Google Business Profile verification is the step that turns a claimed listing into one you can manage, and since 2023 it has become noticeably harder. Google now defaults to video verification for most new and edited profiles, the postcard is rare, and a failed attempt can leave a business waiting weeks. This guide explains each verification method, how to prepare so you pass the first time, and what to do when it stalls. It applies to new profiles, profiles that were suspended and need re-verification, and profiles that lost verification after an address or name change.
Why Google Verifies
Verification is Google’s defence against fake listings, which are rampant in categories like locksmiths, garage doors, movers and personal injury law. Google needs evidence that the business exists, operates at the stated address or in the stated service area, and is controlled by the person claiming it. The method Google offers depends on the category, the location, the account’s history and whether the address or name has changed recently. You do not choose the method; Google does. You can only be ready for whichever one appears.
The Verification Methods
Video verification
The default in most cases now. Google asks you to record a continuous video through the Business Profile interface on your phone that shows three things: where you are (exterior signage, street signs, neighbouring businesses), that the business operates there (interior, equipment, stock, branded vehicles, work in progress), and that you are authorized to manage it (unlocking the door, opening the till, accessing the back office, a business licence on the wall). The video is uploaded through the app and reviewed by a person; Google says it is deleted after review.
What passes: one take, walking from the street sign to the front door to the inside, narrating what you are showing, ending with proof of control. Daylight, steady hands, landscape orientation. What fails: cutting between clips, filming from a car, showing only a laptop screen, a home-based business filming a bedroom, or a service-area business with nothing to show but a van.
Phone or text
Google calls or texts a code to the number on the listing. Offered to established categories with a long-standing listing and an unchanged phone number. If the number goes to an auto-attendant or a call centre that cannot pass the code to you within minutes, change it temporarily to a line you answer.
A code sent to an email address on the business domain, so a Gmail address will not qualify. Uncommon but quick when offered.
Postcard
A code mailed to the business address, arriving in five to fourteen days in Canada. Now rare for new profiles and mostly seen for address changes. Do not edit the profile while waiting, because edits invalidate the postcard.
Live video call
For some categories and some failed attempts Google offers a scheduled video call in which a Google representative asks you to show the same things as the recorded video, live. It is slower to book but hard to fail if you are a real business.
Instant or bulk verification
Businesses whose website is already verified in Search Console sometimes verify instantly. Chains with ten or more locations can apply for bulk verification with a spreadsheet upload.
How to Prepare for Video Verification
Before you start, confirm the profile’s name, address, category and phone are exactly what you will be able to show. If the sign says “Smith & Sons Plumbing” and the profile says “Smith Plumbing Toronto”, fix the profile first. Walk the route once without recording: street sign or visible address, exterior signage, entrance, interior with equipment or product, something that proves control. Have your business licence, a utility bill or a lease nearby to hold up. Record in one take, two to four minutes, speaking plainly about what is on screen. If you are a service-area business working from home, show the vehicle with signage, the tools and inventory, your business registration, and your home office; that is usually enough when the category is legitimately mobile.
When Verification Fails or Stalls
“We could not verify your business.” Usually the video did not show the location and the business and control together, or details did not match the profile. Fix any mismatch, then request verification again; Google typically allows another attempt after a short wait.
Pending for weeks. Human review queues vary. After seven business days with no decision, contact Google Business Profile support through the help centre and quote the case. Do not submit a second video while the first is pending.
“This business is already verified.” Someone else holds the profile: a former employee, a previous owner, or an agency. Request ownership through the profile; the current owner has seven days to respond, after which you can proceed.
Verification removed after an edit. Changing the name, address or primary category often triggers re-verification. Make such changes deliberately and be ready to record again.
If the profile was suspended rather than unverified, that is a different process; see Google Business Profile suspended? How reinstatement works.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Google Business Profile verification take?
Phone, text and email are immediate. Video verification is usually reviewed within a few business days but can take longer. Postcards take five to fourteen days to arrive in Canada.
Can I choose the verification method?
No. Google decides which methods to offer based on the category, location and account history. Most new profiles are offered video only.
Does Google keep the verification video?
Google states the video is used only for verification and is deleted afterwards. It is not shown on the profile.
Can a service-area business pass video verification?
Yes. Show your branded vehicle, tools and inventory, business registration and your home office or storage, and explain that you serve customers at their locations. Do not film a shared coworking space or a virtual office as your address.
Where This Fits
Verification is the gate to everything else in local SEO: until it is done you cannot post, reply to reviews, edit hours or see performance. Once through, the Google Business Profile tips guide covers what to fill in, and how to update your profile covers the changes that risk re-verification. We handle verification, including recording the video with the client, as part of every local SEO onboarding.
