You "authenticate" the site to show that you are an authenticated site owner.
- Begin by signing in to Site Explorer.
- Enter your URL into the My Sites box and click the Add My Site button. The My Sites page opens.
- Locate your site's URL and click the Authenticate button next to your URL. This opens a verification page with instructions on using the file upload or META tag verification method.
From the verification page, you will need to use one of the options below to authenticate your site ownership:
- Upload a verification file to your site.
- Add a META tag that we provide to your home page.
To upload the verification file to your site:
- Download the authentication key.
- Upload the verification file to your site at the root level of your site directory.
- When the file is uploaded, click the Ready to Authenticate button.
To add the META tag to your home page:
- Copy the META tag and paste it in your site's home page in the first <HEAD> section of the page, before the first <BODY> section.
- When the META tag is added, click the Ready to Authenticate button.
We will authenticate your site within 24 hours.
To check the status of your site authentication go to My Sites and check the Status field next to your URL.
Authenticating your site gives you access to much more information and functionality about your site.