How do the combinations of http/https and naked/www in Google Search Console work?

Question

When I added my site to Google Search Console (previously Google Webmaster Tools?) it asked me to add combinations of my site, with http and https and no www and with www, so now I have four. I had to verify that I owned each one. My webserver redirects everything to the https + www version anyway.

• http://example.com
• http://www.example.com
• https://example.com
• https://www.example.com

Now that I have four, which one do I click on to use and view stats for etc? For example, I can add a sitemap but do I do this four times or just to one of them? I can link one with Google Analytics, but again which one? Some of them are reporting stats and some aren't. It seems that the http://www.example.com version is the one getting indexed correctly even though I'm using https. It all seems like a huge mess. Can someone explain it please?

A lot has already been discussed here: Moving from http to https - Google Search Console. But it doesn't seem to clear up my question.

Answer 1

Now that I have four, which one do I click on to use and view stats for etc?

Primarily your canonical / preferred one. The one you are redirecting all requests to. ie. https://www.example.com.

You can periodically check the other properties in Google Search console to make sure things are working correctly - the others shouldn't be getting any (much?) traffic or index status.

I can add a sitemap but do I do this four times or just to one of them?

Just for your canonical property.

I can link one with Google Analytics, but again which one?

Your canonical property.

It seems that the http://www.example.com version is the one getting indexed correctly even though I'm using https.

Since your https://www property is the canonical and you are supposedly redirecting all traffic to the canonical then this would seem to suggest a configuration error. This is the main reason for verifying all versions in the Google Search Console - to check for errors.

If you are redirecting all traffic to https then the http version shouldn't be getting indexed.

A lot has already been discussed here: Moving from http to https - Google Search Console

However, if the http version has previously been indexed and you have only recently implemented the redirect then naturally both versions are going to be indexed, at least initially. It will take time for the Google index to update.

Answer 2

Since you want https://www.example.com as your domain from the four you listed, you will want to make it so that any requests to any of the remaining domains in the list get redirected to the new domain.

The stats and sitemaps for the remaining domains will be useless at best if they're even available.

You should only focus on collecting data from https://www.example.com because that is your primary URL containing actual content. You should also focus on listing URLs in search engines that begin with https://www.example.com. Listing URLs that redirect to other URLs make a bad experience since because it makes users wait longer for the page to load.

Answer 3

Firstly you must decide that which one is your preferred URL. (I recommend https://example.com - If it's E-commerce Site) & then redirect all other URL upon It. Now verify both domain (with www & without www in the Google Search Console & set your preferred URL there - Sign In Search Console > Go Upon Setting Tab (RHS) > Click Upon Site Setting > Select Radio Button of preferred URL. You have already get mail from Google regarding the same when you submit you website into Google Search Console. Now submit your sitemap with your preferred URL. That's All.