Verifying a Business Profile is how Google confirms that you run the business, and it is what gives you ownership of the profile. Google says you need to verify before you can edit the business information or interact with customers. Google also picks the verification method, so the job is to do the one you are given properly the first time.
The steps here come from Google’s help pages, linked as they come up. Google makes the verification decision, so nobody outside Google can verify a profile for you.
Which method Google gives you
Google’s help page on verifying your business says verification methods are chosen automatically by Google and can’t be changed. What you are offered depends on your business type, public information, region or opening hours, and some businesses have to verify with more than one method. If your business is eligible for video verification, Google recommends using it.
| Method | How it works | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Phone or text | Google calls or texts a code to the business number, and you enter it on the profile | An interactive voice response (IVR) phone system won't receive the code, so answer the line yourself |
| You follow the steps in an email from Google | You need access to the email address shown on the verification screen | |
| Live video call | A Google support representative joins a video call and you show the business on camera | Not available to every business, and only within your location's opening hours |
| Postcard | A five-digit code is mailed to the business address | Not available to every business. Most codes arrive within 14 days, and codes expire after 30 days |
| Video recording | You record a video on your phone and upload it through the profile | Strict rules on what it must and must not show, set out below |
The same page says that in some cases Google verifies a profile instantly, for example when the business has already verified its website in Google Search Console. Google lists that as something that can happen, not as a method you choose.
What to film for a service-area video
A tradie who works at customers’ places has no shopfront to film. Google calls a business that goes to its customers, rather than serving them at its address, a service-area business, and gives a plumber and a locksmith as examples. Its page on video verification says the video route works for service-area businesses as well as shopfront and hybrid businesses. A business that operates online only is not eligible for a profile at all.
Every verification video has to meet these rules:
- It is one unedited, unique and complete recording with no breaks.
- It is at least 30 seconds long.
- It is recorded live and uploaded from a mobile device through your Business Profile. A pre-recorded video, or one recorded offline and uploaded later, is not allowed.
- It does not show sensitive information such as bank account, tax or ID numbers, private information about you or anyone else, or other people’s faces.
For a service-area business, Google asks the video to show three things.
- Where the business operatesRecord street signs, nearby landmarks or other identifiers at your business address. Google says to avoid filming empty land or places without clear markers. If you run the business from home, it says you can record landmarks and signs in your immediate neighbourhood.
- That the business existsShow the professional tools, equipment or products you use for work. Google's examples include specialised machinery, your workspace, business cards and branded apparel worn by employees.
- That you manage itRecord yourself performing a service or opening something only the business can access. Google's example is unlocking a van that has your business branding on it. You can also show a business permit, an invoice or a utility bill that matches the name on your profile.
If you film an invoice or a bill, keep the bank account details out of shot, because Google’s rules say the video must not include them. Plan the order before you press record, for example the street sign, then the van and tools, then a document, so all three fit in one unbroken take.
If you have a shopfront
For a shopfront or hybrid business, Google wants the location (street signs, building numbers or nearby businesses), the business name printed on a permanent fixture such as a sign, wall or window and matching the name on the profile, and something only an employee can access, such as a cash register, kitchen, storage room or point-of-sale system. Google says a business without permanent on-site signage should be listed as a service-area business instead.
Submitting the video
On your phone, open your Business Profile, tap Get verified, then Business video, read the requirements and start recording. Watch the recording back before you tap Upload video. Google says the review can take up to five working days, and if the video is not accepted it shares the reasons.
The postcard: what not to do while it is in the mail
If Google offers a postcard, it mails a five-digit code to the business address. The same verification help page sets out the rules for the wait.
Do
- Check the postal address before you request the code.
- Allow time. Google says most codes arrive within 14 days.
- Enter the code as soon as it arrives. Codes expire after 30 days.
- Keep the code to yourself.
Do not
- Edit the business name, address or category. The code will stop working.
- Request a new code. It cancels the one in the mail and can make the process longer.
