Hi, Michael. I just wanted to drop in to thank you for these incredibly clear and easy to follow instructions. They worked like gangbusters for me. I really appreciate how much work went into creating this post.
I got around that but another problem I have is disabled sitemap. And they also put ugc for nofollow links smh. It's my blog and its not a random comment. So its stupid that they are manipulating backlinks to rank there own website on top of your own.
I've been back and forth with Substack support on this. They have taken off the Google Site verification and claim that's because they have their own SEO tools.
I have been unable to get the Google Analytics or Google Tag Manager options to work. I will repost when I figure it out (or someone does and tells me) Best I can recommend is complaining independently to Substack support.
Thanks for the information I am having trouble indexing my articles I made using the substack site in google. I searched on youtube and many people are talking about the ghost.org site, maybe it is a good alternative
Update October 30, 2021: It looks like Substack has returned the "Google Site Verification" field under "Settings" with this text: "Some Google products (e.g. Search Console, Publisher Center) require that you verify that you control this publication. When doing so, chooseURL prefix property and the HTML tag method. Google will provide you with a "meta tag" that you can paste here to complete the verification process." My newsletter is now re-connected 🤗.
On Substack Settings I see "Google Site Verification" under the heading "Advertising Analytics" right above "Facebook Site Verification" and under "Google Tag Manager ID." But it's a kind of Pyrrhic victory because as of today November 8, 2021, Google Search Console returns the error: "URL is not on Google—URL is unknown to Google." So all the posts starting in October 2021 are not appearing in Google search results, even after requesting individual pages to be indexed, and even after submitting the sitemap. They have the status of "Excluded—Discovered-currently not indexed." Contacting Substack tech just results in being told that everything looks correctly filled out on their end and to contact Google.
It doesn't show in my settings either. But I just installed a custom domain name (www.towritewithwildabandon.com), so perhaps that has something to do with it? I have connected it via my domain name registrar (GoDaddy), so my guess is that since I'm using a custom domain, SubStack won't display the Google Site Verification box (because you need to verify it elsewhere when using a custom domain).
Is this perhaps the case for you, too, ETFy?
I literally just set this all up tonight, so I have no idea how long it will take to kick in or how visible I'll be on Google. I have heard though that custom domain may help Google index SubStack newsletters. Fingers crossed!
No custom domain Graham. Seriously thinking about moving elsewhere, google is not indexing my latest posts because of the lack of Google Site Verification on Substack.
I had to contact technical support. They said some SEO features are turned off - I assume that means no-index and the site map turned off at the very least - to prevent spamming.
After I contacted them, sent some proof that I was for real (my promotion plans, websites, etc) they turned those features on. Now you can find me if you Google “to write with wild abandon graham strong”.
Initially pasting the HTML tag did not work for me. Instead, I received the message: "Your verification file was not found in the required location." Then I closed the Google "Verify ownership" window and then another window popped up saying that the site had been "automatically" verified. And now my Substack newsletter appears in Google Search Console as a verified property.
Thank you for your efforts. I take it as of Nov. 7, there is no easy solution except using their SEO (which I have not actually seen), or getting our own domain? Sigh...it is like they want to drive away all writers except their big hired guns...
This is seriously uncool of Substack - if I'd known about it, I wouldn't have spent dozens of hours starting a newsletter on this platform. They don't say one word about this in their support documentation. And I've received dozens of emails with tips engagement and promotion, and none of them have mentioned this. They're clearly obfuscating the fact that Google doesn't index most (all?) new channels.
So how are we supposed to know? Like a lot of people, I found out about Substack by reading some very high-profile channels that are Google-indexed. How am I somehow supposed to guess that only "special" Substacks are on Google? They've wasted a lot of my time and energy.
It's really not that unusual. Only sites/pages that show general interest are usually indexed by Google. Unless somebody tells Google to go index something, or there are other sites linking to your content, they won't know about it.
It's frustrating, but as the instructions above demonstrate, you can work around it and get your site indexed.
So when I followed your directions and went to the SS Settings page, there is no Google Verification box. Only Google Analytics, which I already set up, and Google Tag Manager. What to do?
I've been back and forth with Substack support on this. They have taken off the Google Site verification and claim that's because they have their own SEO tools.
I have been unable to get the Google Analytics or Google Tag Manager options to work. I will repost when I figure it out (or someone does and tells me) Best I can recommend is complaining independently to Substack support.
The interesting thing is that TODAY, during the weekly Writer's Office Hours someone else asked the same question and one of the engineers gave directions telling us to find the Google Verification Site box in our settings! Ugh, it seems they don't know what they are doing either. I also messaged with someone in support and he just told me they don't do it.
I have been considering writing here. But this is whack. Unless you already have a dedicated following wrapped around a specifically fleshed out niche, it is as if are writing for no one. I don't want to spin up social media (more work) as in x number of posts, videos, carousels, etc. In fact, I think people -- particularly those of us who doh't want social media to dominate our lives -- will consider this a fatal flaw. It's a shame. The writerly aspect appeals to me because I have been a working investigative journalist and wrote for publications that include Rolling Stone. Meh.
Google search is on the way out anyway. Traffic that uses it is not desirable at any rate and will bring low quality readers and comments. Focus on Perplexity.ai and similarly enabled products.
I don't know. I've given up myself
I've never had a gripe with Substack until now. THIS IS INSANE.
NOOOO! No, Michael, we need you!
Hi, Michael. I just wanted to drop in to thank you for these incredibly clear and easy to follow instructions. They worked like gangbusters for me. I really appreciate how much work went into creating this post.
Thanks. I'm glad it helped you.
Google site Verification textbox not found in settings
Thanks. Crap. They've changed things. This is called blog rot. I'll post an update and let you know. There are some other anomalies.
