Is the "google-site-verification" meta tag required for indexing?

Question

I have been advised by an SEO consultant to add the "google-site-verification" meta tag to every page of my site. This is to make sure that my pages are indexed by google.

However, I am reluctant to do this for a couple of reasons 1) My site is already verified using an alternative method of verification -by hosting a html verification file on the server.

2) I recall reading an article indicating that this meta tag does not impact crawling or page rank.

I do have some pages that are not indexed. An example is http://www.contractsforgeeks.com/TechJobs/Florida/Tampa.aspx

But I am making the assumption that adding this meta tag will not help the page get indexed.

Is there any value in adding the site verification meta tag to each page instead of uploading a single html verification file?

For example, what happens if I accidentally delete the verification file from my site (some time after the site has already been verified) . Does it need to be need to be re-verified. Or is the verification process a one time deal? In which case, it may be safer to include in each page (even though it does not help indexing?)

Solution 1

One method is enough to verify your site. If you choose the HTML file method, you don't need to put meta tag "google-site-verification" to every page.

Moreover, as assumption, this meta tags doesn't help your site to be indexed by Google. It doesn't impact crawling or PageRank.

If you want seeing your site indexed, you can submit to Google Webmaster Tools a sitemap.xml and put more links from other sites pointing to yours.

And if you delete the verification HTML file from your site, you'll need to verify again your site, this process is not a one time deal.

Solution 2

It does not help indexing. It does not help ranking. Its only purpose is to verify that you are the one claiming to be when registering at Google Webmaster Tools.

If you delete the verification, you'd need to verify your domain again. Otherwise it would be possible to still control a domain at GWT, although the owner changed in the meantime.

If you need to argue against the use of the corresponding meta element, you could point out that it could actually lower your ranking, -- of course this would have no real, measurable effect, only in theory! -- because Google prefers faster-loading pages.

Comments

[beporter]

Can you point to any Google documentation that indicates the verification must remain for all-time? I would think that once Google has verified you are a site's owner, it would not be necessary to continue to check it. (I can't imagine Google would waste the resources to check every site verification daily/weekly/whatever.)

[Zistoloen]

When you verify a site on your Google Webmaster Tools account (whatever the method you choose), there is the following message: To stay verified, don't remove the meta tag, even after verification succeeds. However, I agree with your assumption, I don't believe either that Google verifies sites more than one time.

[beporter]

Thanks for that addition.

[michelpm]

"Removing the tag from the page can cause your site to become unverified, and you will need to go through the verification process again." support.google.com/webmasters/answer/35659?hl=en

[michelpm]

If you use Google Analytics, you don't need another method of verification: support.google.com/webmasters/answer/185871?hl=en

[Rohit Babu]

@michelpm I guess having more than one verification methods can be useful. If one method fails for some reason, the other will act as backup. I mean if somehow meta tag was removed, HTML file method or the other will keep you as a owner of the site