Phone or text
Google sends a code to the business phone number. Google says automated phone systems will not get the code, so someone has to be able to answer the call or read the text.
Guide
Google Business Profile verification
Verification is how Google confirms that a business is real and is where its profile says it is. This is how it works, how long each method takes, what the video has to show, and what to do when it fails.
By Hamza Rivera
Short answer: Google offers phone or text, email, live video, a video recording or a postcard, picks the methods for each business, and says reviews take up to 5 business days. If it fails, try another method or record the video again.
The short version
Open the profile and select Get verified. Google chooses which methods you are offered, and the choices run from a text message to a live video recording of the business. Reviews take up to 5 business days. If it fails, try another method or record the video again, and keep the name, address and category on the profile exactly as the business really is.
The verification methods Google offers
Google decides which of these a business gets, and says the choice cannot be changed. If the profile offers more than one, you can try another.
A code goes to an email address, and you need to be able to open that address on the verification screen.
Live video call
Not available for every business, and only offered during the business hours of the location. Google suggests showing outside signs, nearby businesses or a street sign that confirms the location, and a part of the premises only staff can enter, such as a cash register or storage room.
Video recording
If a business is eligible, Google recommends this option. The footage has to be captured live, with no edits or breaks, at least 30 seconds long, and recorded and uploaded from a mobile device. Pre-recorded video is not allowed.
Postcard
Not available for every business. Google says most codes arrive within 14 days and that a code expires after 30 days. While you wait, do not change the business name, address or category, and do not request a new code, because that cancels the one in the mail.
What the video has to show
- 1
A storefront or hybrid business
Street signs or nearby businesses that place the location, the business name on a permanent fixture, and something only an employee can reach, such as a cash register or storage room.
- 2
A service-area business
The street or landmarks at the business address, your work tools or equipment, and a business document such as a permit, invoice or utility bill that matches the name on the profile.
- 3
What to leave out
Google says not to show bank, tax or ID numbers, other private information, or other people’s faces.
How long it takes
Google says verification reviews take up to 5 business days once you submit. A postcard code most often arrives within 14 days and expires after 30. Some profiles verify instantly, for example when they are linked to a Search Console property or verified in bulk.
When verification does not work
The Get verified prompt comes back
Google says this means it could not completely verify the business. If the profile offers more than one method, try another.
The video was not accepted
The result reads Not successful. Select Review issues, read what Google says was wrong, and record a new video.
Google asks for more information to re-verify
Google says this usually follows recent changes to the business information. Select Get verified and go through it again.
No method works
Google’s page ends with contact support. Before you do, check that the name, address and category on the profile are the real ones, because every method is judged against them.
What we can help with
Verification is Google confirming that the business is real and located where the profile says. We cannot verify a profile for you and we cannot choose the method. We can check the name, address and category before you start, plan the video so every required item is in it, and sort out the profile once it is verified. If a suspension is the reason you are being asked to verify again, the appeal has its own page.
Questions about verification
How do I verify my Google Business Profile?
Sign in, open the profile and select Get verified. Google shows the methods it will accept for that business, which can be phone or text, email, a live video call, a video recording or a postcard. Google decides which methods appear, and they cannot be changed.
How long does Google Business Profile verification take?
Google says verification reviews take up to 5 business days after you submit. A postcard code usually arrives within 14 days and expires after 30. Some profiles verify instantly, for example through a linked Search Console property or bulk verification.
How do I know if my Google Business Profile is verified?
A profile that still shows the Get verified prompt is not verified yet. Google says that if the prompt appears again after you have submitted, it could not completely verify the business.
Why can I only see some verification methods?
Google picks the methods for each business automatically and says they cannot be changed. If more than one is offered, you can try another. Postcard and live video are not available for every business.
What if I do not have a storefront?
Google’s video instructions have a separate route for a service-area business: show the street or landmarks at the business address, your tools or equipment, and a business document that matches the profile name.
My video verification failed. What now?
Select Review issues, read what Google says was wrong, and record a new video. The footage must be live, unedited, at least 30 seconds, and recorded on a mobile device.
Can I request a new postcard code?
Google says not to request a new code while you wait, because a new request invalidates the one already in the mail. Codes expire after 30 days.
Somebody else already owns the profile. What do I do?
Google’s verification page links to separate instructions for adding owners and for transferring ownership. A profile that someone else controls is dealt with through those routes.
Book a call with us
A 30-minute call in your working hours. Tell us what you sell and where, and we will tell you what we would do first and what it involves. Prefer email? Send your website through the form and the Passieon Team will reply within two working days.