How to Claim Your Website on Pinterest (Step-by-Step Guide)
After creating your Pinterest Business Account, the next important step is claiming your website.
This is one of those setup tasks that doesn’t seem exciting, but it unlocks some of Pinterest’s most valuable features.
When your website is claimed, Pinterest knows you own the content connected to that domain. This gives you access to additional analytics and helps strengthen your brand presence on the platform.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the process and explain the two methods I discovered while setting up my own account.
What Does Claiming Your Website Do?
When Pinterest verifies your website, it can:
- Associate your content with your Pinterest profile
- Provide additional analytics
- Increase credibility for your account
- Help Pinterest understand where your content originates
If you’re using Pinterest to drive traffic to a blog, business website, shop, or portfolio, claiming your website should be one of your first setup tasks.
Where to Find Website Verification
Inside Pinterest:
- Open your Business Account
- Go to Settings
- Select Claimed Accounts or Claimed External Accounts
- Click Claim Website
Pinterest will provide verification options.
You’ll typically see multiple methods available.
The two most common are:
- HTML Header Tag Verification
- TXT Record Verification
Let’s look at both.
Method 1: Verify Through Your Website Header
This method is often the easiest if you have access to your website dashboard.
Pinterest provides a verification code.
Copy the code.
Then log into your website.
For WordPress users, there are several plugins that allow you to insert code into the header section of your website.
The goal is simple:
Paste Pinterest’s verification code into your website’s header.
Save the changes.
Return to Pinterest and click Verify.
Pinterest will check your website and confirm ownership.
Good News
You don’t necessarily need to know how to code.
Most modern website platforms provide an easy way to access the header section through settings or plugins.
Method 2: Verify Through Your Domain Registrar
If you’d rather not edit your website header, you can verify ownership using a TXT record.
This method works through your domain registrar.
Examples include:
- Namecheap
- GoDaddy
- Squarespace Domains
- Cloudflare
Pinterest provides a TXT verification code.
General Process
- Copy the TXT verification code from Pinterest
- Log into your domain registrar
- Open DNS settings
- Create a new TXT record
- Paste the verification code
- Save changes
Once saved, return to Pinterest and click Verify.
What Is a TXT Record?
Think of a TXT record as a small note attached to your domain.
Pinterest checks for that note to confirm that you control the website.
You don’t need to understand DNS in detail.
You simply need to place Pinterest’s code in the correct location and save it.
Why Verification Sometimes Takes Time
One thing that surprised me during setup is that verification isn’t always instant.
DNS changes need time to spread across the internet.
Sometimes verification happens within minutes.
Other times it may take several hours or even a couple of days.
If Pinterest doesn’t verify immediately, don’t panic.
This is normal.
How to Know It Worked
After successful verification, your website will appear under your claimed accounts.
Pinterest will show the domain connected to your profile.
Once you see that confirmation, you’re done.
Which Verification Method Should You Choose?
For most beginners:
Choose Header Verification If:
- You have access to your website dashboard
- You use WordPress
- You want the fastest setup
Choose TXT Verification If:
- You have access to your domain registrar
- You prefer not to edit website settings
- Your website platform limits header access
Both methods accomplish the same goal.
Use whichever feels easier for your situation.
Final Thoughts
Claiming your website is one of those foundational Pinterest tasks that pays off later.
It only takes a few minutes to complete, but it helps Pinterest connect your content, your profile, and your website into one ecosystem.
Once this step is finished, you’re ready to move on to profile optimization, board creation, and eventually publishing content.
One step at a time.
Building your Pinterest foundation?
This guide is part of my Pinterest for Beginners series where I document exactly what I’m learning while building my own digital business.