Verify ownership

Domain verification proves that you control a domain. VitalSentinel checks or collects nothing for a domain until you verify it. This page explains why verification is necessary, the six ways to verify, and what happens when verification stops.

Why you must verifyCopy Anchor Link

VitalSentinel monitors only verified domains. This protects site owners: nobody can monitor or crawl a site that they do not control.

Before verification, every domain page shows the banner Verify this domain to start monitoring. The modules show the chip Waits for verification. No data is collected, also not from the tracking script.

After verification, some modules start by themselves. They are Sitemap Monitoring, Robots.txt Monitoring, Uptime Monitoring, CrUX Monitoring, Synthetic Monitoring, Site Health Monitoring and Page Monitoring. The modules that need a data source start when you connect it. See Finish the setup.

You verify each domain one time. After that, VitalSentinel checks your proof again by itself. You do not have to click a button for it.

Who can verifyCopy Anchor Link

Workspace owners and admins can verify a domain. Members can see the status, but they cannot change it. A member sees Ask a workspace owner or admin to verify this domain. On the domain Overview, a member sees Domain not verified and "Monitoring starts once an owner or admin verifies it". See Members.

Where to verifyCopy Anchor Link

You can verify a domain in these places. All of them show the same list of methods.

• The Verify step of the domain setup flow. See Add a domain.
• The domain Overview. On a domain that was never verified, the Overview shows the card Verify your domain with the methods.
• The banner at the top of every domain page. Click Verify domain to open the Verify your domain panel on the right.
• A module page. On an unverified domain, a module page shows a preview with example data and the button Verify domain.
• Domain settings. Open Settings in the Domain group of the sidebar. See the Domain verification card. See Domain settings.

Ways to verifyCopy Anchor Link

The list Ways to verify has six methods. The first three are automatic. You need only one method that passes. You can set up more than one method, so that the domain stays verified if one method stops passing.

When the list opens, VitalSentinel checks the automatic methods at once. Each row shows Checking... until the result arrives.

Method status chipsCopy Anchor Link

Each method has a status chip. Hold the pointer on the chip to see when VitalSentinel Last checked the method, and the reason for the result.

The Primary chip marks the method that verifies the domain.

Google Search ConsoleCopy Anchor Link

This method is automatic. It passes when a linked Search Console property covers the whole site and your Google account has Owner or Full user access to it.

1. In the Google Search Console row, click Set up. If Google is not connected, click Connect or Connect Google.
2. Sign in to Google. You come back to the same page.
3. Select the property for the domain.
4. Click Link and verify.

A Domain property, or a URL-prefix property for the root of the site, covers the whole site. When you select a property, the panel tells you if it verifies the domain:

• "This property proves that" the domain "is yours." The property verifies the domain.
• "Your Google account has restricted access to this property". Owner or full access is necessary.
• "This property covers only a part of" the domain. Use a property for the whole site.
• "This property is for a different site". Select the property of this domain.

You can still link a property that does not verify the domain. The button then says Link property, and the property gives you search data. See Google Search Console.

CloudflareCopy Anchor Link

This method is automatic. It uses the Cloudflare connection of Server Log Monitoring.

1. In the Cloudflare row, click Set up.
2. Connect the Cloudflare account that has the zone of the domain. See Server logs.

When the connected Cloudflare account has the zone of the domain, the method passes.

Our tracking scriptCopy Anchor Link

This method is automatic. It passes when the RUM script or the Web Analytics script of this domain is in the HTML of your homepage. The script must have the tracking ID of this domain.

1. Install the tracking script. See Tracking scripts.
2. Make sure that the script is in the HTML of the homepage.

DNS TXT recordCopy Anchor Link

1. In the DNS TXT record row, click Set up.
2. Click Show my TXT record.
3. Open the DNS settings at your domain provider. This is where you bought the domain, or where it is managed, for example Cloudflare, GoDaddy or Namecheap.
4. Add a TXT record with the Type, Host and Value that VitalSentinel shows.
5. Save the record.

VitalSentinel checks the record by itself. It looks every 5 minutes for the first hour, then one time each day. DNS changes can take a few minutes to spread.

If the domain is a subdomain, the panel can say that you can publish the record on the main domain instead. A record on the main domain covers every host under it.

