How to Verify Your Google Business Profile (Including Video Verification)

To verify your Google Business Profile, log in, select Get verified, and complete whichever method Google offers you: phone or text, email, a recorded video, a live video call or a postcard. You can’t choose the method. Google decides it automatically based on your business type, location and other information (Google’s verification help).

Today, many businesses are asked for video verification, which confuses a lot of owners. This guide explains every method, then walks through video verification in detail: what to film, what not to film and how to fix it if it fails.

Why verification matters

Verification proves you’re allowed to manage the business on Google. Google says verified businesses are more likely to show in local results (source). Until you’re verified, you also can’t do important things like replying to reviews.

The verification methods

Method	How it works	Good to know
Phone or text	Google calls or texts a code to your business number	Automated phone menus can’t receive the code
Email	Follow the steps in an email Google sends	Sent to the address shown on screen
Video recording	Record a short video showing your location and business	Google recommends it where eligible
Live video call	A Google support rep guides you through a video call	Only during your business hours
Postcard	Google mails a 5-digit code to your address	Usually arrives within 14 days, expires after 30 days

All of the above is from Google’s verification help page. Some businesses need to complete more than one method.

How to verify with a video recording

Google’s video verification guide covers storefront, service-area and hybrid businesses. Online-only businesses aren’t eligible.

Before you start

Use the phone you’ll record on, signed in to the Google Account that manages the profile.
Plan a route that shows everything in one continuous take.
Make sure your business name on any signage matches your profile exactly.

The rules Google sets

The video must be recorded live in the app. Pre-recorded videos aren’t allowed.
It must be one continuous, unedited recording.
It must be at least 30 seconds long.
Don’t show sensitive information (bank details, tax or ID numbers), private information, or other people’s faces.

What to show: storefront or hybrid businesses

Your location: start outside. Show the street sign, building number or nearby businesses that prove where you are.
Your business name on permanent signage that matches your profile.
Proof you manage the business: for example, unlock the door, open the till, use your point-of-sale system, or go into a back room, storage area or kitchen.

What to show: service-area businesses

If you work from home or travel to customers, Google asks for:

Your location: landmarks or signs at your business address. Home-based businesses can show their neighborhood or street.
Your tools and equipment: the gear you use for work, branded vehicles, uniforms or branded items.
Proof of management: for example, unlocking your branded van, performing your service, or showing a business permit, invoice or utility bill that matches your profile name.

Recording step by step

Open your Business Profile on your phone and tap Get verified.
Choose Business video and read the requirements.
Allow camera, microphone and location access if asked.
Tap Start recording, then record your continuous video.
Review it. Re-record if anything is missing or blurry.
Tap Upload video.

How long does video verification take?

Google says reviews can take up to 5 business days. You’ll be notified when your business is verified.

What to do if verification fails

Google will show the reasons. Tap Review issues, then record a new video that includes everything from the first video plus the missing items.

Common reasons videos are rejected:

No clear proof of location (only close-ups, no street or landmarks)
Business name on signage doesn’t match the profile name
Signage is temporary (paper signs, a banner taped up)
No proof of management
The video cuts or is too short
The address on the profile doesn’t match where you filmed

If problems continue, Google suggests trying the other verification methods offered on your profile before contacting support.

Tips for postcard verification

If Google offers a postcard:

Make sure your address is complete, including suite or unit numbers.
Don’t edit your business name, address or category while waiting. It can invalidate the code.
Don’t request a new code while waiting for the first one, for the same reason.

Can I verify without a physical address?

Yes. If you run a service-area business from home, you can verify with your home address and then hide it, so customers only see your service areas. Google requires this for businesses that don’t receive customers at their address. Our guide to setting up a profile without a storefront explains the settings.

What you can’t do is use a virtual office, mailbox service or PO box. Google doesn’t allow them, and video verification will usually fail anyway because you can’t show genuine operations there.

After you’re verified

Now the real work starts:

Complete every field on your profile
Add photos of your real work and premises
Start asking customers for reviews
Reply to every review

If you haven’t filled in the rest of your profile yet, our Google Business Profile setup guide covers each section.

Frequently asked questions

Can I verify my Google Business Profile without a postcard?

Often, yes. Google offers different methods to different businesses, including phone, text, email, video recording and live video call. You can’t choose which ones you’re offered, but many businesses now verify by video instead of waiting for a postcard.

Why does Google keep asking me to verify again?

Google may ask for re-verification after major changes to your name, address or category, if it detects something unusual, or if the first attempt was incomplete. Keep your details consistent with your signage and documents, and avoid making several big edits at once.

Can I upload a video I recorded earlier?

No. Google requires the video to be recorded live through the verification flow. Pre-recorded or edited videos aren’t accepted. Plan your route in advance so you can capture everything in one continuous take.

What if I don’t have signage?

For storefront businesses, permanent signage that matches your business name is one of the things Google asks to see. If you don’t have it yet, consider adding it before verifying. Service-area businesses can instead show tools, equipment, branded vehicles or documents that match the business name, along with proof of where they’re based.

Can my web designer or agency verify my profile for me?

They can help you prepare, but verification usually needs someone at the business’s real location with access to the business phone, address or premises. Keep ownership of the profile in your own Google Account, and add helpers as managers rather than handing over ownership.

Verification checklist

Business name matches your signage and documents
Address complete and real (hidden if customers don’t visit)
Recording on the phone signed into the managing account
Video shows location, business name or equipment, and proof of management
At least 30 seconds, one continuous take, no sensitive info or faces
Uploaded and waiting up to 5 business days
No profile edits while waiting

Verification is a one-time hurdle. Plan your video once, film it carefully, and you’ll usually be done in a single attempt.