How to add and verify your website in Google Search Console

Search Console offers two website property types. For most small business sites, the choice comes down to whether you can edit your domain's DNS records.

• If your site runs on both http and https, or on several subdomains, a URL-prefix setup needs a separate property for each.
• One Search Console account can hold up to 1,000 properties.
• Google starts collecting data once anyone adds the property, even before it's verified.

Source: Search Console Help: Add a website or platform property to Search Console, checked 15 October 2026

If someone has already given you access, the site will be in the property selector and you don't need to add it.

1. Open Search Console and select the property selector at the top of any page, or go to the welcome page.
2. Select Add property.
3. Choose Domain or URL prefix and enter your site's address.
4. Choose a verification method and follow the instructions, or select Verify later to save your progress.
5. To finish later, pick the saved property in the property selector and select Verify.

Source: Search Console Help: Add a website or platform property to Search Console, checked 15 October 2026

This is the only method for a Domain property. If your website builder or domain company has its own Search Console instructions, check those first.

1. On the Ownership verification page, choose Domain name provider (it's selected automatically for a Domain property).
2. If your provider is listed, choose it, select Start verification and sign in to your provider.
3. Otherwise, choose Any DNS provider and copy the TXT record Search Console gives you.
4. In your domain provider's DNS settings, add a TXT record, leave the host or name blank or set it to @, and paste the value.
5. Back in Search Console, select Verify.

• Manually added records can take two to three days to take effect, so try again later if verification fails at first.
• In some setups Google asks for a CNAME record instead; its help page explains how to check which you need.
• Keep the record after verifying. If it's removed, you lose verification.

Source: Search Console Help: Verify your site ownership, checked 15 October 2026

Both work for URL-prefix properties only. Website platforms such as WordPress and Wix may offer their own verification steps or plugins.

1. HTML file: choose HTML file upload, download the file (it's unique to your Google account) and upload it unchanged to the address shown, usually your site's root.
2. Open that file's address in a private browser window to check it loads without a login, then select Verify.
3. HTML tag: choose HTML tag and copy the google-site-verification meta tag.
4. Paste it into the head section of your public homepage and save.
5. Load the live page, search its source for google-site-verification to confirm it's there, then select Verify.

• Search Console doesn't follow redirects to another domain for the file. Redirects within the same domain, such as http to https, are fine.
• The meta tag has to appear within the first 2MB of the page.

Source: Search Console Help: Verify your site ownership, checked 15 October 2026

Add them as a user rather than sharing your Google password. Only owners can see this setting.

1. Open the property and go to Settings, then Users and permissions.
2. Select Add user.
3. Enter their Google Account email address (email groups can't be added).
4. Choose a permission level, then save.

• Full users can see all data and take some actions; restricted users can view most data.
• A property can have up to 100 users who aren't owners.
• To remove someone, open Users and permissions, select the menu next to their name and choose Remove access. If they verified ownership themselves, also remove their verification token or they may regain access.

Source: Search Console Help: Managing owners, users, and permissions, checked 15 October 2026

Check these:

• DNS record not found: records can take a day or two, or longer, to appear. Check the value matches exactly.
• Verification file not found or wrong content: upload the exact file to the exact location, without renaming or editing it.
• Meta tag not found: it must be in the head of the live homepage, not a draft or local copy.
• Password protection, timeouts or too many redirects stop Google reaching the page for every method.
• You lost access later: Search Console checks your token periodically and, after a grace period, removes your permissions if it's gone. Put it back to regain access.

Source: Search Console Help: Verify your site ownership, checked 15 October 2026

Disclosure: this is our product. Search Console covers your website; Zolyp covers the posting. It writes and designs Google Business updates and events in your brand's style and publishes them to your connected profile once you approve. It doesn't manage Search Console or your website. There's a 3-day free trial, no card required.