How to verify your Google Business Profile

Verification is the step that proves to Google your business is real and that you're entitled to manage it. Skip it or get stuck on it, and your profile simply won't appear: no map pin, no Search panel, nothing. The process itself is straightforward once you know which method you've been handed, the frustration nearly always comes from not knowing what Google is asking for, or from small details that trip the check.

This guide covers every method Google uses, how to complete each one, how long they take, how to pass video verification (the one people struggle with most), and exactly what to do when a postcard never arrives, a video is rejected, or verification just won't go through.

The verification methods

You don't always get to choose. Google offers methods based on your business type, category and location, and it may show you one option or several. If you're only given one, that's the route you have to take. Here's what each involves:

• Postcard (by mail).Google posts a card with a code to your registered business address; you sign in and enter the code to verify. It's the most common method for businesses with a physical address, and the slowest, allow up to two weeks for it to arrive.
• Phone or text.Google calls or texts a code to your business number. Near-instant when it's offered, but it's only available to some business types.
• Email. A code is sent to a business email address associated with the profile. Fast, but only offered to certain businesses.
• Video verification (recorded). You record a short walkthrough showing your premises, signage, equipment and proof you manage the business. Google reviews it manually, so it takes a few days rather than being instant. This is increasingly the default for new profiles.
• Live video call.Sometimes Google asks you to join a short live video call with a support agent instead of recording, showing the same kinds of evidence in real time. Follow the on-screen booking prompts if you're offered this.

How to verify, step by step

Whichever method you're given, the shape of the process is the same. Work through it in order and don't rush the details, that's where nearly all the delays come from.

1. 1

   Sign in and open the profile

   Sign in to the Google account that owns the profile, then open the business. If you've just created the listing you'll usually be prompted to verify straight away; otherwise look for a “Verify now” option on the profile. Make sure you're on the right Google account, using the wrong one is a surprisingly common reason people can't find the verify button.
2. 2

   Confirm your name and address are exactly right

   Before you trigger verification, check the business name is your real-world name with no extra keywords, and that the address matches your real premises precisely (right unit number, correct postcode, no typos). This is your last easy chance to fix it, once a code is on its way, editing these fields cancels it.
3. 3

   Choose from the methods Google offers

   Google shows you the methods available for your business. If there's more than one, pick the fastest you can genuinely complete: phone, text or email over postcard where offered. If video is your only option, that's the one to prepare for (see below).
4. 4

   Complete the method and enter your code (or record)

   For phone, text or email, enter the code as soon as it arrives. For postcard, wait for the card, sign back in, and enter the code printed on it. For video, follow the prompts and record or join the call. Enter codes promptly, they can expire if left too long.
5. 5

   Wait for confirmation, and leave the profile alone

   Some profiles verify instantly; others go into a manual review that takes a few days. While anything is pending, don't edit the name, address or category. Once verified, your profile goes live and you can start filling it out properly.

Passing video verification

Video is the method people find most daunting, but it's just Google asking you to prove three things on camera: that the location is real, that it's the business on the profile, and that you're the one who runs it. A clear, honest walkthrough passes. Here's what to show in one continuous, unedited recording:

• Exterior and signage. Film the outside of your premises and any sign showing the business name, ideally with the street or surroundings visible so the location reads as real.
• Inside and equipment. Walk in and show the interior, plus tools of the trade: a workshop, a treatment room, branded vehicles, stock, a kitchen, whatever fits your business.
• Proof you manage it. Show something only the operator would have access to: the till or point-of-sale, keys, the back office, staff areas, or opening the premises up.

How long each method takes

Set your expectations by the method you're given:

• Phone, text and email:usually near-instant, you get a code within moments and you're verified as soon as you enter it.
• Video (recorded or live):reviewed by a person, so typically a few days rather than instant. If it's rejected, you'll be asked to try again.
• Postcard:the slowest, allow up to about two weeks for the card to reach you, then it's instant once you enter the code.

Whatever the method, a profile can still sit in a short review after you complete it before it fully goes live. That waiting period is normal, don't re-trigger verification or start editing to try to hurry it along.

When verification stalls or fails

Most verification problems come down to a handful of causes. Match your situation to one of these:

• Postcard didn't arrive?Don't change your address while waiting, that cancels the pending code. Once the expected window has passed, check the address is exactly correct, then request a new card from the profile.
• Video rejected?Re-record in good light, show clear exterior signage and the inside of your premises in one continuous take, and make sure what's on camera matches your profile. Blurry, incomplete or mismatched videos are the usual reason.
• Code expired?Codes don't last forever. If yours has expired, request a fresh one and enter it promptly this time.
• No method seems to work? Stop retrying the same way. Contact Google Business Profile support through the profile, ask for a manual review, and have your proof of business (registration, a bill showing the address, photos of signage) ready to share.

Mistakes that cause verification to fail

These are the avoidable slip-ups that turn a quick verification into a drawn-out one. Check yourself against them before you start:

After you're verified: keep it live

Verification isn't always permanent. Google can review a profile again later, and if it decides the details break the Business Profile guidelines, it can suspend even a verified listing. A few habits keep you safely verified:

• Keep your business name exactly as it is in the real world, with no added keywords or locations, ever.
• Make sure your name, address and phone number match across your website, social profiles and other directory listings, mismatches are a common trigger for a second look.
• Pick the most accurate primary categoryand don't over-add categories that don't fit, the free category finder shows what similar businesses use.
• Make edits one at a time, not all at once, a burst of changes can look suspicious to Google's automated review.

Once verified, your profile is live, and the next job is making it strong enough to actually get found. If you're verified but still not appearing, see why your business isn't showing on Google Maps, and when you're ready to build it up, our guide on optimising your Business Profile covers what moves the needle. For day-to-day upkeep, see how to manage your Google Business Profile.