Google Verification | Yext Hitchhikers Platform
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 determine which is the right one for you.
Verification Categories
There are two categories of verification: Manual and Bulk. Manual verification options require manual input from the business to complete verification such as inputting a code from Google or joining a video call. Bulk verification happens 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. The verification options available 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 time and 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:
| Method | Details |
|---|---|
| Postcard Mailing | Google will mail a postcard to your business location, and it should arrive in 1-2 weeks. |
| Your verification code will be sent to the email address listed in the verification request form. | |
| Text Message | Your verification code will be sent via text message to the phone number on the listing. |
| Phone Call | You will receive a phone call with your verification code on the business phone number listed on your listing. |
| Video Call | Google will set up a virtual call with the business contact where they will request a physical walkthrough of the business location on video. |
| Video Recording | You will receive a link where you can upload a video recording of a walkthrough of 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.
Note: For all verification methods, manual or bulk verification, you should refrain from making changes to your listings. For manual verification of one-off locations, please refrain from making changes to the listings you are attempting to verify. For Bulk verification, please refrain from making any changes to your Google Business Profile account once you submit your bulk verification request.
For accounts with fewer than ten locations, visit the How to Verify Your Google Business Profile Listing help article.
Bulk Verification
If your business has more than 10 locations, Yext can help set up your account for bulk verification. With bulk verification, also called Google Bulk Verification, all of your listings will be published and verified shortly after you update or add them through Yext. More details on bulk verification can be found by visiting the Bulk Verification for Google Business Profile (GBP) help article.
Ownership Conflicts
If another business has already verified a listing for your location, your listing will be flagged as “Access Needed”, which means that you will need to initiate an ownership conflict process with Google.
To do this, go to Google Business Profile and click on Request Access on the location in question. The owner of the verified listing will then receive an email with your information and your request.
There are a few different outcomes for this process:
- The other user grants you access to the location. This will add it to your account view and enable you to make updates as needed. Keep in mind that the other user may also be making changes, even conflicting changes, or responding to reviews or questions.
- The other user declines your request. Check for a ‘verify now’ action button in Google Business Profile, and complete the verification process in Google Business Profile to gain ownership. If this option does not appear in Google Business Profile, check the denial email for an appeals option. Otherwise, you can contact Google support.
- The other user does not respond to your request. After a couple of weeks of no response, you can follow up with Google to verify that the user has not responded. In this case, they may choose to unverify the other user’s location, which will allow you to verify your location.
In most cases, if the ownership request is rejected or ignored, you can complete the verification process to confirm your association with the business and take ownership.