Having a website is just the first step to online success, and getting it noticed by search engines and potential customers is crucial. This is where free website submission comes in.
There are over 1.8 billion websites online, and search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo need help crawling and indexing them all. Free website submission platforms can help with this process.
To get started, you'll need to choose a few free website submission platforms, such as Google Search Console, Bing Webmaster Tools, and Yahoo Site Explorer. These platforms will help you submit your website to their respective search engines.
Why Should I Submit My Website?
Submitting your website to search engines is a must if you want to get discovered quickly. Most search engine bots can find your website if it's been mentioned on other sites, but this can take some time.
You don't need to pay search engines for organic traffic, it's completely free. Unlike paid traffic from ads, you don't need to spend a dime.
Having your website submitted to search engines gives you access to several tools that will help you grow your business later on. The submission process is simple and free of charge.
If you're just starting a new business or blog, search engines are the most important source of free website traffic.
Creating a Sitemap
Creating a sitemap is an essential step in website optimization, and it's actually quite straightforward. You're essentially telling search engines which URLs you prefer to show in search results, known as canonical URLs.
To create a sitemap, you have three options depending on your site's architecture and size. You can let your CMS generate a sitemap for you, which is a great option if you have a large site.
For smaller sites with less than a few dozen URLs, you can manually create a sitemap. This is a simple process that involves opening a text editor like Windows Notepad or Nano, and following a specific syntax.
You can name the file anything you like, as long as the characters are allowed in a URL. However, manually creating a sitemap for larger sites can be a tedious process and hard to maintain long term.
Here are the three options for creating a sitemap:
Search Engine Submission
Search engines are the most important sources of free website traffic, especially for new businesses or blogs. You can get discovered faster by submitting your website manually, and it's free and simple to do.
Most search engine bots can automatically find your website if it's been mentioned on other sites, but this can take some time. It's estimated that Google has a 92% market share of the search engine market.
To submit your website to search engines, you can start by signing up for Google Search Console, which is a free tool that helps website owners see how their website is performing in Google search results. Simply go to the Google Search Console website and click on the 'Start now' button.
Bing is another search engine that you can submit your website to, and it also automatically submits to Yahoo and DuckDuckGo. To submit to Bing, you need to sign up for Bing Webmaster Tools and add your site manually.
Here are the steps to submit your website to search engines:
- Google: sign up for Google Search Console, enter your website domain name, and verify your website using the HTML tag method.
- Bing: sign up for Bing Webmaster Tools, add your site manually, and verify your website using the HTML meta tag method.
- Yahoo and DuckDuckGo: your website will be automatically indexed after submitting to Bing.
Submitting to Google
Submitting to Google is a crucial step in getting your WordPress website discovered by search engines. It's free and easy to do, and it can help you grow your business online without spending a dime.
To submit your website to Google, you'll need to sign up for Google Search Console, a free tool that helps website owners see how their website is performing in Google search results. You can use your existing Google account to sign in or create a new one.
Google Search Console is a free tool that helps website owners see how their website is performing in Google search results. Signing up is easy and only takes a few minutes.
You'll need to enter your website domain name, and we recommend using the URL prefix option here as it's easier to verify. After choosing this option, you'll need to use the HTML tag method to verify your website and submit it to Google.
The HTML tag method involves copying a code from Google Search Console and pasting it into the All in One SEO » General Settings » Webmaster Tools page. You can also use the WPCode plugin to add the Google Search Console verification code to your WordPress site.
After adding the meta tag to your site, you'll need to go back to Google Search Console and click the 'Verify' button for the HTML tag method. You should see a success message in Google Search Console to let you know that your site has been verified.
Here's a step-by-step guide to submitting your website to Google:
1. Sign up for Google Search Console
2. Enter your website domain name
3. Use the HTML tag method to verify your website
4. Paste the code into the All in One SEO » General Settings » Webmaster Tools page
5. Click the 'Verify' button in Google Search Console
By following these steps, you can get your WordPress website discovered by Google and start growing your business online.
Check this out: How to Code a Website for Free
Baidu Website Submission
You only need to submit to Baidu if your website targets people in China, where Baidu has a 66%+ market share.
