# **🧭 What Is the OTTO UUID and Why Does It Matter?**

When you activate OTTO SEO on your website, Search Atlas generates a unique identifier called a **UUID** (Universally Unique Identifier). This UUID must be installed on your site so OTTO can communicate with your pages, apply SEO automations, and track implementation status. Without the UUID correctly placed, OTTO cannot deploy changes to your site.

Navigate to **Left sidebar → OTTO SEO → SEO Automation** (URL: `/seo-automation-v3`) to find your UUID. It will appear during the OTTO onboarding flow or inside your active OTTO project settings. Copy it before following the steps below.

# **⚙️ WordPress Installation**

Use one of the two methods below depending on your access level.

**Method 1 — Header/Footer Plugin (Recommended)**

1. Install and activate a plugin such as **Insert Headers and Footers** from the WordPress plugin directory.
2. Go to **Settings → Insert Headers and Footers**.
3. Paste the following code into the **Scripts in Header** field, replacing `YOUR_UUID_HERE` with your actual UUID:

`<meta name="otto-site-verification" content="YOUR_UUID_HERE" />`

1. Click **Save**.
2. Visit your homepage, right-click, select **View Page Source**, and confirm the meta tag appears inside the `<head>` section.

**Method 2 — Theme functions.php**

1. In your WordPress dashboard go to **Appearance → Theme File Editor**.
2. Open **functions.php**.
3. Add the following code before the closing `?>` tag, replacing `YOUR_UUID_HERE` with your UUID:

`function otto_uuid_meta() { echo '<meta name="otto-site-verification" content="YOUR_UUID_HERE" />'; } add_action( 'wp_head', 'otto_uuid_meta' );`

1. Click **Update File** and verify in page source.

# **🛍️ Shopify Installation**

1. From your Shopify admin, go to **Online Store → Themes**.
2. Next to your active theme, click **Actions → Edit Code**.
3. Under **Layout**, open the file named **theme.liquid**.
4. Locate the opening `<head>` tag and paste the following line directly after it, replacing `YOUR_UUID_HERE` with your UUID:

`<meta name="otto-site-verification" content="YOUR_UUID_HERE" />`

1. Click **Save**.
2. View your storefront source to confirm the tag is present inside `<head>`.

# **🏪 Magento 2 Installation**

1. Log in to your Magento Admin Panel.
2. Go to **Content → Design → Configuration**.
3. Click **Edit** next to your active store view.
4. Expand the **HTML Head** section.
5. In the **Scripts and Style Sheets** field, add the following, replacing `YOUR_UUID_HERE` with your UUID:

`<meta name="otto-site-verification" content="YOUR_UUID_HERE" />`

1. Click **Save Configuration**.
2. Flush the Magento cache under **System → Cache Management → Flush Magento Cache**.
3. Verify the tag appears in your page source.

# **💻 Custom HTML / Headless / Any Other CMS**

If your site is built on a custom stack, a headless CMS (such as Webflow, Next.js, Nuxt, or similar), or any platform not listed above, the installation method is the same — place the UUID meta tag inside the `<head>` element of every page, or at minimum on your homepage.

Add this tag, replacing `YOUR_UUID_HERE` with your UUID:

`<meta name="otto-site-verification" content="YOUR_UUID_HERE" />`

- **Webflow:** Go to **Project Settings → Custom Code** and paste into the **Head Code** field.
- **Wix:** Go to **Settings → Custom Code**, add the tag to the **Head** section and apply to **All Pages**.
- **Next.js / Nuxt:** Add the meta tag inside your global `<Head>` component so it renders on every route.
- **Squarespace:** Go to **Settings → Advanced → Code Injection** and paste into the **Header** field.

# **✅ How to Validate Your UUID Installation**

1. Open your website in a browser and navigate to your homepage.
2. Right-click anywhere on the page and select **View Page Source** (or press `Ctrl+U` / `Cmd+U`).
3. Press `Ctrl+F` / `Cmd+F` and search for **otto-site-verification**.
4. Confirm the meta tag is present and your UUID value is correct.
5. Return to Search Atlas at **Left sidebar → OTTO SEO → SEO Automation** and check your OTTO project status — it should update to **Connected** within a few minutes.

# **⚠️ Common Issues and Fixes**

- **Tag not appearing in source:** A caching plugin or CDN may be serving a cached version. Clear all caches and check again.
- **OTTO still shows as disconnected:** Allow up to 10 minutes after installation for the verification to complete. If the issue persists, double-check that the UUID matches exactly what is shown in your OTTO project settings — no extra spaces or characters.
- **Multiple store views (Magento):** Repeat the configuration steps for each store view that OTTO should manage.
- **Headless CMS with server-side rendering:** Ensure the meta tag is rendered in the initial HTML response, not injected only by client-side JavaScript, as OTTO reads the raw page source.

# **💬 Need More Help?**

If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type **human teammate** to be connected with a member of our team.