Launch & measurement
Search & Analytics Setup Checklist
Use this checklist to move CurioLab from a published static site to a site whose search visibility and visitor engagement can be measured. This page is a guide—not proof that any external service has been connected.
Step 1 — Confirm the live site first
- Deploy the latest complete website ZIP to Netlify.
- Open the homepage and test the main navigation on desktop and mobile.
- Open the new tool and guide URLs directly; check that they do not return a 404.
- Open the sitemap URL and confirm it lists the current pages.
- Keep a copy of the exact ZIP that was deployed so changes are reproducible.
Step 2 — Set up Google Search Console
- Open Google Search Console and add the exact deployed site as a property. Choose the verification method you can complete; a domain property typically requires DNS access.
- Complete Google's ownership verification. Do not assume the property is verified until Search Console confirms it.
- Submit the sitemap URL:
https://effulgent-trifle-d26725.netlify.app/sitemap.xml. - Use URL Inspection for the homepage and important tool pages. Request indexing if appropriate, then wait for Google to process the request.
- After data starts appearing, review impressions, clicks, click-through rate, and average position. Search data can take time to populate.
What to record
- Date property verified
- Sitemap submission status and date
- Pages indexed or excluded, with reasons
- Queries and pages receiving impressions
Step 3 — Choose analytics deliberately
Use an analytics service only after deciding what you need to measure and how you'll explain data collection to visitors. For a small site, start with aggregate page views and tool-page engagement rather than collecting unnecessary personal information.
- Choose a provider and review its current pricing, privacy terms, and regional requirements.
- Create the property in that provider's dashboard and copy the actual measurement ID or installation snippet it supplies.
- Add the real snippet to the deployed site only after deciding whether consent or additional disclosure is required. Never use a placeholder ID in production.
- Test the provider's real-time or debug view after deployment. Confirm that page visits are recorded without exposing personal information.
- Update the privacy page accurately to describe the analytics service and the data it collects.
Minimum useful metrics
- Visits to the homepage, blog, guides, and each tool page
- Outbound clicks from guide pages to tools
- Tool interactions, if measured in a privacy-respecting way
- Search impressions and clicks from Search Console
Do not claim analytics is active until the real property is configured and a test visit is visible in its dashboard.
Step 4 — Use the data to improve the site
- Identify which pages get search impressions but few clicks; improve titles and descriptions where useful.
- Identify pages people visit but quickly leave; check whether the page answers its title's promise and loads well on mobile.
- Improve internal links from popular guides to relevant tools, without forcing unrelated links.
- Review changes after enough data accumulates; avoid drawing conclusions from tiny samples.
Official resources
- Google Search Console
- Submit a sitemap in Search Console
- Google Analytics — optional; choose a provider based on your needs.