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How to verify a Domain Property in Google Search Console
Google treats all versions of your website separately (e.g., HTTP, WWW, HTTPS, Subdomains,) adding a Domain property in Google Search Console will track all subdomains and versions of your website.
Google Search Console Report (Google Data Studio)
Domain properties are a great way to identify misconfigured redirects (e.g., HTTP to HTTPS), crawl errors, and search performance.
How to track all domain properties in Google Search Console
In Google Search Console
1. log in to Google Search Console (signup for GSC if you haven’t already.) 2. Navigate to + Add Property in the left sidebar, or go to the welcome screen.
+ Add Property
3. Add your domain name (without any prefixes: e.g., HTTPS.)
Verify Domain
4. Copy the TXT record
Verify domain ownership via DNS record
In your DNS provider
To verify your domain ownership in Google Search Console, you will need access to your DNS provider to add the TXT records.
I’ll use GoDaddy for this example. The process is similar for other DNS providers.
1. Log in to your GoDaddy Account 2. Find your domain name 3. Select Manage DNS
Manage DNS
4. In your Record Settings, click Add(bottom right corner) 5. Enter your Settings:
Type: TXT Host: @ TXT Value:Your copied record value from GSC TTL: 1 hour or longer.
DNS Settings
6. Save your settings
Back in Google Search Console
Wait several minutes for the DNS to propagate.
Press Verify
If the DNS hasn’t had time to propagate, you will receive an error. You’ll need to wait a few more minutes if that happens.
Example: Domain property hasn’t had enough time to propagate:
Ownership verification failed
Example: Domain has had time to verify:
Domain Property Verified
It will take some time for Google to gather data on your website; it’s best to check back in 24 hours.
Performance Report in GSC
Crawl Stats
Average Response Times
Google Crawl stats is a great tool to track response times and crawl errors (3XX, 4XX errors); from that report, you can identify and fix mistakes holding your site back.
Crawl ReportCrawl Errors
Pro Tip: Add old migrated websites in GSC to ensure all traffic is going to the new website.
FAQ
What is Google Search Console?
Google Search Console is a free web service that enables website owners to monitor their site’s performance in Google Search results. By verifying ownership of your website through Google Search Console, you can gain valuable insights into how your site appears in search results and make changes accordingly. In addition, Google Search Console can help you troubleshoot technical issues with your website and track any failedsearch attempts. As a result, Google Search Console is an essential tool for any website owner who wants to ensure that their site is performing optimally in Google Search.
What if ownership verification failed in Google Search Console?
If the ownership verification fails, you should:
1. Ensure you installed the verification correctly; if you installed a meta tag, view your meta tag in the source code from an incognito browser window. If you added an HTML file, visit the file URL in your browser. If you added a DNS tag, verify it propagated in an online DNS checker.
2. Double-check that your URL matches the property in Google Search Console.
3. Ensure enough time has passed (min 5 mins) for caches to clear and data to update at the DNS level.
How to add a property in Google Analytics?
Google Analytics is a great tool for tracking your website’s traffic, but in order to use it effectively, you need to add each of your properties. Fortunately, the process is fairly simple. First, log in to your Google Analytics account and click on the “Admin” button in the lower left-hand corner. Next, select the “+ Create Property” option from the drop-down menu. on the next page, you’ll need to enter your website’s URL and choose your industry category. Once you’ve done that, click on the “Get Tracking ID” button and copy the code that appears. Finally, paste the code into the header of your website and you’re all set! By following these steps, you can easily add a new property to your Google Analytics account.
Isaac Adams-Hands is the SEO Director at SEO North, a company that provides Search Engine Optimization services. As an SEO Professional, Isaac has considerable expertise in On-page SEO, Off-page SEO, and Technical SEO, which gives him a leg up against the competition.
