Verification Must-Knows: Insights from Google's Verification Product Manager

In today’s digital landscape, establishing a trustworthy online presence is crucial for businesses, especially when it comes to platforms like Google Business Profile (GBP). Verification is a key step in this process, but it often presents challenges that many merchants and business owners face. To shed light on this complex topic, we dive deep into the verification process with insights from a product manager on Google's Business Profile team, Shrina, who specializes in verification, trust, and support. Understanding these must-know verification principles can empower businesses to successfully navigate the process and maintain a credible online presence.

Verification is much more than a simple checkbox in the Google Business Profile setup. It is the foundation upon which trust between businesses and customers is built. Shrina explains that her team’s mission revolves around three core responsibilities: making it as easy as possible for legitimate merchants to verify their business, maintaining a high level of trust, and keeping bad actors out of the platform.

This balancing act is challenging because Google must optimize for two competing goals:

• Ease of onboarding for genuine merchants: The process should be straightforward enough to encourage good businesses to join and maintain their profiles.
• Robust protection against fraud and abuse: At the same time, the system must be stringent enough to detect and prevent fraudulent activities and impersonations.

Finding the right balance is an ongoing effort, and Google continuously listens to merchant feedback to improve the process.

Three Essential Verification Principles

When a business attempts to verify their Google Business Profile, Google looks for three crucial elements:

1. Existence and location accuracy: The business must physically exist at the location described and match the name, category, and address provided.
2. Genuine user identity: The person submitting the verification must be a real, authorized representative of the business.
3. Authorized representation: The verifier must have the authority to manage the business’s profile, ensuring they are not just an outsider or random customer.

These principles ensure that businesses listed on Google are legitimate and that customers can trust the information they find.

Why Verification Is a Complex Challenge

Verification is complex because the system must simultaneously enable easy onboarding for good merchants while creating barriers to prevent bad actors from manipulating the platform. This tension means that every change to make the process smoother for legitimate businesses can potentially open loopholes for abuse, and vice versa.

With millions of businesses worldwide, including hundreds of millions globally, the scale of this challenge is enormous. Google must maintain a high standard of accuracy and reliability to ensure users trust the data they access, which is why the verification team continuously refines their approach.

Recent Improvements in Verification: Video Verification Focus

One of the most significant recent advancements in Google’s verification process is the enhancement of video verification. Video verification allows businesses to provide visual proof of their physical location and operations, which helps Google confirm authenticity more effectively.

Key improvements include:

• Clearer feedback for video submissions: Previously, users faced challenges understanding why their video verification was rejected. Now, Google provides detailed explanations about missing requirements, helping businesses prepare better videos on subsequent attempts.
• Video previews before submission: A new feature in development will allow businesses to preview their verification videos before submission, enabling them to catch and correct issues early without waiting for Google’s review.
• Instructional resources: Animated videos and tutorials in the Google Help Center guide merchants on how to create effective verification videos tailored for storefronts and service area businesses alike.
• Support for multilocation businesses: Google is working on streamlining verification for brands with multiple storefronts or locations, recognizing the unique challenges chains face with video verification at scale.

These improvements not only reduce frustration but also increase the success rate for video verification submissions, making the process more transparent and user-friendly.

Addressing Suspensions and Reverification Concerns

Another challenging aspect of maintaining a Google Business Profile is dealing with suspensions and reverifications. These actions are necessary tools to keep the platform secure from abuse but can sometimes affect legitimate businesses mistakenly.

Shrina emphasizes that Google takes these concerns seriously and is actively working to minimize unintentional disruptions to good merchants while maintaining a robust anti-abuse system. The goal is to reduce friction caused by incorrect flags without compromising security, a delicate balance that requires ongoing innovation and refinement.

Goals for 2025 and Beyond

Looking ahead, Google’s verification team is committed to continuing their work on making verification easier and more reliable. Their ambitions include:

• Further simplifying the verification process: Making it even easier for good merchants to verify their profiles quickly and accurately.
• Reducing suspensions and reverifications: Improving the accuracy of anti-abuse systems to minimize incorrect suspensions and streamline appeals.
• Enhancing support experience: Addressing delays and dissatisfaction in support cases by improving response times and resolutions.

