To verify your Google Business Profile, you follow the method Google offers you once you’ve claimed the profile. These days that’s very often a short video, filmed live on your phone, showing where your business is, that it exists, and that you’re the one running it. Get those three things into one unedited take and most people pass first go.
Verification is one of the steps I help clients through most regularly, because it’s where a lot of people get stuck, give up, and leave their profile half finished. So let’s make it simple.
Why verifying your Google Business Profile matters
Verification is how Google confirms you’re a real business and that you’re the person allowed to manage it. Until your profile is verified, you can’t fully manage it, so all the good work you want to do on your categories, services, photos and description has to wait.
It also protects you. A verified profile is much harder for someone else to claim or change.
Which verification method will Google give you?
You don’t get to choose. Google offers the method once you’ve claimed your profile and reached the verification step, and the options can differ from business to business. The methods you might see include
- Video recording – a short video you film live on your phone
- Phone or text – a code sent to your business number
- Email – a code or link sent to a business email address
- Live video call – a Google support person walks you through it on a call
- Postcard – a code mailed to your address, which is now much less common
If you’re offered more than one option, take the quickest one that suits you. If video is your only option, don’t panic. It’s very doable once you know what Google is looking for.
How Google video verification works
Google’s video verification is a short, live recording that proves three things about your business. According to Google’s own help article on video verification, your video needs to be
- Live – recorded and uploaded from your phone through your Business Profile, not filmed earlier and uploaded later
- Unedited and continuous – one complete recording with no breaks, cuts or stitching
- At least 30 seconds long – many people find 1 to 2 minutes gives them time to show everything without rushing
- Free of private information – no bank, tax or ID numbers on screen, and no other people’s faces
Google then reviews it, which can take up to 5 business days.
What to film for your verification video
Your video needs to show location, existence and management, in that order. What that looks like depends on whether customers come to you or you go to them.
If you have a shopfront or office
- Location. Start outside. Film the street sign, your building number, and a nearby business or landmark so Google can see where you are.
- Existence. Turn to your shopfront or signage. Your business name needs to be on a permanent sign and match the name on your profile.
- Management. Walk inside and show something only staff can get to, like the area behind the counter, a storeroom, a kitchen or your point-of-sale system.
If you’re home-based or a service-area business
Plenty of my clients run their business from home, and this is where they worry most. The good news is that Google has clear guidance for you.
- Location. Film a street sign or a local landmark in your neighbourhood. You don’t need to film the front of your house.
- Existence. Show the tools of your trade. Your equipment, your workspace, products, business cards or branded clothing all count.
- Management. Show that you’re the one running it. Unlock a branded vehicle, start a service, or show a document with your business name on it that matches your profile, such as an invoice or a permit. Cover anything sensitive like account numbers.
And if you don’t serve clients at home, don’t add your home address to your profile. List the suburbs you serve instead and keep your address private.
Five mistakes that get videos rejected
Most rejected videos fail for simple, fixable reasons.
- Stopping and starting. Any break, cut or edit breaks the rules. Plan your route, then film it in one go.
- Skipping the location. Jumping straight to your desk or your product leaves Google wondering where you are. Always start with the street.
- A name that doesn’t match. If your signage, documents or branding show a different name from your profile, Google can’t connect the dots.
- Showing private details. Bank statements, ID cards and other people’s faces need to stay out of shot.
- Rushing. Thirty seconds is the minimum, not the goal. Slow, steady and clear wins.
What to do if your verification video is rejected
If your video isn’t accepted, Google tells you why. You can then record a new video through the “Review issues” option. Google’s advice is to include everything from your first video plus whatever was missing, so don’t just film the missing bit on its own.
If you keep hitting problems, try another verification method if one is offered, or contact Google Business Profile support.
How to keep your profile verified
Once you’re verified, it’s worth knowing that some changes can prompt Google to ask you to verify again. Changing your business name, address, category or hours are the usual triggers. That doesn’t mean you can’t update your profile. It just means it pays to make big changes thoughtfully, all at once, rather than tweaking them every week.
Ready to get your whole profile working for you?
Verification is step one. Once you’re through it, the real fun starts, because that’s when you can set up the categories, services, photos and reviews that get local clients choosing you.
If you’d like to do it yourself with a clear path to follow, my course Get Found on Google Maps walks you through it all in one afternoon. It includes my Video Verification Filming Checklist, which tells you exactly what to film and in what order, so you can get verified in one go.
Want to keep reading first? Have a look at how to choose your Google Business Profile category and why your business might not be showing up on Google Maps.
You’ve got this.
Karen x
