How to Claim Your Website on Pinterest (Step by Step)

If you want Pinterest to send readers to your blog, this is one of the first jobs on the list. Claiming tells Pinterest the site is yours, and it takes about ten minutes of clicking and pasting.

Here’s how to claim your website on Pinterest, which method to pick and what to check if it won’t verify.

Related: Pinterest Account Setup Checklist

Why Claim Your Website on Pinterest?

Claiming connects your blog to your Pinterest profile.

According to Pinterest, once your site is claimed you can see how often content from your website is saved, and Pins saved from your site link back to your profile. It’s also one of the setup steps in my guide to how to use Pinterest for bloggers, alongside a business account and Rich Pins. It’s free and you only do it once per site.

Before You Start

Check these three things first, so you don’t get stuck halfway.

• You own the site and can edit its code. Pinterest says you must own the domain and be able to edit its source code.
• It’s a website, not a profile. Pinterest says most social accounts and marketplace stores (such as Etsy, eBay and Amazon) can’t be claimed.
• You’re using one account. A website can only be claimed by one Pinterest account, so use the account you’ll pin from.

A business account is recommended but not required. If you don’t have one yet, here’s how to get a Pinterest business account.

How to Claim Your Website on Pinterest (Step by Step)

These steps follow Pinterest’s current claim guide.

Step 1: Open Your Claim Settings

Log in to your Pinterest business account, open the menu in the top-right corner and select Settings. Choose Link to Pinterest from the left menu, then click Claim next to Websites.

Step 2: Choose a Verification Method

Pinterest offers a few ways to prove the site is yours. Pick one:

• HTML tag: copy the tag Pinterest gives you and paste it into the head section of your site, before the body. Then enter your site URL and click Verify.
• HTML file: download the file from Pinterest and upload it to your server’s root folder. A file in a subfolder won’t be found.
• DNS TXT record: copy the TXT record and add it to your domain’s DNS records. If your host asks for a Host field, enter @.
• Google Merchant Center: only available to some accounts, so use one of the other methods if you don’t see it.

For most bloggers, the HTML tag is the simplest, because you only paste one line of code. Pinterest also lists guides for hosts such as WordPress, Squarespace, Shopify and Wix, in the claim your website guide.

Step 3: Verify

Enter your site URL (the homepage address, starting with https://) and click Verify. With an HTML tag or file, Pinterest checks automatically. With a DNS record, changes can take up to 72 hours to take effect, then Pinterest checks automatically.

Step 4: Confirm It Worked

Go to Settings, then Claimed accounts, and look under Websites. Your site should be listed. Pinterest says you can remove the tag, file or TXT record once the claim succeeds.

If Your Claim Won’t Verify

Most failed claims come down to where the code was placed.

• Check the tag or file location. The tag belongs in the head section, and the file belongs in the root folder, not a subfolder.
• Check the URL. Make sure the address you entered matches your site exactly.
• Give DNS time. A TXT record can take up to 72 hours, and some hosts need @ in the Host field.
• Check the site is claimable. Marketplace stores and most social profiles can’t be claimed, and you need to be able to edit the code.

If your Pinterest analytics ever look unusually quiet, it’s worth re-checking Settings, then Claimed accounts to confirm your site is still listed. If it isn’t, repeat the steps above. Pinterest’s guide doesn’t list every reason a claim might drop, so if you’re stuck, check your host’s help pages or the Pinterest Business Community.

Related: How to Set Up Rich Pins on Pinterest

What to Do After You’ve Claimed Your Website

Once you claim your website, the real work begins.

• Enable Rich Pins so your pins can show your headline and description from the page.
• Set up keyword-led boards that match your blog topics.
• Make vertical pins and link each one to the post it promises.
• Check Analytics to see which posts earn saves and clicks.

Related: Pinterest Board Strategy

Claim it once, then let every pin point back to you.

Ready to start pinning? Grab my free Pinterest Template Pack and swap in your own text and photos.

Key Takeaways

• Claim your website on Pinterest from Settings, Link to Pinterest, then Claim next to Websites.
• The HTML tag is the simplest method for most bloggers.
• If it won’t verify, check the code location, the URL and give DNS time.
• Once claimed, set up Rich Pins, boards and pins that link to your posts.

Claiming your website on Pinterest is a small job with a long payoff. Do it once, check it’s still there now and then, and get on with making pins worth saving. 🌶️