I got around that but another problem I have is disabled sitemap. And they also put ugc for nofollow links smh. It's my blog and its not a random comment. So its stupid that they are manipulating backlinks to rank there own website on top of your own.
I have the same problem, can't see how to get my newsletter's URL verified
I've been back and forth with Substack support on this. They have taken off the Google Site verification and claim that's because they have their own SEO tools.
I have been unable to get the Google Analytics or Google Tag Manager options to work. I will repost when I figure it out (or someone does and tells me) Best I can recommend is complaining independently to Substack support.
Thanks for the information I am having trouble indexing my articles I made using the substack site in google. I searched on youtube and many people are talking about the ghost.org site, maybe it is a good alternative
I will do that. Thanks sir
Update October 30, 2021: It looks like Substack has returned the "Google Site Verification" field under "Settings" with this text: "Some Google products (e.g. Search Console, Publisher Center) require that you verify that you control this publication. When doing so, chooseURL prefix property and the HTML tag method. Google will provide you with a "meta tag" that you can paste here to complete the verification process." My newsletter is now re-connected 🤗.
Thta's great news but under which section can you see it? I can't see it under 'Advertising Analytics.
On Substack Settings I see "Google Site Verification" under the heading "Advertising Analytics" right above "Facebook Site Verification" and under "Google Tag Manager ID." But it's a kind of Pyrrhic victory because as of today November 8, 2021, Google Search Console returns the error: "URL is not on Google—URL is unknown to Google." So all the posts starting in October 2021 are not appearing in Google search results, even after requesting individual pages to be indexed, and even after submitting the sitemap. They have the status of "Excluded—Discovered-currently not indexed." Contacting Substack tech just results in being told that everything looks correctly filled out on their end and to contact Google.
It doesn't show on my settings. Thanks anyway.
It doesn't show in my settings either. But I just installed a custom domain name (www.towritewithwildabandon.com), so perhaps that has something to do with it? I have connected it via my domain name registrar (GoDaddy), so my guess is that since I'm using a custom domain, SubStack won't display the Google Site Verification box (because you need to verify it elsewhere when using a custom domain).
Is this perhaps the case for you, too, ETFy?
I literally just set this all up tonight, so I have no idea how long it will take to kick in or how visible I'll be on Google. I have heard though that custom domain may help Google index SubStack newsletters. Fingers crossed!
No custom domain Graham. Seriously thinking about moving elsewhere, google is not indexing my latest posts because of the lack of Google Site Verification on Substack.
I had to contact technical support. They said some SEO features are turned off - I assume that means no-index and the site map turned off at the very least - to prevent spamming.
After I contacted them, sent some proof that I was for real (my promotion plans, websites, etc) they turned those features on. Now you can find me if you Google “to write with wild abandon graham strong”.
Initially pasting the HTML tag did not work for me. Instead, I received the message: "Your verification file was not found in the required location." Then I closed the Google "Verify ownership" window and then another window popped up saying that the site had been "automatically" verified. And now my Substack newsletter appears in Google Search Console as a verified property.
You, my friend, are a real life saver!
Thank you for your efforts. I take it as of Nov. 7, there is no easy solution except using their SEO (which I have not actually seen), or getting our own domain? Sigh...it is like they want to drive away all writers except their big hired guns...
This is seriously uncool of Substack - if I'd known about it, I wouldn't have spent dozens of hours starting a newsletter on this platform. They don't say one word about this in their support documentation. And I've received dozens of emails with tips engagement and promotion, and none of them have mentioned this. They're clearly obfuscating the fact that Google doesn't index most (all?) new channels.
So how are we supposed to know? Like a lot of people, I found out about Substack by reading some very high-profile channels that are Google-indexed. How am I somehow supposed to guess that only "special" Substacks are on Google? They've wasted a lot of my time and energy.
It's really not that unusual. Only sites/pages that show general interest are usually indexed by Google. Unless somebody tells Google to go index something, or there are other sites linking to your content, they won't know about it.
It's frustrating, but as the instructions above demonstrate, you can work around it and get your site indexed.
There is now Google tag manager verification instead in substack, which works
I think the input "Google Site Verification" doesn't exist anymore.
So when I followed your directions and went to the SS Settings page, there is no Google Verification box. Only Google Analytics, which I already set up, and Google Tag Manager. What to do?
I've been back and forth with Substack support on this. They have taken off the Google Site verification and claim that's because they have their own SEO tools.
I have been unable to get the Google Analytics or Google Tag Manager options to work. I will repost when I figure it out (or someone does and tells me) Best I can recommend is complaining independently to Substack support.
The interesting thing is that TODAY, during the weekly Writer's Office Hours someone else asked the same question and one of the engineers gave directions telling us to find the Google Verification Site box in our settings! Ugh, it seems they don't know what they are doing either. I also messaged with someone in support and he just told me they don't do it.
Such a fantastic guide. Thanks!
Hi Michael. I went to a maximum length but then I faced an issue. I submitted the sitemap.xml but the STATUS is showing COULDN'T PETCH.
I tested it
It is related to the number of suscribers, not number of posts
I have been considering writing here. But this is whack. Unless you already have a dedicated following wrapped around a specifically fleshed out niche, it is as if are writing for no one. I don't want to spin up social media (more work) as in x number of posts, videos, carousels, etc. In fact, I think people -- particularly those of us who doh't want social media to dominate our lives -- will consider this a fatal flaw. It's a shame. The writerly aspect appeals to me because I have been a working investigative journalist and wrote for publications that include Rolling Stone. Meh.
Google search is on the way out anyway. Traffic that uses it is not desirable at any rate and will bring low quality readers and comments. Focus on Perplexity.ai and similarly enabled products.