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Domain vs URL-prefix property: why switch

October 11, 2026

Google Search Console has two kinds of property. Which one you use decides how much of your search data you see. If your site in KeptSEO shows URL-prefix property, this post explains why a Domain property is worth adding and how to do it.

The difference in one minute

• URL-prefix property, like https://www.example.com/, covers only URLs that start with exactly that address: one protocol (http or https), one host (with or without www) and everything under that path.
• Domain property, like example.com, covers the whole domain: http and https, www and non-www, and every subdomain, such as blog.example.com or shop.example.com.

So if some of your traffic lands on http://, on the non-www host or on a subdomain, a URL-prefix property for https://www.example.com/ simply doesn't see it. A Domain property does.

Why switch

• Complete numbers. One property holds all your clicks and impressions, so totals are not split across several properties.
• No gaps when your setup changes. Moving from http to https, or dropping www, doesn't start a new property.
• Nothing is lost. Search Console shows a new Domain property's full 16 months of history right away, because Google already has the data.

How to add a Domain property

1. In Google Search Console, open the property menu and choose Add property.
2. Pick Domain and type your domain without https:// or www, for example example.com.
3. Google gives you a TXT record. Add it in your DNS settings at your domain registrar or DNS host.
4. Back in Search Console, click Verify. DNS changes can take a while to show up; if it fails, try again later.

You can keep your URL-prefix properties. Many people keep one for a section of the site they report on separately.

What KeptSEO does when you add one

KeptSEO treats every property of a website as one site. When you verify the Domain property, it joins the same site the next time we list your properties, or straight away if you press Check for site changes in Settings, Connections. Then:

• The site's dashboard switches to the Domain property automatically once it has imported, with no gap, because Search Console already holds its 16 months.
• Your annotations stay, because they belong to the site, not to a property.
• The site still counts once against your plan. Its size is measured from the Domain property alone, so separate URL-prefix properties are no longer added together.
• On the Sites page, the site now reads Domain property.

Without a Domain property, KeptSEO shows your largest URL-prefix property and keeps saving the others. Adding the Domain property is the simplest way to make sure the numbers you see are the whole picture.

Start free or read how plans and limits work with several properties.