A blog that Google can't find doesn't get readers. In our second build log, we document exactly how we connected our free Blogger site to Google Search Console, submitted sitemaps, requested indexing, and what the confusing error messages actually meant. If you've just started a Blogger site, this Blogger Search Console setup is the work to do on day one.
QUICK ANSWER
To get a new Blogger site indexed, add it to Google Search Console as a URL-prefix property, submit the Blogger sitemaps, and use URL Inspection to request indexing for key pages. If the same Google account owns the blog, the property can verify automatically. This build log shows each step and the confusing errors.
Why Search Console matters for a new blog
Google Search Console is Google's free tool for site owners. It shows whether your pages are indexed, which searches bring visitors, and any technical problems. Google's own guidance for AI features in Search recommends verifying your site in Search Console to "discover and diagnose potential technical issues quickly" (Google Search Central). We covered what that means for AI Mode in a separate guide on this blog.
Step 1: Add and verify the property
We opened Search Console with the same Google account that owns the Blogger blog and added https://botvana.blogspot.com as a URL-prefix property. Because the same account owns the blog, the property showed as verified without us adding any code. If yours doesn't verify automatically, Search Console lists other verification methods.
Tip: use the exact address readers see, including https://. Blogger serves blogspot sites over HTTPS, and it's worth confirming the HTTPS redirect is on in Blogger settings.
Step 2: Submit the Blogger sitemaps
Blogger generates sitemaps for you. In Search Console, under Sitemaps, we submitted two:
sitemap.xmlfor postssitemap-pages.xmlfor static pages like About and Contact
You only type the part after your domain. Search Console handles the rest.
Step 3: The sitemap error that wasn't a real problem
Our sitemaps first showed an error status. It looked alarming, but the reason was simple: Google read them before our posts were published, so there was little to list. Once posts are live, Google re-reads sitemaps over time. Lesson: publish a few posts first, then submit sitemaps, or don't panic if an early read shows an error. You can resubmit from the same screen.
Step 4: URL Inspection and Request Indexing
For the homepage, we used the URL Inspection bar at the top of Search Console: paste the full URL, wait for the result, then click Request indexing. Do the same for each new post after publishing. Google's documentation is clear that indexing isn't guaranteed, even when a page meets every requirement, and requesting it doesn't skip the queue.
Our first posts are good examples to inspect: the GPT-6 explainer, ChatGPT vs Gemini vs Claude and the Gemini Notebook study guide.
Step 5: Blogger settings that help indexing
A few Blogger settings are worth checking (under Settings):
- Visible to search engines: must be on.
- Meta tags / search description: turn it on and write a short description for the blog and each post.
- HTTPS redirect: on.
- Custom robots.txt: leave it off unless you know exactly what you're doing. One wrong line can block your whole site.
Step 6: Help Google find new posts
Sitemaps are one route. Internal links are another, and Google lists "making your content easily findable through internal links" as a best practice. Every new post on Botvana links to at least two older posts, and the older posts get updated with links to new ones. It costs nothing and helps readers too.
Bing works the same way. Its Webmaster Guidelines list XML sitemaps, crawlable internal links and links from relevant websites as the ways Bing discovers URLs, plus IndexNow for telling Bing right away when a page is added or updated. So the same habits help your Blogger posts show up in Bing and Copilot too.
Common Blogger indexing questions
"Discovered – currently not indexed"
Google knows about the page but hasn't crawled it yet. On a brand-new site this is common. Keep publishing useful posts and linking between them.
"Crawled – currently not indexed"
Google visited but chose not to index for now. Improve the page: make it more useful, more original, and better linked.
Mobile vs desktop URLs
Blogger can add ?m=1 to mobile URLs. Inspect the clean URL without it.
Mistakes to avoid when indexing a Blogger site
- Requesting indexing for drafts or thin pages. Publish complete, useful posts first. A page with a few lines of text gives Google little reason to index it.
- Copying articles from other sites. Duplicate content rarely gets indexed well and can hurt the whole blog. Write in your own words and cite sources with links.
- Changing URLs after publishing. Blogger treats a changed permalink as a new address. Pick the URL before you publish.
- Buying "instant indexing" or spam backlinks. Google's spam policies warn against link schemes. Real links come from useful posts shared in the right places.
- Forgetting static pages. About, Contact and Privacy pages help readers trust you, and they're included in
sitemap-pages.xml. - Ignoring mobile. Google mainly crawls with a smartphone agent, so a broken mobile layout is a real problem, not a cosmetic one.
One more habit that helps: keep a simple spreadsheet of every post you publish, with its URL, publish date, the date you requested indexing, and its current status in Search Console. On a new blog, that log makes patterns obvious fast, such as which kinds of posts get indexed quickly and which ones need more work.
What we'll track next
Once there's data, the Performance report shows queries, clicks, impressions and average position. Google says traffic from AI Overviews and AI Mode is included there under the "Web" search type. Our plan is to look for searches with impressions but few clicks, and rewrite those titles and descriptions to be clearer.
Indexing checklist for new Blogger sites
- Add your exact https blogspot address in Search Console.
- Confirm verification.
- Publish a few posts.
- Submit
sitemap.xmlandsitemap-pages.xml. - Inspect and request indexing for each new post.
- Turn on search descriptions and write them.
- Link new posts to older ones.
- Check Pages and Performance reports weekly.
Want to put this into practice? Try our free Robots TXT Generator and Meta Tag Generator right in your browser, then read Build Log and Google AI Mode Guide on Botvana.
Related: Planning your next post? See how many words in a blog post, according to the data.
FAQ
Do Blogger sites need Search Console?
It isn't required, but it's the best free way to see whether Google has indexed your posts and to fix problems.
What is the Blogger sitemap URL?
Your blog address followed by /sitemap.xml for posts and /sitemap-pages.xml for pages.
Why does my Blogger sitemap show an error?
A common reason on a new blog is that Google read it before posts were published. Publish, then resubmit.
How long does Blogger indexing take?
It varies. Google doesn't guarantee indexing or give a fixed time.
Should I edit Blogger's robots.txt?
Only if you understand it well. Blogger's default works for most blogs.
Sources and further reading
- Spam policies for Google web search (Google Search Central)
- Mobile-first indexing best practices (Google Search Central)
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