- Give the code to anyone, including a person who manages the profile for you.
- Read it out to someone who calls saying they are from Google.
Google says it will never ask for your verification code, and that the code should not be shared with anyone, even people who manage your Business Profile. When it arrives, enter it in the Code field on your profile and select Submit.
If verification fails
Once you finish the steps, Google says verification reviews take up to five working days, and you get a confirmation email when the business is verified. If something goes wrong instead, Google’s pages on verifying your business and video verification describe these signs.
| What you see | What Google says it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The Get verified button is back on the profile | Google couldn't completely verify the business | Verify again, and try another method if more than one is shown |
| A Review issues notice after a video | The video was not accepted | Open Review issues, read the reasons, and record a new video with everything from the first one plus what was missing |
| A request for more information | Usually some business details were recently updated | Select Get verified and go through verification again |
| The video won't upload | Some videos fail to upload on the first try | Upload it again |
Google’s examples of video problems include the business name not being visible on the shopfront, no nearby area being shown, and missing proof of authorisation to operate the business.
If you are still stuck, the video page says to check the video meets every requirement and try again, then try another available method. Google’s support team can help, but Google asks you to try the available methods first, and you reach support through the Contact us link on its help pages.
Changes that can mean verifying again
Google’s page on editing your Business Profile names two:
- Changing the business name after it is verified might mean verifying again.
- Moving the business to a new address after it is verified means you must verify again.
The video page adds that changes to business information in general may require verification again. If a name change or a move is coming, expect a verification request around the same time. Google also says to enter the business name exactly as it appears on your signage, stationery and other branding.
Verification scams
Verification is free. Google’s page on protecting your Business Profile says Google doesn’t charge for help with a profile, will never ask for a one-time password or PIN, and will never try to convince you to pay to maintain the profile, including to have it verified or reinstated. Be wary of calls, emails or texts offering help with the profile for money, including from people who say they are Google. Google’s tips for working with third parties suggest asking anyone who says they work for Google for their name and an email from an @google.com address.
After you are verified
Google’s verification page says that if a third party helps you manage the profile, you can add them after verification. Add them as a manager under the business’s ownership, using their own Google Account, rather than handing over your login or a code. The steps, and what owners and managers can each do, are in someone else owns your Google Business Profile.
If a verified profile is later suspended, the steps are in Google Business Profile suspended. Reviews that break Google’s rules are covered in how to get a fake Google review removed, and setting the profile up well is covered in the Google Business Profile guide.
Where Kovus stands
Kovus cannot verify a profile for you and never asks for a verification code. The business verifies, stays the owner and adds Josh as a manager. Google Business Profile management is part of the Kovus SEO plan, from A$197 a month, and covers the work that keeps the profile accurate after verification. Google decides verification. Nobody outside Google can promise it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I choose how Google verifies my Business Profile?
No. Google chooses the verification methods automatically and they can't be changed. What you are offered depends on your business type, public information, region or opening hours, and some businesses need to verify with more than one method.
How long does Google Business Profile verification take?
Google says verification reviews take up to five working days after you complete the steps, and on rare occasions longer. A video recording can also take up to five working days to review. If you are sent a postcard, Google says most codes arrive within 14 days.
Can a tradie with no shopfront verify by video?
Yes. Google says video verification works for service-area businesses as well as shopfront and hybrid businesses. The video has to show where the business operates, the tools or equipment used for the work, and proof that you manage the business.
How many times can I resubmit a verification video?
Google's help page says that if a video is not accepted, you can record a new one that includes everything from the first video plus whatever was missing. If it still fails, try another method Google offers before contacting Google's support team.
Should I give my verification code to the person who manages my profile?
No. Google says to keep the code secure, that Google will never ask for it, and not to share it with anyone, even people who manage your Business Profile.
Does changing my business name mean verifying again?
It might. Google says a name change after verification might mean verifying again, and that moving to a new address after verification means you must verify again.