This roadmap highlights Google’s dedication to listening to users, acknowledging challenges, and continuously improving the system.

Expert Tips for Passing Video Verification Successfully

Video verification can be daunting, especially since businesses vary greatly in type and setup. Here are some practical tips based on Google’s verification principles to help businesses pass verification smoothly:

For Storefront Businesses

• Show the business name clearly: Film the exterior signboard displaying your business name to confirm your identity.
• Highlight the interiors: Walk through your business space to demonstrate it matches the category you claim (e.g., restaurant seating, kitchen, or retail layout).
• Demonstrate authorized access: Show areas that only employees can access, such as employee-only doors, the kitchen, or cash registers, proving your affiliation.
• Capture surroundings: Pan around the street to show nearby landmarks, street signs, or neighboring businesses to confirm your location.

For Service Area Businesses

• Show proof of existence: Use business cards, branded vehicles, tools, or signage to demonstrate your real-world presence.
• Demonstrate your work: Film yourself performing services at client locations or with your equipment to prove your role.
• Show location indicators: Capture landmarks or street signs within your service area to help Google verify your service coverage.
• Confirm affiliation: Provide evidence that you manage or operate the business, not just a random passerby.

Following these tips can significantly increase the chances of passing video verification and establishing a trustworthy profile on Google.

How Mover Marketing AI Can Help Moving Companies with Verification

At Mover Marketing AI, we understand that moving companies face unique challenges when verifying their Google Business Profiles. From navigating video verification to managing multilocation profiles, the process can be complex and time-consuming.

Our marketing services are tailored to help moving companies overcome these hurdles efficiently. Here’s how we can assist:

• Verification Guidance: We provide expert advice on preparing your business for verification, including how to create compelling video evidence that meets Google’s requirements.
• Profile Optimization: Beyond verification, we optimize your Google Business Profile to ensure your business stands out, attracting more local customers searching for moving services.
• Reputation Management: We help monitor and manage reviews and feedback, maintaining your profile’s credibility and trustworthiness.
• Support with Suspensions: If your profile faces suspension or reverification requests, our team can guide you through the appeal process to minimize downtime and disruption.
• Multi-Location Management: For moving companies with multiple service areas or offices, we streamline profile management to ensure consistent and accurate information across all locations.

Partnering with Mover Marketing AI means you’re not alone in navigating Google’s verification process. We combine industry expertise with tailored marketing strategies to help your moving business thrive online.

Conclusion

Verification on Google Business Profile is a critical step for businesses aiming to build trust and reach customers effectively. While the process can be complex due to the need to balance ease of access with fraud prevention, Google’s ongoing improvements and clear principles provide a solid framework for success.

By understanding the core verification principles, leveraging video verification best practices, and staying informed about updates, businesses can confidently establish their online presence. For moving companies and other service providers, partnering with experts like Mover Marketing AI can simplify this journey, ensuring your profile is verified, optimized, and ready to attract new customers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why is Google verification important for my business?

Verification confirms your business’s legitimacy and location, helping build trust with customers and improving your visibility in local search results.

What are the main criteria Google looks for during verification?

Google verifies that your business exists at the stated location, that the person submitting verification is genuine, and that they are authorized to represent the business.

How can video verification help my business?

Video verification provides visual proof of your business’s physical location and operations, making it easier for Google to confirm authenticity and reduce fraud.

What should I include in my verification video?

Include shots of your business signage, interiors, employee-only areas, evidence of authorized access, surroundings with landmarks, and for service area businesses, proof of your service activities and equipment.

What should I do if my Google Business Profile is suspended?

If suspended, review Google’s guidelines, gather evidence of your business legitimacy, and consider seeking expert help to navigate the appeals process effectively.

How can Mover Marketing AI assist with Google Business Profile verification?

We offer tailored services for moving companies, including verification support, profile optimization, reputation management, and assistance with suspensions and multilocation management.