The process of submitting to Baidu is quite convoluted, which is why we won't be discussing it here. However, there's an excellent guide to Baidu submission available if you need it.
Search Engine Optimization
Getting your website indexed on search engines is a crucial step in increasing visibility and driving traffic. To get your WordPress site listed on Google, you'll need to submit it to Google's search engine.
Google News is another platform where you can submit your WordPress site. To do this, you'll need to follow a step-by-step guide on how to submit your WordPress site to Google News.
To optimize your site's SEO for DuckDuckGo, you should focus on creating high-quality content that resonates with your target audience. This will help improve your site's ranking on DuckDuckGo.
If you're looking to add your website to Bing Webmaster Tools, you'll need to follow a specific process. This will allow you to monitor your site's performance and identify areas for improvement.
Here's a list of search engines where you can submit your WordPress site:
- Bing
- DuckDuckGo
- Yandex
Remember to also consider submitting your site to Google News and Yandex Webmaster Tools for maximum visibility.
Website Forms
Website forms are a crucial part of any website, allowing users to submit information, register for events, and more. You can create a form in just a few clicks with online form builders like Wufoo, which offers over 400 form templates to choose from.
Wufoo also gives users the flexibility to create custom rules for their form questions, making it a great option for those who want to collect specific types of information. Free users can create up to five forms with up to 10 different fields for collecting up to 100 submissions.
If you run a WordPress website, you can use Ninja Forms to embed forms into your web pages. This free plugin is a great option for those who want to build and manage their forms within the WordPress dashboard.
Here are some popular online form builders and their key features:
Google Forms is a great option for creating simple forms, but it may not be the best choice for those who want more customization options.
Google Forms: Quick and Versatile
Google Forms is a great tool for creating web forms quickly and easily. You can embed forms on web pages and use a drag and drop interface to create them.
Google Forms is integrated with Google Spreadsheets, making it easy to collect and manage data. This integration is a huge plus for users who want to streamline their form creation process.
One of the limitations of Google Forms is that it can be difficult to customize. Free users may find it complicated to find the data spreadsheet they need.
Google Forms has a range of question types, including multiple choice, dropdown options, checkboxes, short answers, paragraphs, and linear scales. You can also add your logo, insert photos/videos in questions, and customize your form's theme or color palette.
Here are some key features of Google Forms:
- Embed forms on web pages
- Drag and drop interface
- Integrated with Google Spreadsheets
- Range of question types
- Customizable theme and color palette
Keep in mind that Google Forms has some limitations, including limited form design features and unencrypted email notifications.
Ninja Forms for Self-Hosted WordPress
Ninja Forms for Self-Hosted WordPress is a free drag-and-drop form builder plugin made specifically for WordPress users.
It's a functional contact form plugin with simple template forms, making it easy to create and manage forms within the WordPress dashboard.
You can build your forms and manage your submissions all within the WordPress dashboard, creating anything from a regular contact form to something more complicated with rich text editors.
Ninja Forms also has a wide variety of premium extensions it works with.
It has an anti-spam feature to help keep your forms secure from unwanted submissions.
Here are some key features of Ninja Forms:
- Functional contact form plugin.
- Simple template forms.
- Easy to use form builder.
- Anti-spam feature.
Zoho for Business Upgrade
Zoho is a great option for businesses looking to eventually upgrade their form-building capabilities.
Zoho provides a suite of online applications for businesses, including an online form builder.
One of the best features of Zoho's form builder is its drag-and-drop functionality, which allows you to create a variety of simple and advanced forms.
With Zoho, you can embed your form onto your website, build custom reports, process payments, and get instant notifications upon submission.
However, there's a catch - you only get a limited free trial with Zoho, which includes three forms and 500 monthly submissions.
To continue using the service, you'll need to upgrade to at least an $8/month plan.
This plan lets you create unlimited forms with 10,000 submissions a month, making it a great option for businesses with high form submission needs.
Sources
- https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/sitemaps/build-sitemap
- https://www.thoughtco.com/free-online-form-builders-3866348
- https://www.warriorforum.com/search-engine-optimization/1349018-search-engine-optimization-free-submission-search-engines-directories.html
- https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/how-to-submit-your-website-to-search-engines/
- https://ahrefs.com/blog/submit-website-to-search-engines/
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