Advertiser Verification Website documents

Question

I'm trying to get my business account verified but I didn't upload Website documents, so my account got paused. What type of document is acceptable? What type of document do people normally upload that shows proof of domain ownership? I've asked my developer, my website host and my CFO and none of them have a document that shows this connection.

Answer 1

Hello Mark Dudley1,

Thank you for contacting the Microsoft Advertising Community forum!

I am very sorry to hear you finding challenges to verify your account. Advertiser Identity Verification (AIV) is a program that verifies an advertiser’s business entity or their individual legal identity. This is done to promote a more secure advertising ecosystem as AIV provides greater transparency to both viewers and searchers.
Depending on the situation, you can choose to verify as a business, as an individual, or both. See below for more information on verifying a business and verifying as an individual.

Verify as a business

You can choose to verify as a business if you represent or are promoting a business, for example, a law firm or a plumbing service.

1. Select the profile picture in the upper-right corner of any Microsoft Advertising page to view the list of manager accounts you have access to.
2. After selecting the manager account, select the account that has a request for advertiser identity verification.
3. From the top menu, select Tools > Preferences > Account settings.
4. Under Verification Status, select Become a verified advertiser.
5. Select Verify as a business.
6. Review and verify your account's business name and location.

Note: The information here must match the documents that you submit for verification later, or your verification will fail. You can make updates in your Account settings to make sure that your information is up to date.

1. Enter information about your legally registered business, including Business website and Business email address.
2. Once you enter the Business email address, request a verification code by selecting Send verification code. You'll receive an email at your business email address with the verification code.
3. Enter the verification code from the email under Enter code.

Note: If you don't receive a verification code, you may request additional verification codes once Send Verification is re-enabled.

1. Under Business documents, provide documentation with your business name and address that will be used for verification. Please submit documentation that proves your business is located at the provided address. Depending on your country of business, the documents for verification may be different.
2. Under Website documents, you can optionally provide proof of your registered rights to the website. Please submit documentation which proves your business has registered rights to the domain. If you provided an email address outside of your business domain, then you also need to provide documentation that we can use to verify your personal identity.

This can be a receipt when you purchased your domain, or when you renewal it. It can be also a screenshot of your admin view of the domain.

1. Select Next.
2. Review the information provided.
3. Select Submit application.

Verify as an individual

You can choose to verify as an individual if you are representing or promoting yourself as an individual; for example, if you are a freelance writer or food truck owner. You may also need to choose individual verification if you provide an email outside of your business domain. If you represent or are promoting a business, see Verify as business.

1. Select the profile picture in the upper-right corner of any Microsoft Advertising page to view the list of manager accounts you have access to.
2. After selecting the manager account, select the account that has a request for advertiser identity verification.
3. From the top menu, select Tools > Preferences > Account settings.
4. Under Verification Status, select Become a verified advertiser.
5. Select Verify as an individual if you are representing or promoting yourself as an individual, or if you are providing an email address outside your business domain.

Note: For individual verification, the account's legal business name in Account settings must match your full name (first and last). If the legal business name should not match your full name, then you need to verify as a business instead. Go to Account settings and edit your Legal business name as needed to continue with individual verification.

1. Select Next.
2. Provide documentation that we can use to verify your personal identity. Depending on your country, the documents for verification may be different. Similarly, depending on your country of business, the documents for verification may be different.

Note:

·         You need to upload screen captures of the original documents for the purposes of verification. Pre-scanned uploads of documents may lead to verification failure.

·         Currently, if you are verifying in India, your Driving License is not a supported form of verification.

1. Provide a valid image to verify yourself. Please note that pre-scanned or existing photographs may lead to verification failure.
2. Select Next.
3. Review the information you provided and then select Submit application.

I hope you find this reply informative. I will send you private message if you need any further assistance!

Sincerely,

Dagmara | Microsoft Advertising Support | 1(800)-518-5689

Answer 2

If Website documents are optional, why are accounts paused without that? If it's required, say it's required.

I just provided proof of registered rights to our website domain yesterday (supplied domain Transfer invoice) and was rejected with again "Please submit documentation which proves your business has registered rights to the domain."

This process really needs some clarity. I was also told I had until March to complete verification, but here I am paused immediately and no further ahead on what Microsoft actually needs me to comply with. I've submitted legal document, government document and domain document.

I also tried the suggested "screenshot of your admin view of the domain" and it was rejected within 1 minute even though it is showing active and valid until 2024.