To verify your domain in Google Search Console, add a Domain property, copy the google-site-verification=... value Google gives you, add it as a TXT record on your domain's DNS, wait for it to be visible, then click Verify. It takes about ten minutes of work, and once it's done you can see which searches bring people to your site, which pages Google has indexed and whether anything is broken.
This guide explains each step, where the record goes depending on who runs your DNS, and what to look at once you are in.
Why bother with Search Console
Search Console is Google's free tool for site owners. It is the only place that shows you:
- the search terms people used before clicking through to your site, with clicks and impressions;
- which of your pages are indexed, and why others aren't;
- problems with mobile usability, page experience and structured data;
- security issues and manual actions, if Google ever finds any.
For a South African small business that relies on local customers finding it, this is the most useful free SEO tool there is. It pairs well with a Google Business Profile and the other local SEO basics.
Domain property or URL-prefix property?
When you add a site, Google offers two property types:
| Domain property | URL-prefix property | |
|---|---|---|
| Covers | Every subdomain and protocol: http, https, www, shop. and so on |
Only URLs starting with the exact prefix, e.g. https://www.example.co.za/ |
| Verification | DNS TXT record only | Several options: HTML file, meta tag, Google Analytics, Tag Manager or DNS |
| Best for | Seeing the whole domain in one place | A single section, or when you can't edit DNS |
Choose the Domain property if you can edit your DNS. It catches traffic to versions of your site you may have forgotten about (the http version, a staging subdomain someone linked to, the bare domain without www) and it doesn't break when you move hosts, because verification lives in DNS rather than in a file on the server.
Step 1 - Add the property and copy the record
- Sign in to Google Search Console with the Google account that should own the property. Use a business account the company controls, not a personal account of a staff member who might leave.
- Choose Add property, then Domain, and enter your domain without
https://orwww, for exampleexample.co.za. - Google shows a TXT record value that starts with
google-site-verification=. Copy it exactly.
Leave this window open. You will come back to it to click Verify.
Step 2 - Find out who runs your DNS
The TXT record must be added wherever your domain's DNS is actually hosted, which is not always where the domain was bought. Check the nameservers:
dig NS example.co.za +short
Whoever those nameservers belong to is where the record goes. If that is unclear, our explainer on what nameservers are covers it.
Step 3 - Add the TXT record
The record looks like this:
example.co.za. 3600 IN TXT "google-site-verification=AbC123exampleValue"
In most DNS editors you fill in three fields:
- Type: TXT
- Name / Host:
@, or leave it empty, for the domain itself. Don't type the full domain into this field if the editor adds it automatically, or you will end up withexample.co.za.example.co.za. - Value / Content: the full
google-site-verification=...string.
If your domain uses NewHost DNS, open the domain under Domains in the dashboard and add the TXT record in the DNS records editor. A domain can have many TXT records, so adding this one doesn't affect your SPF record or anything else already there. For a refresher on record types, see DNS records explained.
Step 4 - Wait, then verify
New records are usually visible within minutes, but it can take longer depending on the TTL and caching. Check from your own computer before you press the button:
dig TXT example.co.za +short
When the output includes your google-site-verification value, go back to Search Console and click Verify. If it fails, wait a while and try again; Google will keep the pending property for you.
Common reasons verification fails
- The record went to the wrong DNS provider. The domain's nameservers point somewhere else. Add it there instead.
- The name field doubled the domain. You typed the full domain in a field that already appends it.
- Quotes or spaces were copied in. Some editors add their own quotes. Remove extras so the value matches exactly.
- The record is on
www. For a Domain property it must be on the root of the domain.
Step 5 - Keep the record
Don't delete the TXT record after verification. Google rechecks it periodically, and if it disappears, your access to the property can lapse. When you move DNS to a new provider, copy this record across along with your MX, SPF and other records; our guide to moving your website to a new host has a full checklist.
Step 6 - Give access without sharing passwords
Under Settings, Users and permissions, add your web developer, agency or marketer with their own Google account. Give Full access to people who need to change settings and Restricted access to people who only need to look at reports. When someone leaves, remove them there. That's far safer than sharing one login.
What to look at first
Once verified, data starts to appear over the following days. Start with these:
- Sitemaps. Submit your sitemap URL (often
/sitemap.xml). If you build with Next.js, see Next.js sitemap and robots.txt. - Pages (indexing). Look at why pages are not indexed. "Duplicate without user-selected canonical" or "Page with redirect" often point to a
wwworhttpsredirect problem. - Performance. Sort queries by impressions. Pages with many impressions and few clicks may need a clearer title and description.
- Experience and Core Web Vitals. If pages are slow for real visitors, our guide to speeding up your website for South African visitors helps.
- Security issues and Manual actions. These should be empty. If not, deal with them before anything else.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Search Console free?
Yes. There is no paid version. You only need a Google account and access to your domain's DNS or website.
Does verifying my site make it rank higher?
No. Verification only gives you access to data and tools about your site. It does help you find and fix problems that hold rankings back.
Can I verify a site hosted on one provider with DNS at another?
Yes. Domain verification only cares about DNS. Add the TXT record wherever your nameservers point, regardless of where the website itself runs.
Will the TXT record affect my email?
No. TXT records are independent of each other and of MX records. Just make sure you add a new record rather than editing your existing SPF record.
Should I also use Bing Webmaster Tools?
It is worth the few minutes. Bing Webmaster Tools can import sites you have already verified in Google Search Console, and it accepts the same sitemap.
Want DNS that is easy to edit? Register or transfer your domain with NewHost domains and manage TXT, MX and every other record from the same dashboard as your hosting.