I'm tearing my hair out right now

I just need someone to explain this to me as though I were a small child.

[CluelessClod876]

Okay, I have made my web page, and I want to submit it to the Google search engine. This may seem simple to most people, but at least for me, it isn't. I want to use the HTML file verification method. What the heck do I do?

What I've done is use notepad to make a document on my desktop with google1234567890123456.html as the document name. Then I went to my Google Page creator. I went to the box "Uploaded Stuff," and clicked Browse. I uploaded that document on my desktop to my site. It now displays in the "Uploaded Stuff" box. Yet when I try to click verify, it still says "We've detected that your verification file returns a status of 404 (Not found) in the header." What am I doing wrong here? If I need to upload the document at a different location, I need step by step instructions describing each button/link I need to press.

I am basically clueless about all of this. I get the sense that this is easy, but it's proving to be a big hassle for me. Can someone please help me?

[edited by: phranque at 11:18 pm (utc) on May 16, 2008]
[edit reason] specifics [/edit]

[WesleyC]

The file needs to be placed in the root directory of your website. That is, on a shared Linux host, it would be (for example) in the /public_html/ folder of your account.

You can verify that it exists by going to http://www.example.com/google1234567890123456.html where example.com is your website's domain name and checking if you get a blank white page. If you don't, and you get some sort of 404 error, you haven't placed it in the correct location.

[edited by: WesleyC at 8:53 pm (utc) on May 16, 2008]

[edited by: phranque at 11:19 pm (utc) on May 16, 2008]
[edit reason] specifics [/edit]

[CluelessClod876]

Okay, so I'm on the main page of the Google Page Creator, where you can see the various pages on my site in a list. Where do I go from there to get to the root directory?

[piatkow]

From rather hazy memory I thought a verification file had to be .txt

[Habtom]

piatkow, html will do.

But considering what he mentioned,

notepad to make a document on my desktop with google1234567890123456.html

I have a feeling the file the OP uploaded has additional .txt extension like the following: google1234567890123456.html.txt

If the uploaded file has an extra .txt file extension, remove it.

[piatkow]

Sorry, senior moment while posting.

Yes, most likely would be a text editor appending .txt to the file name

[dailypress]

CluelessClod876, any hair left? if so, stop right there...

cause I think if you listen to "Habtom" you'll be alright. I had the same issue long time ago.

check the properties of the file and make sure its .html and then check the URL www.yourdomain.com/google1234567890123456.html and make sure it exists.

then refresh the page, and you should be all set.

now drink your milk and go to sleep.;)

[phranque]

welcome to WebmasterWorld [webmasterworld.com], CluelessClod876!

when you click the uploaded file in the "Uploaded Stuff" list it should pop up a window and show you the url of the uploaded file.
does that match the url you specified in google webmaster tools, including the correct subdomain.googlepages.com?
and the correct .html file type as mention by several others?