Google Verification | Yext Hitchhikers Platform

Verification Overview

Before a location can be actively managed on Google Maps, it must be verified through Google Business Profile. Google attempts to show a comprehensive set of all locations on Maps from a variety of sources — claiming and verifying your locations is the best way to ensure that Google is displaying the most accurate and up to date information.

Verification is the process of proving to Google that your business information is legitimate and that you are the rightful owner who should be managing its content going forward. There are several options for verifying your business with Google - this article will review these options and which is the right one for you.

Verification Categories

There are two categories of verification: Manual and Automatic. Manual verification options require manual input from the business to complete verification such as inputting a code from Google or joining a video call. Automatic (Auto) verification options happen without any business input for new businesses added to Google. We’ll review the different options within each category and which options your business may be eligible to use.

Manual Verification Options

Different manual verification options may be available to your business locations — and they can even vary from location to location or change over time. By default, Google will always include the Postcard Mailing option. The additional options available, if any, are determined by Google based on how trustworthy the business information seems to Google.

If the business has existed on Google Maps for a long amount of time, has high quality contact information like phone number or email, Google may decide to show additional options. Google does not indicate why certain options are available for a given business and neither Yext nor any other Google partner has influence over the available options.

Below are the manual verification options that may be available to your business:

Yext has full UI and API support for triggering a verification code send and verification code input to complete verification for all methods except for Video Verification. Video Verification does not exist in the Google Business Profile API and must be completed by the business directly with Google.

Auto Verification Options

Auto Verification Guidelines

For accounts with fewer than ten locations, visit the How to Verify Your Google Business Profile Listing help article.

If your business has more than 10 locations, Yext can help set up your account for automatic verification. With automatic verification, all of your listings will be published and verified as soon as you update or add them through Yext. There are two types of auto-verification methods you can qualify for, and Yext will help you decide which option is best for your business:

1. Direct Verification

   • Approved by Yext
   • All locations launched under a Yext account that has been approved for direct verification will be automatically verified
   • There are a subset of restricted verticals, see more below
   • Locations in an ownership conflict or re-verification status are not eligible for auto-verification using direct verification

2. Bulk Verification

   • Approved by Google on the Google Account level
   • All location groups that are primary owned by the bulk verified Google account will have bulk verification access
   • Requires extensive account cleanup before an escalation to Google
   • Yext will only escalate bulk verification requests for accounts where direct verification failed
   • Locations in an ownership conflict or re-verification status are not eligible for auto-verification using bulk verification

Submit Request for Auto Verification

1. Confirm with your Yext Contact that your business is eligible. The eligibility rules can be found below.
2. Reach out to Yext Support (or your Yext Services contact, if you are working on an initial implementation) and ask them to initiate an auto-verification approval request.
3. Yext will provide suggestions to help increase the chances of your request getting approved.
   • Types of suggestions you may see include:
     • Adding store codes to all business listings
     • Adding websites and/or phone numbers to all business listings
     • Ensuring true and false duplicates are resolved or removed
     • Ensuring suspended or disabled listings are resolved or removed
     • Ensuring all necessary listings are shared with Yext
     • Confirming primary owner and location counts
     • Once complete, your Implementation Manager or Yext Support will submit an official request to approve your account on your behalf.

Once complete, your Implementation Manager or Yext Support will submit an official request to approve your account on your behalf.

Eligibility Rules

Not all businesses are eligible for automatic verification. The following businesses are ineligible for automatic verification:

• Businesses with fewer than 10 locations
  • Listings that are marked as closed, duplicates, suspended, or disabled do not count towards this 10 location minimum.
• Agencies managing listings on behalf of a different brand or for multiple businesses
• Businesses in certain restricted verticals such as:
  • Locksmiths
  • Plumbers
  • Security
  • Car services (taxis, limos, etc)
  • Towing services
  • Garage door repair
  • Moving companies
• Substance abuse rehab (including alcohol and drug abuse recovery services)
• Bail Bond Providers
• Personal and Small Business Loans
• Cable and Internet Providers
• Financial Institutions
• Adult businesses (in certain locations)
• Abortion & pregnancy consultancy services

Required Content for Submitting an Automatic Verification Request

• GBP Account Email: The email used to log in to GBP and access the locations.
• GBP Account Access: Yext will need to be added as a co-owner of all folders within your GBP account. Steps can be found here.
• Store Locator: A public-facing site that lists a brand’s full list of locations. GBP uses this as a source of truth for business data and other verification.
  • If you don’t have this, let your Yext contact know when submitting this request.
• Finally, please ensure that every location associated with the business has a store code in your GBP account, and all Yext managed locations have at least one of the following: a phone number or a website.

Next Steps

Once our internal teams have had a chance to review your request, your Yext contact will follow up with one of two responses:

Your Auto-Verification request has been approved!

• You are now able to launch new locations via Yext and have them be automatically verified
• If you see any issues with initial verification on Google moving forward, please reach out to Support
• You should get the initial response within 1-2 weeks of your account being submitted for Auto-Verification approval.

Your Auto-Verification request needs additional information

• If your account is found to have locations in a restricted vertical, Yext will help you initiate a bulk verification request to Google
  • Additional account cleanup may be required, including resolving suspended listings and any duplicates in the account.
  • These requests may take longer to complete, but your Yext contact will be able to support you every step of the way!
    • Bulk verification approval is dependant on Google’s support teams and can take 2+ months to complete
    • Approval for Bulk Verification is at the discretion of Google

Auto Verification Checklists

Bulk Verification

• Download link of full document in multiple languages from the Request Automatic Verification for Google Business Profile Listings help article.
• For bulk verification this doesn’t change because of Google requirements.

Direct Verification

• Checklist can be filled out by Yext representative.
• Answering “No” to any of the below does not automatically disqualify you from direct verification, but please provide details for each case.