Google Verification is necessary for a number of reasons, including the use of Google Apps. The Core Google Apps suite includes Email, Calendar, Chat, Contacts, Docs, Sites, and mobile.
Microsoft has a similar suite of services called Office Live Small Business (OLSB), which includes SkyDrive, Web Site, and Email. While Microsoft recently announced that it will replace OLSB with Microsoft Office 365 and has stopped offering new OLSB accounts, Microsoft continues to support existing sites, and many site owners are interested in securing Google Verification for their sites. This explains how to complete Verification for Google Apps on OLSB sites.
Step 1: Sign on to your Google Apps account, https://www.google.com/a/YOURACCOUNT.TLD.
Step 2: From the Dashboard, select “Activate Google Apps,” “Alternate Methods,” “Add a meta tag to your site’s home page.”
Step 3: Copy the meta tag provided, e.g.: <meta name=”google-site-verification” content=”GOOGLEID” />
Step 4: Insert your GOOGLEID in the following string: %22%20%2F%3E%3Cmeta name=%22google-site-verification%22 content=%22GOOGLEID
Step 5: Sign on to your Microsoft account, http://www.officelive.com.
Step 6: Select “Design Site,” Home, “Page Editor,” “Page Properties,” “Search Engine Optimization.” Insert your metatag in the “Keyword Metatags” field.
Step 7: Select Apply, Save. View page source code to confirm that the string appears exactly as it appears on Google’s “Verify Ownership” page.
Step 8: On the Google “Verify Ownership” page, press Verify.
Verification should be almost immediate!
