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Domain verification

Domain verification is a one-time DNS TXT challenge that proves you control the hostname before geodeck activates llms.txt, sitemap, feed, and visibility endpoints for your site. Since 2026 we resolve the token live over DNS-over-HTTPS, so propagation typically completes in 1 to 5 minutes on more than 95% of registrars. The token is unique per domain and only needs to resolve once. You can leave the record in place forever without any periodic re-checks.

How does domain verification work?

  1. Add a domain in the dashboard. We generate a unique token.
  2. Create a DNS TXT record at _geodeck.<hostname> with the token as value.
  3. Click Verify. We resolve the record over DNS-over-HTTPS.

What does an example DNS TXT record look like?

Type:  TXT
Name:  _geodeck.example.com
Value: gd_v1_abc123...

What if verification fails?

  • Propagation: most registrars publish within 1-5 minutes; some take up to 30.
  • Apex vs subdomain: the record name is the literal _geodeck label below your hostname - do not include the apex twice.
  • CNAME chains: the lookup follows DNS resolution; CNAME is fine.
  • Already verified: you can leave the record in place - we do not periodically re-check.

Why does ownership proof matter for AI visibility?

The IndexNow documentation describes essentially the same DNS-based ownership model geodeck uses; Google's own Search Console help documents the equivalent DNS TXT method for its property verification. Ownership proof matters because, as the researchers behind generative engine optimization put it in their arXiv paper, creators otherwise have little say over how their content gets used; schema.org's getting-started guide makes a similar point about giving machines an unambiguous, verifiable read on what a page actually is.

To submit URLs, you must "prove" ownership of the host for which URLs are being submitted by hosting at least one text file within the host.

— IndexNow documentation

To discover and diagnose potential technical issues quickly, verify your site in Search Console.

— Google Search Central documentation, “AI features and your website”

Given the black-box and fast-moving nature of generative engines, content creators have little to no control over when and how their content is displayed.

— Aggarwal et al., “GEO: Generative Engine Optimization” (arXiv:2311.09735)

What else can I read?

Keep reading the rest of the geodeck documentation, or jump to the platform pages.

Platform