BEGINNER GUIDE
A calm, practical guide for people who do not work with websites every day.
You do not need to be a developer. You only need access to the place where your website files are managed. This is often called Hosting, File Manager, FTP, or Website Files.
Set aside about 20 minutes. If a word is unfamiliar, do not worry: follow the steps in order and stop whenever something does not look like the description.
Your website address, access to your hosting account, and a way to download a ZIP file.
Make a backup before changing anything. A backup gives you a simple way to return to the previous version.
A small lkp.json file and LKP metadata. Your existing pages and design can stay exactly as they are.
Open your hosting account. Look for Backups, Backup Wizard, or File Manager. Create a full backup or download a copy of your current website files to your computer.
Do not skip this step. If you make a mistake later, the backup is your safety net.
Check: you should have a ZIP file or a backup entry dated today.
Open File Manager in your hosting account. The public website folder is commonly named public_html, www, htdocs, or site. Open the folder that contains files such as index.php or index.html.
Check: when you open this folder, you should see files that belong to your current website.
Go to the Downloads page. Download the lkp.json template. If you are using the complete reference website, download its ZIP archive instead.
Keep the download somewhere easy to find, such as your Downloads folder or Desktop.
Check: the file name should end in .json or .zip.
Return to your website folder. Use the Upload button and choose the file you downloaded.
For a simple LKP installation, upload lkp.json directly into the main website folder. Do not put it inside an images, uploads, or downloads folder.
For a complete website update, upload the ZIP file, choose Extract after it has uploaded, and make sure its contents are placed inside the public website folder. Do not leave all the files inside an extra folder created by the ZIP file.
Check: you should see lkp.json beside your website’s index.php or index.html file.
If you use a website builder or CMS, look for a section named Custom Code, Header Code, SEO Settings, or Code Injection. Paste the metadata snippet from LKP-0003: Machine Metadata into the website header area.
If you use a WordPress plugin for header scripts, paste the same snippet in the plugin’s Header field. If you are unsure where to paste it, ask your hosting provider or webmaster to add the snippet to the <head> section of your website.
Check: save or publish your changes before moving on.
Open the LKP Validator. Copy and paste your full website address, for example https://your-site.com/, then select Validate Now.
A successful report shows that the public page, LKP metadata, lkp.json manifest, and JSON-LD information were found. If a check fails, read the explanation under that check: it tells you exactly what to correct.
Check: keep a note of the result and repeat the validation whenever you make a major website update.
If you use the voluntary public Registry, finish its private setup after uploading the site. Open https://your-domain/registry/admin/setup.php, enter the one-time setup code supplied separately, and choose an administrator password of at least 12 characters.
After that, open https://your-domain/registry/admin/ whenever you want to approve or reject a listing request. Keep both the setup code and administrator password private. The setup code works only once.
The Registry lists a site only after a successful validation, a voluntary request, and your explicit approval.
Your provider may use another name, such as www or htdocs. Search its help centre for “website root folder” or contact support and ask where the files for your domain are stored.
Move lkp.json to the main website folder, beside your homepage file. Then wait a minute and run the validation again.
You may not have direct access to the root website folder. Add the metadata through the platform’s custom-code tools, then ask the platform’s support team how to publish a root-level lkp.json file.
Start with a backup, then take one step at a time. You can always return to this page if you need help.
