---
title: "Activate a site"
description: "Choose the correct Search Console property, understand the permanent site choice, and complete classification setup."
canonical: "https://crawlraven.com/docs/activate-site"
markdown: "https://crawlraven.com/docs/activate-site.md"
product: "CrawlRaven v2"
last_verified: "2026-08-19"
---

# Activate a site

> Choose the correct Search Console property, understand the permanent site choice, and complete classification setup.

This guide documents current CrawlRaven v2 behavior. UI labels are written exactly where relevant. Bounded Search Console rows are evidence, not guaranteed exhaustive totals.

## Check your available site choices

The capacity panel on `Search Console sites` shows how many sites are activated and how many choices remain. A free account includes one activation. Paid plans increase the site allowance shown in Billing.

> **An activation is a permanent site choice:** Pausing a site later does not turn that activation back into an unused choice. Confirm the domain carefully, especially when Google lists staging sites, old subdomains, or several similar URL-prefix properties.

## Activate the property

1. **Find the correct domain** — Review the host and Google access label under the connected account that owns it.
2. **Select Activate site** — The button opens a confirmation dialog; it does not activate immediately.
3. **Review the permanent-choice message** — Make sure the domain is the one you intend to monitor for this account.
4. **Select Confirm activation** — CrawlRaven creates the site and starts preparing its reports.
5. **Open the dashboard when ready** — The site remains visible in the Sites portfolio while setup runs.

If every site choice is already used, the property row shows that another site choice is required. Use `Increase site limit` to open Billing rather than trying to remove an existing activation.

## Review brand terms

Activation creates one default brand term from the domain. Brand terms control the branded versus non-branded split in Search performance and the Branded filter in Queries. In Site Settings, review the default and add the variants people actually type, not only the official company spelling.

| Good term | Why |
| --- | --- |
| crawlraven | The product name without a space. |
| crawl raven | A common spaced variation. |
| crawlraven.com | The domain can appear in navigational searches. |
| seo tool | Avoid this: it is generic and would incorrectly classify non-brand traffic. |

You can edit terms later under `Site → Settings → Brand terms`.

## Understand setup and access statuses

- **Connecting:** The site record exists, but its first setup step has not started or completed.
- **Preparing reports:** The site is activated and its initial reporting setup is still running.
- **Ready:** The baseline is available and normal reporting can be opened.
- **Extending history:** A previously started historical setup is still running. New full-history starts are not currently offered.
- **Data delayed:** Recent Google data or a refresh is delayed; existing data remains available.
- **Needs reconnection:** Google authorization needs to be renewed from Google accounts.
- **Needs Search Console access:** The Google account no longer has usable property permission.
- **Monitoring paused:** Scheduled updates are stopped, but the site and its existing data remain.

> **Resume is not a second activation:** If an already activated property is paused, use `Resume monitoring`. Resuming the same site does not spend another choice.