You’ve set up your Google Business Profile, filled in every field, and Google wants you to verify it. Then it asks for a video. Or a postcard that doesn’t come. Or it says your verification is “under review” and goes quiet for a week.
Verification is Google checking that the business is real and that you’re the one who runs it. Until it’s done, you can’t edit your business info or reply to reviews.
How do I verify my Google Business Profile?
- Sign in to the Google Account you want to manage the business with, and find your business on Google Search or Maps.
- Open your Business Profile and select Get verified.
- Choose from the methods Google offers you, and follow the steps.
- Wait while Google reviews it. That’s up to five business days, and occasionally longer.
- Google emails you when you’re verified.
Which methods you see isn’t up to you. Google says they’re chosen automatically and can’t be changed. They depend on your type of business, the public information about it, your region and your opening hours. You might be asked to verify more than one way.
Google Business Profile verification methods
| Method | How it works | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Phone or text | Get verified, then Phone or SMS. Google sends a code. | Only if Google offers it |
| Get verified, then Email. Google sends a code. | Only if Google offers it | |
| Video recording | A short, unedited video from your phone, reviewed by Google | Fails if Google can’t see the three things below |
| Live video call | A live video call with Google | Not offered to everyone |
| Postcard | A code by post, usually within 14 days | Not offered to everyone; the code expires after 30 days |
| Instant | Automatic, if your website is verified in Google Search Console | Only for some businesses |
| Bulk | For several locations of one business | Only for some businesses |
Google now recommends video when it’s offered, and says postcards aren’t available to everyone. So video is the method to get right.
How to pass Google Business Profile video verification
Google wants one continuous, unedited clip of at least 30 seconds, recorded live and uploaded from your phone through the profile itself. Not a video you made earlier. Not something stitched together.
In that clip, it needs to see three things.
- Where you are. Street signs, the shopfront next door, landmarks. For a service-area business run from home, film the local area around you.
- That the business exists. Permanent signage with the same name as your profile for a shop or office. Tools, branded equipment or a liveried van for a trade.
- That you run it. Opening the door, the till or the kitchen, doing a job, opening a locked van, or a permit, invoice or bill in the business’s name.
Leave out anything private. Google says no bank, tax or ID numbers and no other people’s faces.
To record it: open your profile on your phone, tap Get verified, choose Business video, Start recording, and when you’re done, Upload video. Google reviews it within five business days.
Plan the shot before you press record. Walk it once without filming. The failures Google gives as examples are a business name that isn’t visible on the premises, no surrounding area shown, and no proof you’re authorised to run the business. Our guide to getting a suspended profile back covers the same video in more detail.
How long does it take for Google to verify your business profile?
Up to five business days once you’ve submitted, and Google says it’s rarely longer. Even after you’ve entered a phone or email code, Google may still review the profile before confirming it.
Postcards are the slow one. Most arrive within 14 days, and the code expires after 30. While you wait, don’t change your business name, address or category, because the code stops working. And don’t request a new postcard, because that cancels the first one.
How much does it cost to verify your business on Google?
Nothing. Google Business Profiles are free, and so is verification. Be wary of anyone who offers to verify your profile for a fee.
Why does Google keep making me verify my business?
Google can find an issue with your verification and ask you to verify again. Follow the steps it shows you.
If “Get verified” keeps appearing after you’ve been through it, try a different method if one’s offered. If your profile shows “Review issues”, follow the steps on screen.
Why Google Business Profile verification fails
- The name on the video doesn’t match the profile. Your signage says one thing, your profile says another.
- There’s no permanent sign. A shop or office needs the business name on the premises, so the video can show it.
- The set-up isn’t eligible. Google needs a physical location that customers can visit, or a service area you travel to.
- You edited the profile while waiting for a postcard. The code stopped working.
Try every method Google offers you first. If none works, contact Google Business Profile support through the help centre or ask in the Business Profile community forum.
Verified, then suspended?
That’s a different problem. A suspended profile is hidden from customers and needs an appeal. Don’t create a new profile while the appeal is open. Our suspended profile guide goes through it step by step.
Is it worth getting verified on Google?
If customers look for you on Google, yes. A verified profile is what puts you in the map results with your hours, reviews, photos and a button to ring you. Without verification, you can’t manage any of that, and you can’t reply to a single review.
It’s also free, and for many businesses it’s a minute or two of filming. Our Google Business Profile guide covers what to do once you’re in.
Other questions people ask about Google Business Profile verification
Can I verify a Google Business Profile without a postcard?
It can be. Google now recommends video where it’s offered, and offers phone, text, email or instant verification to some businesses. You can’t choose, though: Google decides which methods you see.
Can I verify my business if I work from home?
Yes, if you travel to your customers, you can be a service-area business. In a video, film the local area, your tools or equipment, and proof you run the business, such as an invoice in its name.
Can I verify a Google Business Profile for a client?
The person verifying has to be able to show they run the business, so the owner records the video. Once the profile is verified, an agency can be added as a manager.
What happens after my profile is verified?
Google emails you, and you can edit your business info and reply to reviews.
Tell us which verification step has stalled. No obligation.
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