How to Verify Google Business Listing in 5 Simple Steps

Trending on Google searches, making and verifying Google My Business Listings requires specific steps. A verified Google My Business (GMB) listing helps local businesses enhance their online presence.

When potential customers search for services you offer, a verified GMB listing displays your business prominently with operating hours, location, and customer reviews. Google’s push notifications deliver real-time updates about promotions and events to customers.

Below is a step-by-step process for creating a GMB listing to increase your business’s online visibility.

Google Analytics data shows that as of 2025, businesses with verified GMB listings receive 70% more clicks than unverified businesses. [Source: Google Analytics]

How to Create a Google My Business Listing

Follow these steps to create a new Google My Business account:

1. Log in to the Google Account that you want to connect to your business listing (or create a Google Account if you don’t already have one).
2. Go to google.com/business and click on “Start now” in the top right-hand corner.
3. Fill in your Business name.
4. Enter the location of your business. If you don’t have a physical store, small business local marketing, or work from home and don’t want your address to be publicly shown, you can check the option of ‘Hide my address (it’s not a store)’. If you’re going to the locations of your clients to deliver goods, instead of requiring them to come to your store, check the “I deliver goods and services to my customers” box.
5. Next, select your delivery area. You can choose your service city, region, or Pincode. If you deliver within a certain area from your business location, you can select the range in miles.
6. Now, you have to choose your business category. There will be a list of categories available from which you can select. If you can’t find your exact category, try to choose the closest and most accurate one possible. This will affect the type of customers that will be coming across your listing.
7. Add your business phone number or website link.
8. Finally, choose a verification option. If you’re not ready to verify your business yet, click “Try a different method” and choose “Later.”

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How to Make My Business Appear on Google

1. Create a Google My Business Account

• Sign up at Google My Business and enter your business details. Ensure accuracy for better visibility.

2. Claim or Add Your Business

• Search for your business to claim it or add a new listing. This step is necessary for listing verification for small businesses.

3. Optimize Your Profile

• Add a business description, photos, contact information, and operating hours to attract customers and improve search rankings.

4. Verify Your Business

• Choose verification methods, including instant verification (if eligible), phone, email, or postcard. Google My Business verification services can provide additional guidance.

5. Get Google Verified

• Verification places your business in Google search results, Maps, and local listings, which boosts visibility and credibility.

6. Maintain Your Listing

• Regularly update details, respond to reviews, and share posts to keep your listing active and engaging.

How to Verify Your Google My Business Listings

You can verify your Google My Business listing through several methods after adding your business to Google. These verification methods include:

• By Postcard
• Through Phone
• By Email
• Instant verification 
• Bulk verification

Many business owners seek alternatives to postcard verification due to mail delays or address complications. Google offers several verification options beyond postcards, including phone, email, instant, and bulk verification methods. The method available to you depends on your business type, location, and whether you’ve previously verified other Google services. Below are all verification methods available for Google My Business listings:

1. Verify your Google My Business Listings through a Postcard

• When logged into your Google account, the verification step opens automatically. Otherwise, sign in to your Google My Business account and select the business to verify. Enter your business address correctly and optionally add a contact name for the postcard.
• After adding the address, click ‘Mail‘. The verification code postcard arrives within five to twelve days, depending on location. Avoid changing your company name, address, or category until it arrives to prevent delays.
  
• After receiving the postcard, log in to your Google My Business account. Select the listing you wish to verify if you own multiple listings, or click ‘Verify now’ if you have only one.
  
• Enter the five-digit verification code from the postcard in the code field and click ‘Submit’ to complete verification.
  
• If your postcard doesn’t arrive or you misplace it, you can request a new code by logging in to Google My Business and pressing the “Request another code” blue banner at the top of the page.
  

2. Verify your Google My Business Listing through Phone

• Google allows phone verification for eligible organizations. The “Verify by phone” option appears during verification if your business qualifies. This option is typically available for businesses with a phone number listed on an existing website or businesses in specific categories.
  
• The verification step opens automatically when you log into your Google account. Otherwise, sign in to your Google My Business account and select the business to verify.
  
• Confirm your contact number and select “Verify by phone“.
  
• Enter the verification code received via text message to complete the verification.
  
• If you don’t receive the code within 5 minutes, select “More options” and then “Resend code“. If problems persist, ensure your phone can receive SMS messages and that your business phone number matches exactly what’s on your website and other business listings.
  

3. Verify your Google My Business listings through Email

• Email verification is available for eligible organizations. The “Verify by email” option appears during verification if your business qualifies. Email verification is often available for businesses that have previously verified their domain with Google Workspace or have established an online presence.
  
• The verification step opens automatically when logged in. Otherwise, sign in to your Google My Business account and select the business to verify.
  
• Confirm your email address is correct and click ‘Verify by email‘.
  
• Check your inbox, open the Google My Business email, and click the verification button to complete the process.
  
• If you don’t see the verification email, check your spam folder. The email should arrive within minutes. If you still don’t receive it after 24 hours, you may need to try a different verification method.
  

4. Verify your Google My Business Listings through Instant Verification

• Businesses already verified with Google Search Console can verify their email address immediately.
  
