Marketing → Performance.
2. Confirm that the page shows the connected custom domain and the Search Console reporting layout.
3. Open Operations and confirm that the sitemap and indexed-page areas are available.
4. If the property is new, return later to check for data.

Search Console performance data in Atoms is typically delayed by 2–3 days. A connected dashboard can therefore show zero values or No data available while Google begins collecting or returning data.

Review Search Console performance data

The Analytics and Performance screenshots in this guide use fictional or redacted domains, queries, and metrics for privacy; the Operations screenshot intentionally clips sitemap details for privacy under the approved exception. Your values may differ.

Review sitemap and indexed-page status

Submit the sitemap

The Atoms dashboard can read sitemap information from Search Console, but it does not submit the sitemap for you. To submit through Google’s Sitemaps report, your Google account needs owner permission for the Search Console property.

1. Confirm that https://your-domain.com/sitemap.xml opens without signing in, can be fetched publicly, contains the new live page addresses, and uses the custom domain.
2. Open Google Search Console for the connected property.
3. Open Sitemaps and submit the live sitemap address or /sitemap.xml, following the field shown by Google.
4. Return later and check the submission result.

If the sitemap is missing, excludes a new page, or uses a placeholder domain, ask Alex to fix it and publish the corrected build before you submit it. For Google’s instructions, see the Sitemaps report guide.

Common problems

Problem	What to do
The Google authorization window does not open	Select Open authorization page, allow pop-ups for Atoms, and retry.
The wrong Google account is connected, or access was revoked	Open the project’s connector settings, disconnect Search Console, then reconnect it with the correct Google account.
The property is missing or does not match	Check the exact protocol and hostname of the live site. Select Refresh; if no matching property exists, select Add site in Atoms to create a URL-prefix property.
The connection controls are unavailable	Confirm that you can manage project integrations. Otherwise, ask the workspace owner or an administrator with that permission to complete the connection.
Verification fails	Confirm the property type. Use Google Analytics only for an eligible URL-prefix property; use the DNS method for a Domain property. Complete the method in Google, then return to Atoms and select Refresh.
The dashboard has no data	Confirm that the connected property matches the live custom domain. Search Console data normally takes 2–3 days to appear, but a newly added website can take up to a week to generate data.
Google reports a sitemap error	Open the error details in Search Console. Confirm that the sitemap is public, uses the live custom domain, and contains the intended live page addresses.

If the problem continues, contact Atoms Support with the project, live domain, failed stage, visible error, approximate time, and a redacted screenshot. Do not include passwords, verification codes, DNS values, access tokens, or other credentials.

For guidance on the SEO workflow and on interpreting Performance, Operations, URL Inspection, and Page Speed, see SEO Agent.