What is the difference between a Domain and a URL-prefix property?

A Domain property (example.com) covers the whole domain: every subdomain, at any depth, over both http and https. It can only be verified with a DNS record. A URL-prefix property (https://www.example.com/) covers only addresses that start with exactly that string, protocol and host included, and it can be verified in several ways. Most sites should create a Domain property, then add URL-prefix properties for any section they want to report on separately.

The difference at a glance

What a Domain property includes

Google's examples for a property named example.com: it includes http://example.com, https://www.example.com and https://m.example.com/any/path/here. It does not include example.org, because a different suffix is a different domain. A Domain property for a subdomain, such as shop.example.com, does not include its parent example.com.

What a URL-prefix property includes

Everything that starts with the prefix, and nothing else. https://example.com/pets/ includes https://example.com/pets/cats?colour=black and https://example.com/pets/supplies/food/, but not http://example.com/pets/ (different protocol) or https://m.example.com/pets/ (different host). Tracking http and https, or www and the bare domain, therefore takes one URL-prefix property each.

Which one should you create?

Start with a Domain property. It catches traffic on hosts you forgot about, such as an old m. subdomain or a stray http version, and it is the only view where all of the site's search data adds up.

Add URL-prefix properties alongside it when you need:

• Separate reporting for a section, such as https://example.com/es/ or a blog that another team runs.
• Separate access. Users are granted per property, so a URL-prefix property lets an agency see one section without the rest. Owners of a parent property automatically count as owners of the properties inside it.
• The Disavow tool, which does not work on Domain properties.
• A verification method other than DNS, if you cannot edit your DNS records.

You can keep both kinds for the same site, up to 1,000 properties per account. Google says data collection for a property starts when someone first adds it, so add the sections you might want to analyse before you need their numbers.

How to add a Domain property when you already have URL-prefix ones

1. In the property menu, choose Add property, then the Domain option.
2. Enter the bare domain, without https:// and without www.
3. Copy the TXT record Search Console gives you and add it at your DNS provider, leaving the host field blank or @ as your provider expects.
4. Choose Verify. Records can take two or three days to appear; if verification fails, wait a day and retry.
5. Leave the DNS record in place. Google rechecks it, and removing it ends your verification after a grace period.

Your URL-prefix properties keep working and keep their data. If you verify a URL-prefix property through DNS, the matching Domain property is verified at the same time. For the details, see DNS verification.

How AutoPSEO handles both types

When you sign in with Google, AutoPSEO lists every verified property the account can read, Domain and URL-prefix alike, so there is nothing to recreate. With a Domain property you rarely need extra properties just to split reporting: the Subdomain & Folder report rolls the property's pages up into a tree of subdomains and folders, with clicks and impressions at each level. Bulk URL inspection and the Index Tracker accept any URL the property covers, on any subdomain of a Domain property. See connecting Search Console.

Sources: Google's Add a website property, Verify your site ownership, Crawl stats, Disavow links and Change of Address help pages.