Creating a Google Search Console account takes about five minutes if you have domain access. Go to search.google.com/search-console and sign in with any Google account—doesn't need to be tied to your domain. Click 'Add Property' and you'll choose between Domain property (covers all subdomains and protocols) or URL prefix (specific protocol and subdomain only). Domain property is usually the better choice for most sites. Verification is the critical step. Google offers five methods: DNS record (add a TXT record to your domain registrar), HTML file upload (upload a file to your root directory), HTML tag (add a meta tag to your homepage), Google Analytics tracking code (if already installed), or Google Tag Manager container (if you use GTM). DNS verification is the most reliable long-term option because it won't break if you redesign your site or change CMSs. We use DNS verification for 95% of client properties at Ottawa SEO because it survives platform migrations. Once verified, data starts populating within 24–48 hours. You won't see historical data from before verification—Search Console only tracks forward. The interface shows search performance, indexing status, Core Web Vitals, manual actions, and security issues. Set up email notifications immediately so you catch coverage errors or manual penalties fast. Common mistakes: verifying only the www version when you should verify both www and non-www as separate properties, or choosing URL prefix when Domain property would give you complete data. Also, verification tokens can expire or break during site migrations. If you're managing multiple sites, use a dedicated Google account for agency access rather than personal emails—makes client handoffs cleaner. For Canadian businesses, there's no separate Canadian version. The same Google Search Console serves all markets, but you can filter performance reports by country in the interface to isolate Canadian traffic. Most Ottawa-based clients see 70–85% of their Search Console traffic from Canada, with the rest split between US and international visitors depending on their business model.