SOP 214: Verify website on Google Merchant Center Next
Claim and verify your online store on your Google Merchant Center account
Last Updated / Reviewed: 01/29/2025
Execution Time: 20 minutes
🚀 Goal: To verify your website on your Google Merchant Center Next.
🤞 Ideal Outcome: You successfully claimed and verified your website on your Google Merchant Center Next.
🤔 Why this is important: Verifying and claiming your website on Google Merchant Center Next ensures you have the authority to manage product data, prevents unauthorized access, and accurately represent your products. It also grants access to tools like product data feeds, automatic item updates, and promotional features. Additionally, it helps improve visibility on Google search and other services that can result in higher traffic, sales, and revenue.
🧐 Where this is done In Google Merchant Center Next and a website hosting platform.
🗓️ When this is done: Once only when setting up a Google Merchant Center Next account.
👨 Who does this: The business owner/manager or the local/agency digital marketer with the assistance of IT personnel such as website developers in case of technical issues.
__⚠️Prerequisites or requirements: __
You will need a Google Merchant Center Next account and a company website domain and hosting. Go to SOP 213 (web version): How to set up Google Merchant Center Next if you do not have the account.
In this SOP, you will learn how to verify your website on Google Merchant Center Next via ecommerce platform or HTML tag.
• If you’re using an ecommerce platform, go with platform verification—it’s faster and easier.
• If you have a custom-built site, use the HTML tag method or ask a developer to help.
Click here to get the most up-to-date version of this SOP
Verify website using ecommerce platform
01▸ If you're using an e-commerce platform, go with platform verification—it’s faster and easier.
02▸ Sign in to your Google Merchant Center Next here. Choose the appropriate Gmail account and log in with your password. Click “Next”.
03▸ On your Google Merchant Center Next dashboard, click the "Confirm" button to verify your online store.
04▸ Next, enter your online store URL.
05▸ Select "Use your ecommerce platform". You will find a list of platforms available for you to connect your website to your Google Merchant Center Next. For this SOP, we will select "Shopify".
06▸ After selecting a platform, it will reveal a list of instructions. Copy the HTML tag by clicking on the copy icon.
07▸ Log in to your Shopify account and go to "Themes" under "Online Store".
08▸ Next, click on the kebab menu followed by "Edit code".
09▸ This will generate a new theme with a new tab (e.g., layout/theme.liquid). Locate and paste the meta tag right before it.
Note: You can hit CTRL + F to look for
.10▸ Remember to click "Save" on the top-right corner.
11▸ Finally, return to Google Merchant Center Next and click "Verify your online store." You’ll receive an email confirming the verification status. That's it!
Verify website by adding an HTML tag or file
01▸ If you have a custom-built site, use the HTML tag method or ask a developer to help.
02▸ Sign in to your Google Merchant Center Next here. Choose the appropriate Gmail account and log in with your password. Click “Next”.
03▸ On your Google Merchant Center Next dashboard, click the "Confirm" button to verify your online store.
04▸ Next, enter your online store URL.
05▸ We recommend selecting “Add an HTML tag or file” followed by "Add an HTML tag". This is an easier way to verify your website.
06▸ Under the “Add an HTML tag” tab, copy the HTML tag generated for your website by clicking on the copy icon.
07▸ Log in to your website hosting platform. In this case, Shopify was used to demonstrate the verification process of your website with Google Merchant Center Next.
08▸ In your Shopify account, go to "Themes" under "Online Store".
09▸ Next, click on the kebab menu followed by "Edit code".
10▸ This will generate a new theme with a new tab (e.g., layout/theme.liquid). The HTML tag should go in the section, before the first section.
Note: You can hit CTRL + F to look for
.