Q: I’ve just created a new website and I want to make sure my site gets indexed by Google. How do I submit my website to Google?
A: Generally speaking it’s a “don’t call us, well call you” type of thing. Google has automated programs, called bots, that scour the web looking for new websites and for the updates from existing sites. Most web experts are of the belief that given enough time Google will find you, regardless of whether or not you submit your site or not.
However, for those of you who want to potentially speed up the process of getting your site submitted to Google, you can do one or both of the following:
1) Submit your URL directly to Google at this link: http://www.google.com/addurl/?continue=/addurl
2) Create a Google Webmaster Tools Account (free) and add your site to this account. Taking this step is a good idea whether you are already listed in Google’s index or not, as the Webmaster Tools account allows you to see some interesting statistics about your site. This Webmaster Tools account (and no, you don’t need to be a webmaster to use it — it should be called a “web owner” account but it’s not) will give you the option to submit a sitemap, which is basically a table of contents for your website. In theory Google will find the pages on your site automagically, but many in the industry believe that submitting a sitemap to your Webmaster account can possible speed up the process.