Setting Up Google Search Console on BigCommerce
Once you finish setting up your Google Analytics for your BigCommerce online store, you need to set up your Google Search Console. This will help you track Organic Search data from Google. It also is where you submit your sitemap, check for product coding issues, and more ways to increase your e-commerce website SEO. Here, we will walk you through:
- How to Set Up Google Search Console
- Domain Property Verification vs URL Prefix Verification
- Implementing the verification code in your BigCommerce back end
- Connecting your Search Console to your Google Analytics account
1. How To Set Up Google Search Console
Log into your Google Account, then go to https://www.google.com/webmasters/. Click the ≡ in the upper left and go down to “+ Add property.
2. Domain Verification vs URL Prefix Verification
Domain Verification
Domain Verification requires inputing code into the BigCommerce back end. This covers all types of subdomain URLs, as well as claims both https and http (secure vs unsecure). This method DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO LINK TO GOOGLE ANALYTICS.
If you choose this method, you will see this pop up next.
Copy this verification code, and paste it here in your back end:
Implementing Search Console Verification Code Into BigCommerce Back End
In BigCommerce Select “Server Settings”
Under Server Settings, then select “DNS Records”
Select the “Web Hosts” Tab and scroll down to click “Add Another”.
In the pull down menu on the left, select TXT. Type in your basic domain, then paste the verification code. You don’t have to change time to live, but we set ours to 900 for a faster refresh rate.
Go back to Search Console and click verify.
URL Prefix Verification
URL Prefix verification allows you to select specific URLs attributed to your website. You will need to put in all 4 versions:
- http://www.domain.com
- http://domain.com
- https://www.domain.com
- https://domain.com
This is best used if you don’t have access to the BigCommerce back end or if you don’t want to put code in. This is the method, however, that is necessary if you want to link to analytics.
Verification should be automatic once you type in the URL, as long as you are signed into the same Google account that has ADMIN access to Google Analytics.
Connection Search Console To Google Analytics
If you have used URL prefix to verify Search Console, you can connect to your Google Analytics account, so you can see the data right in analytics instead of having to go back and forth. Granted there are specific pieces of data you won’t see in Analytics, but it’s still nice to have Google organic traffic data in one spot.
Select Property Settings in the Analtyics Admin (the gear logo int he bottom left). Then, scroll down to “Adjust Search Console” seen below.
Click “Add” and if the verification was done correctly with the URL Prefix method, and you’re signed into the same Google account, then you should see the property on the next screen. Select the property for the default domain all domain redirects will point to, then save.
Then click OK. Back in Analytics, select Save, and you will be brought back to the property setting menu, so scroll down and click save.
You have now set up your Search Console as well as connected it to your analytics account.
To find the Search Console data in Analytics, on the left hand menu, select Acquisition. Then expand the Search Console menu and select the data you want to see.
