Getting Verified on Google Business Profile: What the New Video Verification Process Actually Involves
By Terence Walsh | TWDA Design | Northumberland, England
Reading time: ~5 minutes | Category: SEO
Introduction
“We recently went through this exact process ourselves. After our last office move, we made the decision to switch TWDA’s Google Business Profile from a storefront listing to a service-area business, since we work from The Granary rather than a shopfront with signage, and we’re now part-way through getting that change verified.
The video requirement caught me out at first. I filmed the whole thing on my phone’s camera, only to discover afterwards that it has to be recorded through the Business Profile app itself, and it needs to be one continuous, unedited take. That first attempt included a full drive down our 300-metre driveway in the gator, which made for an interesting watch but wasn’t quite what Google had in mind. Lesson learned: check which app you need before you start filming, and have a rough idea of your route and key shots in advance. We’ll update this post once our verification comes through.”
Terence Walsh – TWDA Creative Services
Why Google asks for verification
Verification exists to stop fake or fraudulent listings cluttering up Google Maps and Search. Whenever you create a new profile, or make certain changes – particularly to your business address – Google wants reassurance that a real business genuinely operates from where it says it does, and that you’re authorised to manage the listing.
Common triggers for re-verification include:
- Creating a brand new Business Profile
- Changing your business address
- Switching between business categories that affect
- how you’re listed
- Google’s own automated checks flagging a listing for review
Verification methods vary depending on your business type and what Google’s systems decide to offer, but the options can include a phone call, postcard, email, and increasingly, a short video.
What the video verification process looks like
When video verification is offered, you’ll be guided through the process directly inside Google Business Profile Manager. The steps are straightforward:
- Select “Submit a Business Video” from the verification options screen.
- Record a short video, typically under a couple of minutes, directly through the Google Maps or Business Profile app.
- Submit it for review. Google’s team checks the footage, usually within a few days.
- Your listing’s status updates once the review is complete, removing the “Verification required” flag.
Google is clear that the video is used purely for verification purposes and won’t be published or shown publicly.
What to actually film
This is the part that causes the most head-scratching, because the requirements differ depending on whether your listing is a storefront business or a service-area business.
For a storefront business
If customers visit your premises (a shop, clinic, office with a reception, and so on), Google wants to see:
– The surroundings: walk up to your building from the street, showing nearby signage, neighbouring premises, or recognisable landmarks that match your listed address
– Your business name on a permanent fixture: a sign above the door, window signage, or a nameplate that’s actually fixed to the building (not a printed sheet of paper)
– Proof of access and management: footage of you, or a member of staff, unlocking the door, moving through the premises, and ideally interacting with equipment, stock, or systems that show you run the place day to day
For a service-area business (SAB)
If you don’t have a public-facing premises, for example, you work from a home office, a farm building, or you travel to clients, your listing can be set up as a service-area business. In this case:
– Your address is hidden from the public, and instead you list the areas you serve, such as a county, town, or radius
– You don’t need external signage at all, since the address isn’t shown
– The video instead focuses on proof that the business operates from that location and area. This could include branded vehicles, equipment, paperwork, or a laptop screen showing your business name and address, along with footage of you or staff working
Storefront versus SAB: why it matters
Choosing the right listing type isn’t just about the video. It affects how your business appears in Maps and local search results going forward.
A storefront listing displays your address publicly and requires visible signage for verification. It suits shops, clinics, and offices that customers visit in person, and its local search relevance is tied to that exact address.
A service-area business listing keeps your address private and doesn’t require any signage at all. It suits trades, consultants, and home-based or rural businesses, and its local search relevance is tied to the service areas you list rather than a fixed point on the map.
If your business doesn’t have public signage, perhaps you work from a converted farm building, a home office, or a unit without a shop frontage, switching to a service-area business listing can make far more sense than trying to satisfy storefront-style video requirements. It’s a simple toggle in your Business Profile’s location settings, alongside adding the towns, counties, or regions you cover.
A few practical tips
– Keep the video simple. Natural daylight, a steady hand, and clear visibility of any branding is more than enough. There’s no need for editing or polish.
– Show, don’t just tell. Google’s review is largely automated or semi-automated, so visual evidence (signage, paperwork, equipment, vehicles) carries more weight than narration.
– Plan ahead before recording. The video has to be one continuous take, recorded through the Business Profile or Google Maps app rather than your phone’s standard camera, so it’s worth knowing the route and key shots before you press record.
– Don’t rush an address change. Changing your listed address, even slightly, can trigger a fresh verification requirement and temporarily affect your listing’s visibility. If you’re considering a change, it’s worth planning around it.
– If in doubt, choose SAB for non-public premises. It removes the signage headache entirely and is often a better fit for how the business actually operates.
In summary
Google’s move towards video verification is generally a positive thing — it’s quicker than waiting for a postcard, and for many small businesses it’s far less hassle than it sounds. The key is matching your verification approach to how your business actually works: if you have a shop or office that customers visit, focus on signage and surroundings; if you work from a private location and travel to clients, a service-area listing with proof-of-operation footage is the simpler and more appropriate route.
If you’d like help reviewing or setting up your Google Business Profile alongside your website,
it’s a small job that can make a real difference to how easily local customers find you.
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