The following process requires the use of Google Search Console. This requires that the user possesses a Google account.

All members of the Oregon State University community have their own Google/G-Suite accounts. Use this account when verifying your OSU site.

If your site has been flagged by Google as being malware or suspicious, please ensure the site's directory has been properly sanitized prior to performing this process.

Click on an image to make it bigger.
Metatag - Site-Verification - Login to Google Webmaster Tools

1. Log in to Google Webmaster Tools

Go to Google Webmaster Tools.

Enter your OSU Gmail address.

Click the Next button.

Metatag - Site-Verification - Login to CAS

2. Log in to OSU's Central Authentication Service

If you are not already logged into OSU's central authentication service, you will be presented with the login.

Enter your ONID username and password.

Click the Login button.

Metatag - Site-Verification - Add Website to Verify

3. Add Website URL To Google Search Console

The Google Search Console will appear.

Enter the URL of the site that you want to verify in the provided field.

Click the Add a Property button.

Metatag - Site-Verification - Select Metatag Option

4. Select Meta Tag Option

You will be redirected to a new screen.

Click the Alternate Methods tab.

Select the HTML Tag option. This will present a tag to you.

Copy the tag.

Metatag - Site-Verification - Navigation to Metatag

5. Navigate to Metatag

Open a new tab go to your website and login.

Go to Admin menu > Configuration > Search and Metadata > Metatag.

Metatag - Site-Verification - Click Global Override

6. Click Global Override Link

On the Metatag main screen, click on the Override link in the first Global item. Adding the site-verification meta tag into this section will apply the tag to all nodes in your site.

Metatag - Site-Verification - Add Content String in Verification Field

7. Add Content String In Verification Field

Once inside of the configuration options, you'll see a LOT of stuff. Don't let it overwhelm you.

Just scroll down to the very bottom of the screen and click on the Site Verification fieldset.

Inside of the Google field, paste the tag that you copied from Google Search Console.

Now remove all of the text except for the string that is inside of the quotes next to the word content. Remove the quotes as well. Take a look at the provided photo to see what the string should look like.

Click the Save button.

Metatag - Site-Verification - Global Confirmation

8. Global Update Confirmation

You'll be redirected back out to the Metatag main screen.

There will be a confirmation at the top of the screen that your settings have been updated.

Metatag - Site-Verification - Flush Caches

9. Flush Caches

Hover on the little house in the upper left of your screen.

When the menu pops out, click Flush All Caches.

Give it a minute for the system to process this through.

Metatag - Site-Verification - Click Verify Button

10. Verify Site

Return to the tab that has your Google Search Console in it.

Click the Verify button.

Metatag - Site-Verification - Verification Confirmation

11. Verification Confirmation

If all has been configured correctly, you should receive a confirmation that your site has been verified.

If you do not see this message, return to your site and make sure that you have the string entered correctly.

You can use your browser's developer tools to view the page source and look for the presence of the google-site-verification tag before trying to reverify.