• Sign in to Google My Business using the same account used for Google Search Console verification. Not all business types qualify for instant verification; use alternative methods if no verification notification appears.
  
• Instant verification eligibility depends on several factors. Businesses with websites verified in Google Search Console have the highest chance of qualifying. Additionally, businesses in certain industries like accounting, digital marketing agencies, and some professional services may be eligible for instant verification.
  
• To attempt instant verification, ensure your business website is properly set up in Search Console and that you use the same Google account for both services. The system will automatically detect your eligibility during the verification process and offer the instant option if available.
  

5. Verify your Google My Business Listings through Bulk Verification

• Bulk verification eligibility applies to businesses with more than 10 locations under the same brand, excluding service businesses or organizations managing multiple business locations.
  
• Sign in to your Google My Business account, select a location to verify, and click the ‘Get verified’ button next to the name.
  
• Select the ‘Chain’ option.
  
• Complete the verification form with: business name, parent organization (if applicable), countries of operation, contact names, phone number, business manager’s email address, and Google Account Manager email.
  

How to Know If My Google Business Is Verified?

Follow these steps to confirm your Google Business listing is verified, active, and visible:

1. Check Your GMB Dashboard

• Log in to your Google My Business account.
• If your business is verified, you’ll see a “Verified” badge or status next to your business name.

2. Search for Your Business on Google

• Type your business name into Google search.
• If your GMB profile appears with complete details (name, address, hours, etc.), it’s verified.

3. Use the Google Verification Checker Tool

• Use Google’s official verification tools to confirm the status of your listing.

4. Instant Verification via Search Console

• If your business website is linked to Google Search Console, you can verify Google My Business with Search Console for instant verification.

5. Receive Notifications

• Google sends email or dashboard notifications confirming the verification status.

6. Contact Google My Business Verification Service

• If you’re unsure, contact Google’s support team for confirmation and assistance.

Google My Business Verification Services

For businesses facing challenges with the standard verification methods, Google My Business verification services can assist. These third-party services help streamline the verification process, particularly for businesses in hard-to-verify locations or those that have previously encountered verification issues.

• What are GMB Verification Services?
  These are specialized agencies or consultants who work with Google to help businesses verify their listings. They have established relationships with Google and understand the verification requirements in depth.
  
• When to Consider Using a Verification Service
  Consider using a verification service if you’ve attempted verification multiple times without success, operate in a location where mail delivery is unreliable, or manage multiple business locations that need verification.
  
• How to Choose a Legitimate Service
  Look for verification services with positive reviews, transparent pricing, and clear explanations of their process. Legitimate services will never ask for your Google account password and will provide a clear timeline for completion.
  
• What to Expect
  A verification service typically requires basic business information, proof of business ownership, and sometimes additional documentation. The verification process through a service can take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on your business circumstances.
  

Remember that while verification services can help expedite the process, they cannot guarantee verification if your business doesn’t meet Google’s guidelines. Always ensure your business information is accurate and consistent across all online platforms before seeking verification assistance.

Optimize your Google My Business Listing after you verify it

• After verification, optimize your profile by accessing your Google My Business dashboard, selecting your business listing, clicking “Info,” and choosing sections to update.
  
• Add comprehensive details including company profile picture, service area, working hours, amenities (e.g. “wheelchair accessible,” “free wifi”), founding date, phone number, and website address.
  
• Since anyone can suggest edits to your listing, ensure accuracy from the start and review your Google My Business listing regularly to maintain correct, updated information.
  
• Modify your company profile by logging into your GMB dashboard, selecting “Info“, clicking the pencil icon next to the area for updating, making changes, and selecting “Apply“.
  
• Add photos and videos: Google data shows businesses with photographs receive 35% more listing visits and 42% more direction searches on Google Maps. Add a business cover photo that appears prominently on your profile, a profile photo (company logo or office image), and additional product/service photos and videos to create a comprehensive, interactive listing.
  

Automate your GMB Listing

Managing and maintaining your GMB listing includes using features like ‘Posts’, which expire after 7 days. The Google My Business scheduling tool helps optimize your efforts and generate more leads through consistent posting.

Conclusion

Verifying Google My Business listings enhances visibility, builds trust, and attracts customers. The Google verification checker tool simplifies verification and helps maintain accurate business information.

Verified listings appear prominently in search results and maps, giving your business a competitive advantage. Verify your business to access the full potential of Google My Business.

Frequently Asked Questions

Dinesh Agarwal

Dr. Dinesh Agarwal, founder of RecurPost, transformed from academic researcher to social media technology innovator in 2013. With a doctorate in Cloud Computing, he applied scientific principles to develop a pioneering social media management tool that streamlined content scheduling processes for digital marketers, leading to its successful acquisition. Today, his RecurPost platform serves as an enterprise-grade social media automation solution helping over 100,000 businesses optimize their online presence. Dr. Agarwal actively contributes to the social media marketing ecosystem through educational content, including conference presentations, podcast interviews, and in-depth articles focusing on social media optimization techniques and algorithmic content distribution strategies.