When I first launched Jottings, I realized something important: just having a great microblog isn't enough. Search engines need to know you exist, and you need visibility into how people are actually finding your site.
That's where SEO verification comes in. It's one of those unsexy-but-essential tasks that takes 10 minutes but pays dividends over time. So let me walk you through setting up both Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools for your Jottings site.
Why Verify Your Site?
Before we dive into the how, let me explain the why. When you verify ownership of your site with Google and Bing, you unlock a treasure trove of insights:
Google Search Console shows you which search queries are driving traffic to your site, what your click-through rate is, and how many impressions you're getting. You'll also spot indexing errors, mobile usability issues, and security problems right away.
Bing Webmaster Tools gives you similar data, plus detailed insights into how Bing crawls your site. It's especially valuable if you have an older audience, since Bing still has solid market share in certain demographics.
I treat verification as foundational SEO infrastructure. You can't improve what you don't measure.
Getting Your Google Search Console Verification Code
Here's the step-by-step process for Google:
Step 1: Head to Google Search Console
Go to search.google.com/search-console. Sign in with your Google account.
Step 2: Add Your Property
Click "Add property" on the left sidebar. You'll see two options: a domain property (covers all subdomains) or a URL prefix property (specific to one domain variant).
For your Jottings site, choose the URL prefix option. This is simpler if you're just starting out. Paste your full site URL, like https://yoursite.jottings.me.
Step 3: Copy the Verification Code
Google will present several verification methods. I recommend using the HTML tag method—it's the most straightforward for Jottings users.
You'll get something that looks like:
<meta name="google-site-verification" content="abc123xyz..." />
Copy that entire string. You only need the part inside content="" for Jottings.
Adding Verification to Jottings Settings
Now let's add this to your Jottings dashboard:
Step 1: Go to Site Settings
In your Jottings dashboard, click on the site you want to verify. Head to Settings → SEO Configuration.
Step 2: Paste Your Google Verification Code
In the "Google Search Console Verification Code" field, paste just the code value (without the meta name part). So if Google gave you content="abc123xyz", paste abc123xyz.
Step 3: Save
Click Save. Jottings automatically injects this verification tag into your site's HTML.
Step 4: Verify in Google Search Console
Go back to Google Search Console and click "Verify". Google will check for the meta tag on your site. This usually completes instantly, but can take a few seconds.
Once verified, you're set! Google will start indexing your site's content right away.
Setting Up Bing Webmaster Tools
Bing's process is similarly straightforward:
Step 1: Visit Bing Webmaster Tools
Go to webmaster.bing.com and sign in with your Microsoft account (or create one).
Step 2: Add Your Site
Click "Add a site" and enter your Jottings URL. Bing will ask how you want to verify ownership.
Step 3: Choose HTML Meta Tag Verification
Just like with Google, select the HTML meta tag option. Bing will generate something similar:
<meta name="msvalidate.01" content="xyz789abc..." />
Copy the code value—the part inside content="".
Step 4: Add to Jottings Settings
Back in your Jottings dashboard, go to Settings → SEO Configuration again.
Paste your Bing verification code into the "Bing Webmaster Tools Verification Code" field.
Step 5: Verify with Bing
Return to Bing Webmaster Tools and click "Verify". Like Google, this happens almost instantly.
What Happens Next?
After verification, both search engines will start collecting data about your site. Here's what to expect:
In Google Search Console, check back after a few days. You'll see a "Performance" report showing search queries that landed users on your site. This is gold for understanding what topics are resonating.
The "Coverage" report tells you which pages were indexed and if there were any issues. Jottings handles most of this automatically, but it's good to check.
In Bing Webmaster Tools, you'll get a similar performance dashboard. Bing's "Diagnostic" section is particularly useful for spotting crawl errors and broken links.
Pro Tips for Maximum Value
Submit Your Sitemap: Both Google and Bing let you submit your sitemap directly. In Search Console/Webmaster Tools, look for "Sitemaps" and add https://yoursite.jottings.me/sitemap.xml. This helps them discover all your content faster.
Check Mobile Usability: Google's mobile usability report is invaluable. A mobile-friendly site ranks better and converts better. Jottings is mobile-first by design, so you should be in good shape.
Monitor for Security Issues: If Google or Bing ever flags a security issue, you'll see it in the dashboard. Take these seriously—Google won't show your site in search if it thinks it's compromised.
Review Search Queries Regularly: Every few weeks, pop into Google Search Console and look at your top search queries. This shows you what your audience is looking for and can inspire future content.
The Bigger Picture
Verifying with Google and Bing is step one. The real SEO work—creating great content, optimizing titles and descriptions, building quality backlinks—happens over time.
But verification is the foundation. It's your direct line of communication with the search engines. Use that connection.
I check my own Jottings site's Search Console every few days. It keeps me honest about what people actually want to read versus what I think they should read.
If you haven't verified your Jottings site yet, spend the 10 minutes to do it today. Your future self will thank you when you're seeing organic traffic trends a few weeks from now.
Questions about SEO verification or Jottings? Feel free to reach out—I'm always happy to chat about growing your microblog.