[WordPress Blog Setup Series ⑦] Verifying Site Ownership
Once you’ve registered your site’s address with AdSense as covered in Part 6, Google doesn’t immediately attach ads to it. Before that, you need to go through an ownership verification process to confirm “this site really does belong to the applicant.” This part covers the two verification methods in detail.
AdSense Doesn’t “Connect” a Domain to Anything
There’s a common misunderstanding worth clearing up here. AdSense doesn’t “connect” the domain itself to anything — instead, it verifies ownership by inserting a verification code into the actual website that address points to. If you’ve just bought a domain but the site behind it is empty with no content, verification itself becomes meaningless — worth remembering again.
The Code Snippet Google Provides
Once you register your site URL, Google issues a short code snippet. Inserting this code into your site is what triggers “verification complete” status, after which the actual review process begins.
There are two main verification methods.
Method 1: HTML Code Insertion
For a WordPress site, follow these steps:
- Log into your WordPress admin dashboard (
myexample.com/wp-admin/) - Use the theme editor, or a header/footer code insertion plugin (e.g., Insert Headers and Footers)
- Paste the
<script>code Google provided inside the<head>tag - Save and confirm it’s reflected on your site
Using a plugin means you don’t have to touch theme files directly, making this a safer option if you’re not comfortable with code.
Method 2: DNS TXT Record
If editing site code feels too intimidating, you can also verify through your domain management screen — useful even in situations where you can’t touch the site’s code at all.
- Log into your domain registrar’s (e.g., Namecheap) management page
- Go to the Advanced DNS menu
- Add the verification value Google gave you as a TXT record
- Save and wait for DNS propagation (can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours)
This method is suitable for those who find modifying site design or code intimidating, since it doesn’t require touching WordPress code at all.
Which Method Should You Choose?
- If you’re comfortable with code, or installing plugins feels easy: The HTML code insertion method is more straightforward.
- If you’re comfortable with the domain management screen but not with modifying WordPress code: The DNS TXT record method is safer.
- Either method results in the same “ownership verification complete” status, so choose whichever feels more comfortable to you.
After Verification Is Complete
Whether you used code insertion or the DNS method, once you’ve finished inserting it, go back to the AdSense screen and click the “Verify” button. Once Google confirms the inserted code or DNS record, verification is complete and you move on to the actual review stage.
Coming Up Next
With ownership verification complete, all that’s left is waiting. The final Part 8 covers what to do while waiting for review, and how to actually start monetizing once approved.
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