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How to Verify and Claim Your Website in Google Merchant Center

Verify your ecommerce website and link it to the correct Google Merchant Center account.

What Verification and Claiming Mean

Verification confirms that you are authorised to manage the website.

Claiming links the verified website to your Google Merchant Center account and reserves it for use by that account.

A website URL can generally be claimed by only one standalone Merchant Center account. If several accounts need to use the same website, a Google Merchant Center multi-client account may be required.

Before You Begin

Make sure that:

  • You have access to the correct Google Merchant Center account.
  • You can make changes to your website or access an eligible verification method.
  • You use the primary domain that customers visit.
  • The domain matches the domain used in your product landing page URLs.
  • You use a domain that your business owns and maintains.

For Shopify stores, use your primary customer-facing domain rather than your myshopify.com address.

Verify and Claim Your Website

  1. Sign in to Google Merchant Center:https://merchants.google.com/
  2. Select Settings from the left navigation menu.
  3. Select Business info.
  4. Select Edit online store.
  5. Enter your website URL, beginning with http:// or https://.
  6. Select Continue.
  7. Follow the prompts and select one of the verification methods available for your website.
  8. Complete the verification process.

Google may automatically verify and claim your website if it already has enough information through another Google service connected to the website.

Choose a Verification Method

The methods available depend on your website and Google account access.

Ecommerce platform

Your ecommerce platform may provide a built-in method or app for connecting your store to Google Merchant Center.

Email

Google may send a verification code to an email address associated with your website.

HTML tag

Add the verification meta tag provided by Google to the <head> section of your website’s homepage.

Do not remove the tag after verification. Google may check it again later to confirm that verification remains valid.

HTML file

Download the verification file provided by Google and upload it to the location specified by Google.

The file must be publicly accessible and must not require a customer or administrator to sign in.

Google Tag Manager

You can use Google Tag Manager if its container code is installed on the website and you have account-level administrator access.

Google Analytics

You may be able to verify through Google Analytics if it is already connected to the website and you have the required administrator access.

Google advises that this method may not work for some third-party ecommerce platforms, including Shopify. Use another method, such as the HTML tag, if Google Analytics verification fails.

Platform-Specific Instructions

If you are verifying your website using an HTML meta tag or Google Tag Manager, follow the instructions for your ecommerce platform.

Where Omnivore displays a Google verification tag during setup, copy the complete tag exactly as provided.

BigCommerce

Verify using a meta tag

https://support.omnivore.com.au/how-to-verify-your-bigcommerce-website-using-meta-tags

Add Google Tag Manager

https://support.omnivore.com.au/how-to-add-google-tag-manager-to-bigcommerce

Shopify

Verify using a meta tag

https://support.omnivore.com.au/how-to-verify-your-shopify-website-using-meta-tags

Shopify may automatically claim your primary domain when Google Merchant Center is connected through Shopify’s Google & YouTube channel.

Magento 1

Magento 1 is no longer supported by Adobe. These instructions are retained for stores that still use the legacy platform.

Verify using a meta tag

https://support.omnivore.com.au/how-to-verify-your-magento-1.x-website-using-meta-tags

Add Google Tag Manager

https://support.omnivore.com.au/how-to-add-google-tag-manager-to-magento-1

Magento 2

Verify using a meta tag

https://support.omnivore.com.au/how-to-verify-your-magento-2-website-using-meta-tags

Add Google Tag Manager

https://support.omnivore.com.au/how-to-add-google-tag-manager-to-magento-2

WooCommerce

Verify using a meta tag

https://support.omnivore.com.au/how-to-verify-your-woocommerce-website-using-meta-tags

Add Google Tag Manager

https://support.omnivore.com.au/how-to-add-google-tag-manager-to-woocommerce

If Your Website Is Already Verified in Search Console

You may not need to verify the website again if a user in your Merchant Center account is already a verified owner of the website in Google Search Console.

Make sure that:

  • The verified Search Console owner has access to the Merchant Center account.
  • The website entered in Merchant Center matches the verified website property.
  • You are working in the correct Merchant Center account.

Merchant Center may then allow you to continue directly to claiming the website.

Troubleshoot Website Verification

The Website Redirects to Another Domain

Enter the primary domain displayed after the redirect.

Do not enter an ecommerce platform address if it redirects customers to your business’s custom domain. For example, a Shopify store should use its primary customer-facing domain rather than its myshopify.com address.

The Website Is Claimed by Another Merchant Center Account

A domain cannot normally be claimed by two standalone Merchant Center accounts.

Check for:

  • An older Merchant Center account.
  • A duplicate Merchant Center account.
  • An account previously created by an agency.
  • An account created through an ecommerce platform integration.

Use the account that already owns the legitimate claim or arrange to transfer the claim to the correct account.

Transferring a claim can affect the existing Merchant Center account. Confirm which account should own the website before proceeding.

Google Cannot Find the HTML Tag

Confirm that:

  • The complete tag was copied without changes.
  • The tag is inside the <head> section of the live homepage.
  • The homepage is publicly accessible.
  • The tag is visible when viewing the homepage source.
  • A theme or website update has not removed the tag.

Google Cannot Find the HTML File

Confirm that:

  • The file name and contents have not been changed.
  • The file was uploaded to the exact location specified by Google.
  • The file can be opened without signing in.
  • The file does not redirect to another domain.

Google Analytics or Tag Manager Verification Fails

Confirm that:

  • The relevant code is installed on the live website.
  • You are signed in with the correct Google account.
  • You have the required administrator access.
  • The website URL matches the domain connected to Google Analytics or Google Tag Manager.

If verification still fails, use another available verification method.

Google Documentation

Online store URL verification

https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/11586344?hl=en

Fix an online store URL that is not verified

https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/12159158?hl=en

Verify website ownership in Google Search Console

https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9008080?hl=en

Shopify Documentation

Set up the Google & YouTube channel in Shopify

https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/online-sales-channels/marketplaces/google/getting-setup/connect