Verify your domain easily
How to verify your website for Google, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest
For Google, Facebook and other social media platforms, you need to verify your domain to access all of the available features. There are usually three options available for this: the DNS record, the meta tag and uploading an HTML file. We will outline to you all of the three options available and how to proceed with each option generally and then provide specific information for toujou and other (TYPO3) websites.
DNS record Meta tag Upload HTML file
Manual for Facebook/Instagram Manual for Pinterest Manual for Google Manual for Bing
Why do I need to verify my domain?
By verifying the domain, you identify yourself as the owner of a website.This allows platforms to ensure that only you (and authorized persons) have access to sensitive information such as tracking data.
Verifiying on Facebook, also allows you to advertise and edit the snippet for posts. Confirming domains also plays a role in newsletter services - and that's to prevent spam from phishing emails.
What are the options for verifying the website?
To verify your domain with Facebook, Google & Co. you have several options. The most common methods are:
- the DNS record (as TXT or CNAME record)
- via meta tag
- via HTML file
Register DNS record with domain hoster
By using this option, no HTML code is added to the website. This allows you to remain independent of the system administrator and has the added benefit of not requiring any programming knowledge. All you will need is access to the settings of the domain provider who hosts your website. For TYPO3 websites, this might be domain providers like jweiland or punkt.de, for example.
Another advantage of this option: since no HTML code is added to your website, the performance of your website does not slow down. It is for these reasons that we highly recommend this option.
Create a TXT record:
- Log in to your domain host in the menu and find the domain settings. Depending on the provider, you may find these under other names like "DNS Manager", "DNS Management", "Name Server Management" or alternatively under "Advanced Settings". If you are unable to locate any of these, look for the gear icon for settings. If you are unable to locate any of these options, please contact your domain host directly.
- Create the TXT record by adding a new record in the DNS settings and selecting the TXT type in the drop-down menu. For the verification with Bing, create a CNAME record at this point.
- Enter the generated code (from Google, Facebook or similar) in the appropriate target field, for example facebook-domain-verification=a6k2ytwr2tjctjc1opt8b4jsvs3i. For Bing, enter the name of the CNAME record.
- Some domain registrars may require you to enter an additional @ in the host field.
- Save the record and wait until the verification is accomplished. You will be informed after that. The process usually takes a few minutes, but sometimes the pending period can last up to 72 hours.
- Afterwards you can confirm the page on Facebook, Google, Bing & Co. by clicking on the verify button.
How do I verify my domain via DNS record with toujou?
If you register your domain externally, you are the only one to have access to your host. Therefore, only you can create the DNS record by following the steps mentioned above.
If you choose an internal domain registration when signing your toujou contract, we will only need the code (e.g. facebook-domain-verification=a6k2ytwr2tjctjc1opt8b4jsvs3i). We will take care of the rest of the verification steps with the host.
Verify website using meta tag
This option will affect the HTML code on your website. Different website providers offer different instructions for accessing the source code. However, you must be able to edit the HTML source code in any case – more precisely in the <head> area and before the <body> area.
What may sound very complicated and like a lot of programming work is easily done for a TYPO3 website with toujou. Simply enter the code generated by Google or Bing (example: <meta name="google-sites-verification" content="a6k2ytwr2tjctjc1opt8b4jsvs3ij"/>), more specifically the content section, in your toujou backend.
How to add the meta tag for Google and Bing in toujou
- Click on the toujou Theme in the modul toujou settings and then on the Analytics tab.
- To obtain verification with the Google Search Console, enter the code in the field under Google Search Console. Use the code snippet between the two quotes after content=, for example the underlined part in this code <meta name="google-sites-verification" content="a6k2ytwr2tjctjc1opt8b4jsvs3i"/>.
- For Bing, follow the same steps and enter the code in the Bing Webmaster Tools field.
- To confirm with Google Analytics, add the tracking ID in the Google Analytics ID field provided.
- Save your changes.
- Complete the verification by clicking the confirm/verify button on the respective platforms.
