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GSC Site Management Guide

This guide explains how to manage sites registered in Google Search Console through the GIIP platform.

🏢 Go to GSC Site Management →

📋 Overview

GSC Site Management lets you register and manage Google Search Console sites (domains/URL-prefixes) directly within GIIP. By registering a Google Cloud service account JSON key for each site, GIIP can automatically retrieve Search Console data.

🔍 Key Terms

TermDescription
GSC SiteA site registered in Google Search Console. Use the sc-domain: prefix (domain verification) or a standard URL (https://...).
LabelA user-defined name to distinguish the site. Example: "Marketing Site", "Blog"
Service Account Key (JSON)The JSON key file content of a Google Cloud service account. Grants permission to query Search Console data.
Active/InactiveThe status of the GSC site. Inactive sites are excluded from data retrieval.
Key StatusWhether the service account key is registered. "Registered" (green badge) means GIIP can query Search Console data for that site.

🛠️ How to Use

1. Register a GSC Site

  1. Navigate to [Infrastructure Management] > [GSC Site Management] in the GIIP left menu.
  2. Enter your Google Search Console site address in the GSC Site field.
    • For domain verification (sc-domain:): type sc-domain:example.com
    • For URL prefix: type https://www.example.com/
    • ⚠️ For URL-prefix properties, the trailing slash (/) must match exactly. Search Console treats https://example.com (no slash) and https://example.com/ (with slash) as different properties. This single-character mismatch is the single most common cause of collection failing with 403 Forbidden even after permissions were granted correctly. Copy the exact string shown in the Search Console property dropdown rather than typing it from memory.
  3. Enter a name to distinguish the site in the Label field. Example: "Marketing Site"
  4. Paste the content of the Google Cloud service account JSON key file into the GSC Service Account Key (JSON) field.
    • Leave this field empty to keep the existing key.
    • To replace an existing key, paste the new JSON content and click [Update].
    • ⚠️ Saving the key alone does not collect any data. You must also complete "Granting the service account access to Search Console" below.
  5. Click [Add] to save.

🔑 Granting the Service Account Access to Search Console (Required)

GA4 and Search Console are separate Google services with separate permissions. Even if the same service account key already works for GA4, collection will keep failing with 403 Forbidden until you separately add it as a user in Search Console.

  1. Open the JSON key file you uploaded and note its client_email value (e.g. xxxx@your-project.iam.gserviceaccount.com).
  2. Log in to Google Search Console as the site owner.
  3. Select the property (site) you're registering.
  4. Go to Settings (⚙️) → Users and permissions (bottom left).
  5. Click Add user and paste the client_email value from step 1.
  6. Set the permission level to Full (or higher) and save.
  7. Data will be collected within a day (the daily batch cycle). To check immediately, use the [Start Collection] button in the GSC section of the GA/GSC Collection Pipeline page.

💡 It's common to reuse the same GA4 service account key. In that case, you must grant permission in both GA4 property access management and Search Console users and permissions for both pipelines to work.

2. Edit a GSC Site

  1. Find the site row you want to edit in the list.
  2. Click [Edit] on that row.
  3. Change the values (label, key, etc.) in the form.
  4. Click [Update] to save.
  5. Click [Cancel] to discard changes.

3. Delete a GSC Site

  1. Find the site row you want to delete in the list.
  2. Click [Delete] on that row.
  3. Click OK in the confirmation dialog.

4. Check Key Status

  • The Key Status column in the list shows the key registration status for each site.
  • Registered (green badge): A service account key is registered and Search Console data can be queried.
  • Missing (gray badge): No key is registered and data cannot be retrieved. To register a key, click [Edit] and paste the JSON key.

💡 Tips

  • Managing Multiple Sites: You can manage multiple domains/subdomains under a single GIIP organization (CSN). Use labels to easily distinguish them.
  • Key Management: Monitor expiration dates of service account keys in the Google Cloud Console and renew them regularly. When a key expires, "Key Status" will show "Missing".
  • Domain vs URL-prefix: The sc-domain: method (domain verification) covers all subdomains, while URL-prefix covers only the specific path. Choose the method that matches your needs.

Troubleshooting

SymptomCauseSolution
Error: "No organization (CSN) selected"The logged-in user has no organization assignedContact your GIIP administrator to assign an organization.
"Invalid JSON format" error on saveIncorrect content pasted in the JSON key fieldDownload the service account JSON key file again from Google Cloud Console and paste the content exactly as-is.
Registered site does not appear in the listSite is not registered in Search Console or you lack permissionFirst verify site ownership in Google Search Console (https://search.google.com/search-console).
Key Status shows "Missing"Service account key was not provided or has expiredClick [Edit] and paste a valid service account JSON key.
Collection pipeline shows "403 (Forbidden)"Key is registered, but the service account was not added as a Search Console user (separate from GA4 permission)Follow "Granting the Service Account Access to Search Console" above to add the service account as a user on that property.
Still "403 (Forbidden)" even after adding the service account with Full permissionThe URL you entered in the GSC Site field differs from the verified property by a trailing slash (e.g. registered https://example.com vs actual property https://example.com/) — Search Console treats these as different properties and returns 403Copy the exact string (including whether it ends in /) shown in the Search Console property dropdown, then click [Edit] and re-save the GSC Site field with that exact value.
"No permission for this organization" errorCurrent user lacks permission for this CSNRequest permission from your organization administrator.

Version: 1.0 Last Updated: 2026-08-05 Source File: giipv3/public/help/gsc-property.en.md

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