If you are running Facebook ads to your Shopify store, then your domain needs to be verified on Facebook! Domain verification was a concept introduced by Facebook around January of 2021, and was part of a response to the impending effects of iOS 14.5. The update impacted how Facebook could receive conversion events from the Facebook pixel and as a result, ad performance and tracking were expected to be limited. All of this created roablocks aplenty in regards to marketing efforts.

Why You Should Verify Your Domain

There are many reasons why you should be verifying your domain but perhaps the most important reason is the ability to prioritize conversion events. Each business manager has the authority to prioritize 8 conversion events, but in order to do this, you need to be verified first. Domain verification allows you to identify which Business Manager has the right to prioritize the events associated with any given domain. 

Whether you are new to Facebook advertising or have had your Shopify store for years, this is something you should do to have better success tracking while you advertise on the platform.

Facebook has given us a few different ways to verify our domains. 

  1. Meta Tag Verification (Recommend)
  2. Upload HTML file to root directory 
  3. DNS File Upload

We’ll be showing you how to verify your domain with the simplest of methods below, meta tag verification.

Before you start:

Domain verification is something only a business manager can do. Ensure that you have the following before starting the process:

  1. Have a business manager (if not you can create one at business.facebook.com)
  2. You are the admin of said business manager
  3. Have admin/developer access to your domain

Meta Tag Verification

  1. Start by opening up your business manager. You can do so at (business.facebook.com)
  2. Open “Business Settings”
  3. Navigate to “Brand Safety” and select “Domains”
  4. This will provide you with the 3 possible options of verification and also allow you to see if you already have verified domains in your business.
  5. Select “Add” and add your domain without the “www. Or https://”
  6. Select the “Add meta tag to your HTML source code” option.
  7. You will be presented with a unique meta code, copy it.
  8. In a separate tab login to your Shopify store.
  9. On the left hand menu click “Online Store” and select “Themes”
  10. Under “Actions” select “Edit Code”
  1. On the left hand side select “theme.liquid”
  1. Paste the meta tag that you copied on a blank line right under the opening <head> tag or before the first <body> tag.
  2. Tap “Save”
  3. Verify in Facebook Business Manager.

While meta tag verification is the simplest possible way to verify your domain there are two other options.

Upload HTML File

To verify your domain by uploading an HTML file you can follow steps 1-5 in the above section, after selecting Upload HTML File you can do the following:

  1. Download the HTML verification file.
  2. Upload the file to the root directory of your website. You can be check if it’s uploading by clicking the link provided in the HTML File Upload tab.
  3. Select the “Verify” at the bottom of the HTML File Verification tab for the selected domain.
  4. Leave the HTML verification file in your website’s root directory.

DNS File Upload

  1. Access the DNS record section of your domain host.
  2. Add the TXT entry to your DNS record.
  3. Add @ to the Host field (if it is required by your domain host).
  4. Once the changes have updated across your domain’s web servers, click the Verify button at the bottom of the DNS Verification tab for the selected domain.
  5. Leave the TXT entry in your DNS record as it may be checked frequently for further verification.

Final Thoughts

Domain verification is a simple yet essential step towards having more profitable campaigns. While the effect of iOS 14.5 changes how we can track users, there are still ways to have success advertising on Facebook. The first of which is Domain verification. Don’t let this new terrain deter you from using one of the most robust online advertising platforms in the world to drive traffic and revenue to your Shopify store.