Verifying your website with Google Search Console is a crucial step for monitoring your site’s performance in Google Search results. It allows you to access valuable data and tools to improve your site’s SEO. One common method for verification is using an HTML meta tag. This guide will walk you through the process of getting your Google Search Console verification code and implementing it on your website.
There are two main steps to get your verification code: first, retrieve the meta tag code from your Google Search Console dashboard, and second, place this code into your website’s HTML. Let’s break down each step.
First, navigate to your Google Search Console account.
Once you are in Google Search Console, locate and click on your website URL, as shown in the image above. If you’ve just added your site, you might see a dashboard with no data yet. This is normal, as the verification code needs to be in place for Google to start collecting data about your site.
The verification code, specifically the meta tag, acts like a signal transmitter. It allows Google’s robots to read and understand your website’s details more effectively. Think of it as a key that unlocks the door for Google to access and analyze your site’s content and performance.
To find the verification page where your code is located, click on the “Settings” icon in the bottom left sidebar of your Search Console dashboard.
After the settings menu expands, click on “Verification details”. This will take you to the page where you can find different verification methods.
On the Verification details page, click on “Verification methods” or “Use a different method” to see all available options.
Now, select the HTML tag method. Clicking on it will expand the section and reveal your unique meta tag verification code.
This entire script displayed in the HTML tag section is your verification code. Copy this entire meta tag code. Be careful to copy every character without missing anything.
Next, you need to paste this copied meta tag into your website’s HTML code. Here’s how to do it if you are using Blogger, a common platform for website creation.
Go to your Blogger dashboard and navigate to “Theme” and then “Edit HTML”.
Once you are in the HTML editor, locate the <head> tag. This tag is usually near the very beginning of your theme’s HTML code. Paste the meta tag code you copied from Google Search Console directly below the <head> tag.
In the image above, the yellow highlighted code is the verification meta tag. Ensure that the code is placed correctly and that no part of the code is missing. After pasting the code, click “Save Theme” to save your changes.
After saving the theme, return to the Google Search Console verification page where you copied the meta tag. Click the “VERIFY” button to complete the verification process.
Wait for the process to complete. If successful, you will see a confirmation message like this:
This green checkmark and “Verification successful” message indicate that your website is now successfully verified with Google Search Console. Congratulations!
However, if the verification fails, you might see a notification like this:
If you encounter this unsuccessful message, it could be due to several reasons:
- Incorrect Code Copy: Some characters might have been missed or corrupted during the copying process.
- Incorrect Placement: The meta tag might not be placed correctly within the
<head>section of your website’s HTML. - Caching Issues: Sometimes, website caching can prevent Google from immediately seeing the verification code.
To resolve this, double-check each step. Start by carefully copying the meta tag again and ensure you paste it correctly within the <head> section of your website’s HTML. If the issue persists, clear your website’s cache and try the verification process again.
By following these steps, you should be able to successfully get your Google Search Console verification code and verify your website using the HTML meta tag method. This will unlock a wealth of data and tools to help you improve your website’s visibility and performance in Google Search.
