What is an Unclaimed Website URL Error?
An Unclaimed Website URL error occurs when a website address fails to connect to an active domain or hosting service. Users encounter this error when they attempt to visit a domain that exists but lacks an operational website. The error message appears because the domain owner failed to establish correct DNS records or web hosting services.
This is one of the most frequent issues merchants face. For more details about similar problems, check out our guide on Common Google Merchant Center Errors.
Why Your Website Shows as Unclaimed
Google requires website verification to ensure:
- Product data authenticity
- Store legitimacy verification
- Compliance with merchant policies
- Protection against fraudulent listings
Common triggers include:
- Missing Google Search Console setup
- Expired domain verification
- Changed website ownership
- Technical configuration issues
How to Fix Your Unclaimed Website URL (Complete Guide)
Step 1: Set Up Google Search Console
- Navigate to Google Search Console
- Sign in with your Google account
- Click “Add Property” if your website isn’t listed
Step 2: Choose Your Verification Method
|
Verification Method |
Time Required |
Difficulty Level |
|
HTML File Upload |
5-10 minutes |
Easy |
|
HTML Tag |
3-5 minutes |
Easy |
|
Domain Name Provider |
10-15 minutes |
Medium |
|
Google Analytics |
2-3 minutes |
Easy |
|
Google Tag Manager |
3-5 minutes |
Easy |
- HTML File Upload: Download and upload verification file to your website root
- HTML Tag: Add meta tag to your homepage header
- DNS Verification: Add TXT record to your domain DNS settings
Step 3: Verify Domain Ownership
- Follow the chosen verification method instructions
- Click “Verify” button in Search Console
- Wait for confirmation message
- Keep verification method active permanently
Step 4: Connect Search Console to Merchant Center
- Validate XML/CSV feed format
- Check for missing required attributes
- Ensure proper category mapping
- Test feed URLs for accessibility
Step 4: Improve Website Trust Signals
- Open Google Merchant Center
- Navigate to “Business Information” > “Website”
- Click “Claim and Verify“
- Select your verified property from Search Console
- Confirm the linking process
Step 5: Complete Your Merchant Center Setup
- Select “Tools” from the menu followed by “Business Information“
- Verify website URL matches exactly
- Check SSL certificate status
- Ensure website is publicly accessible
Common Issues of Unclaimed Website and It’s Solutions
Problem 1: Verification Keeps Failing
- Solution: Clear browser cache and retry
- Alternative: Try different verification method
- Check: Ensure HTML tag or file remains active
Problem 2: www vs non-www Issues
- Problem: www vs non-www confusion
- Solution: Verify both versions in Search Console
- Best Practice: Set preferred domain consistently
Problem 3: Subdomain Not Working
- Challenge: Merchant Center on subdomain
- Fix: Verify exact subdomain used for shopping
- Example: shop.yoursite.com vs yoursite.com
How Long Does Verification Take?
|
Verification Method |
Success Rate |
Average Time |
|
HTML Meta Tag |
95% |
24-48 hours |
|
File Upload |
92% |
24-48 hours |
|
DNS Verification |
88% |
2-7 days |
|
Google Analytics |
98% |
Immediate |
Key Statistics:
- 73% of unclaimed URL errors resolve within 48 hours
- DNS verification takes longest but provides strongest validation
- 89% of merchants prefer HTML tag method for simplicity
Post-Verification Checklist of Unclaimed Website Error
- Website URL in Merchant Center matches Search Console property
- SSL certificate is active and valid
- All product pages are accessible
- txt allows Google crawling
- Sitemap submitted to Search Console
- No duplicate domain claims exist
How Trusted Web Eservices Help Fix Unclaimed Website URL in Google Merchant Center
An unclaimed website error in Google Merchant Center disrupts your product listings and ads which results in lost sales opportunities. Our team at Trusted Web Eservices specializes in efficient solutions for this problem which enables your store to meet Google policies and return online quickly.
Our Approach to Fixing Unclaimed Website Errors:
- We verify website ownership through Google Search Console DNS records and HTML file upload to establish legitimacy.
- Our experts review your business for compliance with Google guidelines by checking contact information and refund policies and secure checkout functionality.
- We solve technical problems by identifying and resolving domain linking errors and missing tags and server errors.
- We re-submit your site after resolving the issue and track its status to stop future errors from occurring.
The experts at Trusted Web Eservices provide a smooth hassle-free process to recover your website in Google Merchant Center and reactivate your product feeds. Our team will manage the technical aspects of your business while you concentrate on expanding your operations.
Claim Your Website & Boost Your Google Merchant Visibility
Don’t let an unclaimed website hold back your products from showing in Google Shopping. Follow our simple guide to fix the unclaimed website issue and start driving traffic today
Bhavesh Patel 
Verified Technical SEO & Tracking Specialist
Bhavesh Patel is a technical SEO expert with extensive experience in web tracking and analytics. As a specialist in Google Analytics 4 and Google Tag Manager, he helps businesses implement cutting-edge solutions for tracking, SEO, and conversion optimization.