GuideGoogle and local search
How to verify your domain in Google Search Console
Last checked 4 November 2026 · Checked by Jerrell Niu
The short answer
Add a Domain property in Search Console, copy the TXT record Google gives you, add it at your DNS provider with the host set to @ or left blank, then click Verify. The record can take up to two or three days to show, and you must leave it in place to stay verified.
What you need
- A Google account to sign in to Search Console.
- A login for wherever your domain's DNS is managed, usually your registrar or website host.
Steps
Step 1: Add the property
Open Google Search Console, click the property menu, choose Add property, then choose Domain. Type your domain without https or www, for example yourbusiness.com.au, and click Continue.
Step 2: Copy the TXT record
Search Console shows a record that starts with google-site-verification=. Click Copy, and leave the window open.
Step 3: Add the record at your DNS provider
Log in where your domain's DNS is managed, which is usually your domain registrar or your website host. Add a new record with the type set to TXT, the host or name set to @ or left blank, and the copied text pasted into the value. Save it. If you bought your domain from us, add it in your domain account.
Step 4: Click Verify
Go back to Search Console and click Verify. Google says it can take up to two or three days for a provider to start serving a new record, so if verification fails, wait a day and try again.
Step 5: Leave the record in place
Google checks the record from time to time. If you delete it, Search Console notifies you, and your access lapses after a grace period.
Why verify a Domain property?
A Domain property covers every version of your website in one report, including the www and non-www addresses and http and https. A URL-prefix property covers only the exact address you enter. Verifying the whole domain means no search data falls into a version you are not watching.
What if my domain already has a CNAME record?
Use the TXT method unless Google's instructions tell you otherwise. Google's help page says to use the CNAME method only when your domain already has a CNAME record that points to a parent domain. Most small business domains do not, so TXT is the usual choice.
Our own example
We verified the Domain property for ilovedigital.com.au on 4 November 2026. The TXT record went in at 9am and was not yet showing in public DNS at 9:07am. It was live, and the property verified, when we checked at 10:40am. The Domain property then showed "Processing data, please check again in a day or so" while Search Console built its first reports.
Next step
Once your domain is verified, you can see which searches bring people to your site. Our guide on how long SEO takes shows what to expect from the numbers, and our local SEO service uses this data every month.
Sources
- Verify your site ownership, Search Console Help
- First-hand: verification of ilovedigital.com.au, 4 November 2026