Before an ad network pays you for a site, it needs proof that the site is yours. Otherwise anyone could add a popular domain to their account and collect its earnings. The proof is almost always one of two things: a DNS TXT record or a small file at the root of the site. Search engines use the same two methods; Google describes both in its Search Console verification guide.
This guide explains both methods in general, then exactly how they work on Lana Network, and the four reasons a check fails. On Lana Network the check is what puts your site live: a site goes live as soon as the ownership check passes, and sites whose name or content raises a flag are held for a human review.
DNS record or file: which one should you use?
Both prove the same thing: you control the domain. Pick the one you can do in five minutes.
- DNS TXT record. You add a line of text to your domain's DNS zone, at your registrar or DNS host. It proves control of the domain itself and survives a site redesign. Choose it if you have access to your DNS.
- File. You upload a small text file to the root of the site, so that it opens at a fixed address. Choose it if you can upload files but not edit DNS, for example on some managed hosting.
You only need one of the two.
How it works on Lana Network
When you add a site in your publisher dashboard, you get a token that starts with lnv-. Then:
By DNS. Add a TXT record on your site's main domain (the apex, without www) whose value is lananetwork-site-verification= followed by your token. At most DNS hosts you leave the name field as @ or empty to mean the main domain.
By file. Create a plain text file named lananetwork-verify.txt that contains your token, and upload it to the root of the site, so that it opens at https://yourdomain.com/lananetwork-verify.txt. We also accept the www version of the address.
Then click "Verify now". We look for both proofs at once: the DNS record through a public DNS resolver, the file over HTTPS. If either matches, the site is verified and goes live, and you get an email. You can then create zones and paste your tags; the steps are on our publishers page.
The 4 reasons a check fails
1. The record is on the wrong name
The most common DNS mistake. Many DNS panels add your domain to whatever you type in the name field. If you type yourdomain.com, the record ends up on yourdomain.com.yourdomain.com, where nobody looks. Leave the name as @ or empty.
Other variants of the same mistake: the record is on www or on another subdomain instead of the main domain, or the value has extra text around it. The value must be exactly lananetwork-site-verification= plus your token, nothing else in that record. Other TXT records on the domain (SPF, other verifications) do not get in the way.
2. The record is not visible yet
DNS changes are not instant. A new record usually shows up within minutes, but resolvers can keep the old answer for up to the record's time to live, so allow up to an hour before you worry. Our dashboard says the same thing when it does not find the record yet.
If an hour has passed, look the record up from outside with any public DNS lookup tool. If the tool does not see it, the problem is at your DNS host, not at the network.
3. The file cannot be read
The file method fails when our check cannot fetch the file as a normal visitor would. The usual causes:
- Wrong place. The file is in a subfolder, or your site adds a trailing path. It must open at the root address exactly.
- A wall in front of it. A login page, an age gate that blocks the request, or a bot challenge from your firewall or CDN returns something other than the file. Allow that one path through.
- Redirects. We follow at most two redirects, and only between the
wwwand non-wwwversions over HTTPS. A redirect to another domain, or tohttp, fails. - Slow or wrong content. The answer must come within a few seconds and be a plain text file whose content includes your token. An HTML page that happens to show the token in a template will often not match.
Open the address in a private browser window: if you see only the token, you are close. If you see a login, a challenge or a 404, fix that first.
4. The domain is already claimed
A domain can be verified on one account only. If someone else already verified it, the check answers that the domain is registered on another account, and nothing about that account is shown to you. If the site is yours, use Contact support in our guides and we sort it out by hand.
Also, the check refuses tries that come too quickly one after another. Wait a few seconds before you click again.
After verification
Verification proves ownership, not quality. Networks still apply their content rules, and so do we: legal adult sites for adults only, with an age policy and a DMCA contact. Everything we accept and refuse is in our content policy. If you are choosing a first network for a smaller site, our guide on the best adult ad network for a small site covers floors, passback and payout minimums, and the guide to monetizing an adult tube site covers compliance pages.
Frequently asked questions
How long does DNS verification take?
Usually a few minutes after the record is saved, but allow up to an hour, because DNS resolvers can keep an older answer for a while. The file method is checked as soon as the file is online.
Can I remove the verification record after my site is verified?
We suggest keeping it. Removing it gains nothing, and if ownership ever has to be checked again, the proof is already in place.
Why does my verification file show in the browser but the check still fails?
Usually because the check is not a logged-in browser: a firewall challenge, an age gate or a redirect to another domain answers it instead of the file. Allow the file's path through, and serve it as plain text at the root of the site.