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Verifying and Linking Google Search Console on Your Website

Overview

Google Search Console is a free service offered by Google that helps you monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot your site’s presence in Google Search results.

Verifying Google Search Console for your Site

  1. Navigate to the Google Search Console page
  2. Click on the “Search Property” field on the top left of the page and click on “+ Add Property”
  3. Enter https://[YOUR_DEPARTMENT].ubc.ca as a URL Prefix and click “Continue”
  4. Use the HTML Tag verification method by copying the meta tag inside the content=”[META TAG]“ section (Eg. If you are given this as your tag: <meta name=”google-site-verification” content=”BGHCCD4RHGeVV5cCKPHJxbak_d7sxqvd3QfKg4qpV5J” /> you want to copy this: BGHCCD4RHGeVV5cCKPHJxbak_d7sxqvd3QfKg4qpV5J)
  5. Navigate to your site’s SEO Options by going to your site’s Dashboard > Appearance > Theme Options > SEO
  6. Paste the HTML Tag from Step 9 into the Google Webmaster Tools section, in the content= text field, then click the “Save Changes” button.
  7. Navigate back to the Search Console tab and click “Verify”.
  8. Confirm “Ownership Verified” message and click “Done”.

Linking Google Search Console with your Google Analytics Account

To link the Google Search Console property created in the “Verifying the Google Search Console for your Site” process with your Google Analytics account, follow the steps outlined below:

  1. Log into your Google Analytics account in the Google Analytics page
  2. Click on “⚙Admin” on the bottom left side of the page.
  3. Click on “Property Settings” in the Property column
  4. Scroll down the page and click on the “Adjust Search Console” button
  5. Click the “Add” link and another tab will open.
  6. Click on the Search Console site you want to add, then click “Save”
  7. Click “OK” on the Add Association message that appears
  8. Close the Search Console tab that appears and navigate back to the Analytics tab
  9. Click “Save” on the Property Settings page then click on the “⌂Home” button on the top left to return to the home page.

View Search Console Data from the Google Analytics Dashboard

To view the data generated by Google Search Console about your site on your Google Analytics Dashboard, follow the steps below:

  1. Click the “Acquisition” reports option on the left side menu of the page
  2. Click the “Search Console” option
  3. Click on “Landing Pages” and verify that there is collected data on the Landing Page
    • Note: If the landing page is empty or there is no collected data, perform the verification steps outlined in the “Verifying Google Search Console on your Site” and “Linking Google Search Console with your Google Analytics Account” processes above

Additional Resources