HTML meta tagCopy Anchor Link

1. In the HTML meta tag row, click Set up.
2. Click Show my tag.
3. Copy the Meta tag.
4. Paste the tag between the <head> and </head> tags of your homepage. Most site builders and SEO plugins have a field for extra head code.
5. Publish the change.

Keep the tag on your homepage. VitalSentinel looks every 5 minutes for the first hour, then about one time each day.

HTML fileCopy Anchor Link

1. In the HTML file row, click Set up.
2. Click Show my file.
3. Click Download and the file name. You can also make a plain text file with the File name and File content that VitalSentinel shows.
4. Upload the file to a .well-known folder at the root of your site.
5. Open the Address that VitalSentinel shows. Make sure that the file opens without a login.

Keep the file on your site. VitalSentinel looks every 5 minutes for the first hour, then about one time each day.

Results of the meta tag and file checksCopy Anchor Link

The VitalSentinel crawler visits your site to find the tag or the file.

• While it checks, the panel shows "Checking your site. This usually takes about a minute."
• When it finds the tag, the panel shows "We found the tag. This domain is confirmed." The file has the same message.
• When it does not find them, the panel shows "We could not find the tag yet. It can take a few minutes to show up, so we keep looking."
• When your firewall or bot protection blocks the crawler, open How to let our crawler through for the steps.

If the check takes longer than usual, the panel says that you can leave the page. VitalSentinel continues the check and shows the result when you come back.

After the domain is verifiedCopy Anchor Link

The toast says Ownership verified. In the domain settings, the Domain verification card shows the chip Verified. It also shows how and when the domain was verified, for example "Verified with a DNS TXT record". If a VitalSentinel administrator verified the domain, the card shows "Verified by an administrator".

To add a second method, click Use another method. The panel then says "Already verified – add a second method only if you want one."

When verification stopsCopy Anchor Link

VitalSentinel checks every method that you set up again by itself. If no method passes, the domain does not stop at once. The Domain verification card shows a warning with the number of days that are left, for example "No method is passing right now. Verification lapses in 3 days unless one passes again."

The red banner before the pauseCopy Anchor Link

When monitoring will pause soon, every domain page shows a red banner: "Verify" the domain "by" a date "or monitoring pauses". The ? in the banner explains that everything keeps running until that date. After that date, all checks and data collection pause, and VitalSentinel keeps your data.

Monitoring is pausedCopy Anchor Link

When the date passes, every domain page shows Monitoring is paused and the date it paused. Nothing is checked or collected. Your data is kept. When you verify the domain again, monitoring starts again by itself.

TroubleshootingCopy Anchor Link

Why does Google Search Console not verify my domain?Copy Anchor Link

If the property covers only part of the site, link a Domain property or a root URL-prefix property. If your access is below Full user, ask the property owner for Full user or Owner access. If Google asks you to sign in again, click Reconnect Google.

Why does the tracking script not verify my domain?Copy Anchor Link

If you added the script through Google Tag Manager, the check cannot see it. Add the script to the page template, or use another method. Make sure that the script has the tracking ID of this domain, and that it is on the homepage.

Why does the TXT record show "Not found"?Copy Anchor Link

Wait a few minutes, because DNS changes can take time to spread. Make sure that you copied the host and the value exactly. Make sure that you added the record at the DNS provider that manages the domain now.

Why is the meta tag or the file not found?Copy Anchor Link

Make sure that the tag is in the <head> of the homepage, not in the <body>. Make sure that the file is at the exact address shown. Clear your site cache or CDN cache, because a cache can show an older copy of the page. Make sure that the homepage and the file open without a login.

What do I do if the check is blocked?Copy Anchor Link

A firewall, a CDN or bot protection can block the VitalSentinel crawler. Allow the crawler, then check again. See Monitoring IPs.

What does "No method has verified this domain yet" mean?Copy Anchor Link

VitalSentinel checked all methods and none passed. Set up one method from this page, then wait for the next check.

RelatedCopy Anchor Link

• Add a domain - the Verify step in the setup flow
• Domain settings - the Domain verification card
• Monitoring IPs - let the VitalSentinel crawler through your firewall
• Finish the setup - the modules that start after verification
• Troubleshooting - fixes when verification fails