Why a business owner should care
Search Console is a free Google tool. It shows which queries bring your site up in search, which pages are indexed and which are not, and whether there are technical or security problems. For a shop in Tashkent or a clinic in Samarkand, it is the one source of data that comes straight from Google rather than from a contractor's guesses.
Connect it before launch or right after. That way indexing errors show up in the first days, not six months later when you wonder why traffic is flat.
Domain property or URL-prefix property
When you add a site, Search Console offers two property types. The choice shapes every report that follows.
A domain property uses the bare domain, such as example.uz. It covers every variant: http and https, with and without www, and all subdomains. It can only be verified through a DNS record. If you can reach your DNS settings, this is usually the better option.
A URL-prefix property uses an exact address like https://example.uz/ and covers only URLs that start with it. The www or http version counts as a separate property. It offers more verification methods, so it suits cases where you have no DNS access, or where you want separate reports for one section, for example a Uzbek-language folder.
You can keep both: a domain property for the big picture and prefix properties for individual sections.
Verification methods
A domain property supports one method, a DNS TXT record. A URL-prefix property gives you more choice.
- DNS TXT record: works for both types and survives theme changes or a CMS migration.
- HTML file: uploaded to the site's root folder.
- Meta tag: a line placed in the head of the home page.
- Google Analytics: if the tracking code is already on the site and you have rights on that account.
- Google Tag Manager: the same idea, through your container.
Step by step: domain property
Sign in to Search Console with a company Google account, not an employee's personal email. Choose to add a property, select the domain type and enter the domain without the protocol, for example example.uz. Search Console gives you a TXT value.
Open the DNS panel where your domain is managed, at the registrar or hosting provider. Add a TXT record for the root of the domain and paste the value. Go back to Search Console and click verify. If the record has not propagated yet, wait and try again; that is normal.
If your site runs on a website builder, the prefix route is easier. Most builders have a field for a Google verification code. Copy the meta tag from Search Console, paste it into the builder's settings and verify.
What to set up right after verification
Verification is only the start. Do these next.
- Submit your sitemap in the Sitemaps section.
- Inspect the home page with the URL inspection tool.
- Check the security and manual actions sections.
- Add users: your SEO specialist, developer and marketer.
- Link the property to Google Analytics 4 so search queries appear in your analytics reports.
Access and common mistakes
Never share the password of your Google account with a contractor. Add them as users with full or restricted access, and keep a company account as the owner. When the work ends, remove the user and check that none of their verification codes remain on the site.
The usual mistakes: a non-www prefix was added while the site runs on www, so there is almost no data; the meta tag vanished during a theme update and verification broke; the site was verified under a former employee's personal account; the TXT record was added to a subdomain instead of the root.
Do not expect instant reports. Some data appears after a few days, and indexing reports update as Google crawls the site. Roughly 16 months of performance history is kept, so export data regularly if you need a longer record.
Where to go from here
Search Console works best when a site is built with search in mind from the start: structure, URLs, sitemap, multilingual pages. If you need a new website or want to fix an existing one, markdev builds websites end to end and sets up analytics and Search Console as part of the job. Tell us about your project and we will suggest where to begin.
FAQ
Should I choose a domain or a URL-prefix property?
If you have DNS access, choose the domain property: it covers http, https, www and every subdomain. Use a prefix property when you lack DNS access or want separate reports for one section.
How do I verify a site built on a website builder?
Usually you copy the meta tag from Search Console, paste it into the builder's Google verification field and click verify.
Why are my reports empty after setup?
Data is not instant, and some of it takes a few days. Also check that you added the address version, with or without www, that your site actually uses.
Can I give access to a contractor?
Yes, add them as a user in Search Console settings. Do not share your password, and remove their access when the work is finished.
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