Search Console and its Verification Methods

 Google Search Console (old name is Google webmasters tool) is a basic tool used in the process of search engine optimization. It is a free resource provided by google which act as a communicating media between the user and google. Using this platform, google can alert the users about the mistakes and errors in a webpage. Google treat search console as a mock point.

 

 Search console enables the SEO activities in a controlled form. It help us to easily target a particular country, specified audience, language and also helps to find issues regarding device compatibility, mobile compatibility and browser compatibility. 

First, we copy the URL and go to the Search Console. Google id used to login to the Search Console must be same as that of our Gmail id. Then automatic verification will take place. Otherwise, verification have to be done. Reaching the Search Console, we see 2 options, domain and URL prefix. Since we are pasting a sub domain, paste the URL in URL prefix.  Press continue button. Click property to verify. Select URL inspection option and paste the URL. Click enter. If it shows URL unavailable, then click Test Live and click enter. Now It will show that the URL is available. Then click request indexing. Now the page will be crawled.

As a part of SEO, we use Sitemap, a xml document that contains all the related URLs of that webpage. It contains the details like the frequency changes, last modified date, priorities of the URL. The sitemap enables the google to easily understand and crawl that webpage. The maximum file size is 10mb, more than that will be shown as invalid. The maximum number of URLs in sitemap is 50000. To include more than that limit we can categorize the URLs. Google can quickly understand the xml document in few seconds than a html file which takes half an hour or more. Customized xml files can be easily understood by users. 

Search console has 5 ownership verification methods. They are: 

1) HTML FILE VERIFICATION

 Html file verification is the most recommended method. There will be no serious issues if there is any change in meta tag, template, analytics, designs. It will not break the communication with the search console. Google will provide a html file .That must be uploaded  to the root directory of our website. Then the verify button is clicked. Verification is done. 

2) HTML TAG VERIFICATION

    Search console will provide a html meta tag which must be copied. Go to the setting of your website and select theme and paste the meta tag in the head section of the HTML, before the first body section. Then click verify button.

 

3) GOOGLE ANALYTICS   

It is a free resource from google for the process of SEO. It provides the complete details about the website visits, interaction time of users and more information regarding the resources. Verification can be done using the Analytics tracking code. 

4) GOOGLE TAG

 In this method, we use google Tag Manager. Google Tag is shown as a container snippet. The Tag Manager id is used to verify the ownership. Tag Managers are JavaScript codes that can be pasted at head and body section. Thus we can include all the changes and modifications even without knowing the coding details. 

  
5) DOMAIN NAME PROVIDER

 Purchase a domain name from domain name providers like godaddy.com or namecheap.com. Copy the text  provided by the search console to the DNS data entry option. Then click verify button. Verification  is completed.