Knowledgebase: Shared Web Hosting
Verifying your website with Google Webmasters Tools
Posted by Richard Moran on 05 March 2013 12:31 PM

Verifying your website in Google webmaster tools is simply a way of confirming to Google that you are the rightful owner or administrator of the website that you are setting up on Webmasters Tools. Google provide a number of different methods for verifying your site, this can be done by uploading a file to your server, adding a meta tag to your website page, or by making a DNS change to the domain itself.

The method you choose for your site depends on how the site is built and the access you have to the site files or domain's DNS.

Below we detail how the various methods suggested by Google can be applied to your website or domain.

The actual verification tests are carried out by Google, any issues with verification must be resolved by checking with Google Help & Support.

 

Google Verification methods

HTML file upload

  1. Download the "HTML verification file" from Google Webmaster Tools
  2. Upload the file to your Irish Domains hosting account
  • Log in to your Irish Domains Control panel
  • Select "websites" from top menu
  • Click on the domain name you wish to verify
  • Click on "File manager", then click on 1st "open File manager" link (HTTP doc root files and folders)
  • The Google HTML verification file should be uploaded to the same folder as your website "index" file. If your site files are in the root folder, upload the Google HTML verification file to the root folder. If your site files are in a sub-folder, click on the folder name and upload the HTML file into that folder.
  • To upload the file, click on the "Upload file" button at the top of the file manager, browse to the file on your local PC, then Click on OK to upload.

The HTML verification file can also be uploaded via FTP.

Once uploaded, you can complete the verification in Google Webmaster Tools.

 

Alternative methods

HTML tag

If you have access to and can edit your website home page, you can simply add the Google HTML Meta tag to the "Head" section of the page, then upload the modified page to the server and complete the verification through webmaster tools.

Google Analytics

If you already have Google analytics added to your website, this can be used to verify your site.

Domain Name provider

Add a TXT or CNAME record to your domain's DNS records.

TXT record

  1. in Webmaster tools,
    1. under alternative methods, select "Domain name provider"
    2. from the "Select your provider" dropdown box, select the last option "other"
    3. Copy the TXT record provided
  2. Login to your Irish Domains Control panel:-
    1. Select "websites" from the top menu
    2. Click on the domain you wish to verify
    3. Click on DNS tab
    4. Click on DNS records link
    5. Select "Add new DNS record"
      • From DNS record type, select "TXT"
      • Leave Domain box blank
      • in data field, enter the verification record provided by Google
    6. Click "Finish" to complete
Please allow a few minutes for your new TXT record to be added before verifying the site in Google webmaster tools

CNAME record

  1. in Webmaster tools,
    1. under alternative methods, select "Domain name provider"
    2. from the "Select your provider" dropdown box, select the last option "other"
    3. Click on "Add a CNAME record"
    4. Copy both the CNAME label/host record and destination/target record provided
  2. Login to your Irish Domains Control panel:-
    1. Select "websites" from the top menu
    2. Click on the domain you wish to verify
    3. Click on DNS tab
    4. Click on DNS records link
    5. Select "Add new DNS record"
      • From DNS record type, select "CNAME"
      • in Domain box, enter label/host record provided by Google
      • in Canonical name field, enter the destination/target record provided by Google
    6. Click "Finish" to complete

Please allow a few minutes for your new CNAME record to be added before verifying the site in Google webmaster tools

WordPress

There are a number of ways to verify your WordPress site.

  • Many commercial themes have a facility to allow Google verification code or Analytics code to be entered directly through the Theme settings.
  • Another simple method is install one of the many Google verification plugins through your WordPress dashboard. (for example: Google Site Verification plugin using Meta Tag). Once activated, simply add the verification code by following the plugin instructions.
  • Validate by adding a txt record or cname record to the domain name per instructions above.
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