- If you would like to verify your domain for Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest using a meta tag, please contact us individually.
Verify your domain via HTML file
To verify your domain via the HTML file, you will need access to the server. Since the file is downloaded from Google, Facebook & Co. you need to access their server to upload your file via a FTP program. Make sure to add the file in the correct directory. Sometimes this will be the main directory, as it is with Pinterest, but sometimes it is in a separate subfolder. Please check with the respective platform for more information. In toujou you don't need this upload – and therefore will not need a FTP program like FileZilla.
How to upload the HTML file in toujou
Send us the generated code of the respective platform. Make sure to send us the unmodified file ending with a .html.
How do I verify my domain for Facebook and Instagram?
To verify a website for Facebook or Instagram, you can use one of the three options: DNS record, HTML upload and meta tag.
Step-by-step guide:
- Open your Business Manager (your account must be connected to the Business Manager) and click settings (gear icon) at the bottom left of the navigation menu.
- Click on company settings and then brand safety which will cause the submenu to pop up and then click on domains. Click on the blue add button to create a new domain.
- In the text box of your domain, enter your domain, without https:// and www., for example toujou.com.
- Select one of the three options for the verification. Depending on which verification option you choose, follow the previously laid out steps to download the HTML file, copy the meta tag or code for the TXT record. Please make sure the code is entered correctly.
- Click on the verify button on the approriate page in the Business Manager.
Worth noting: If you have multiple web addresses in your TYPO3 backend, for example toujou.de and toujou.com, each domain will need to be verified separately.
How do I verify my website for Pinterest?
On Pinterest, you have the option to verify your website or domain using either a DNS record in the form of a TXT file, implementing the meta tag or by uploading an HTML file.
Step-by-step guide:
- Log in to Pinterest using the company account.
- Click the drop-down menu icon (down arrow icon) in the top right corner and select the settings tab.
- Click on the verify button in the left area, and then click the button "verify" next to websites. Then select the desired option and follow the respective steps for the HTML file, the meta tag or the TXT record.
- Switch back to the Pinterest page and enter the website URL in the field and click on it to confirm.
Worth noting: If you want to upload an HTML file, it can't be placed in the subfolder of the server directory.
Verify your domain in the Google Search Console
- To verify the ownership of your website for Google, click on settings in the navigation menu of the Google Search Console and then on confirm.
- Included options are the upload via HTML file, meta tag or TXT record, and Google Analytics. Select the desired option and proceed as described in the instructions above for DNS record, meta tag or uploading an HTML file.
- Click on verify in the Google Search Console to complete the process.
Google Analytics
- To confirm your domain ownership using Google Analytics, log in to your Google Analytics account first.
- You will find the property settings and the tracking ID (starting with UA-... or G-...) in the property section under administration. Enter this ID, for example UA-3471042-154, in the toujou Theme in the Analytics tab in the field for Google Analytics – analogously as described for the Google Search Console.
Verify your domain for Bing
Verifying the website for Bing is very similar to the steps outlined for Google. First, you log in to your Bing account. You then have the option to import the data from the Google Search Console or to enter a new website URL manually if a link to the Google account isn't possible or wanted.
In this case, you enter a new website URL by creating a new one using the add button. Afterwards you will have two options for the verification:
DNS record at the host
- For the DNS record at your domain host you don't create a TXT file like for Facebook or Google, but a CNAME record. However, the steps arethe same as those for creating a DNS record. Follow the instructions in the guide for creating a DNS record as described above.
Meta tag
- Copy the Bing tag and enter it in the toujou Theme under analytics in the field provided, as described above in the step by step guide. Worth noting: Only the part between the quotes after content="" is relevant, for example 031A54611CDF87DC5179C0359B3C7983.
Afterwards, open your Bing account again and click on the verify button.
Worth noting: Bing Webmaster Tools also offers the option to verify your domain via xml file. However, this option requires some website programming knowledge , so we recommend that editors use one of the other two options listed.
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