Google Business Profile video verification: what to show before you record

Google asks you to verify your business with a video.

You get your phone out, look around, and realize you’re not completely sure what you’re supposed to show.

Do you record the building? Your equipment? Do you need to be on camera?

And what if you work from home and drive to your customers?

Let’s walk through how I’d prepare for it, using a shop and a plumbing business as examples. Then we’ll look at recording, submitting it, and what to check if Google doesn’t accept the first attempt.

I’m Daniel Burns, the owner of Main Street Scoreboard.

The way I’d organize this is around three things.

Where the business is based. Evidence that the business operates. And evidence that you’re authorized to manage it.

Think about somebody reviewing this who has never visited your business.

You know what’s behind the door. You know which equipment is yours. They’re working with what you show them.

That’s why I’d plan the recording before opening the camera.

First, sign in to the Google account connected to your profile and check which verification options Google actually gives you.

Those options are selected by Google. Another business might have a different process.

For this video, we’re talking about the recorded-video option.

Before recording, I’d write down what I’m going to show.

Nothing elaborate. A few notes on paper would work.

Where am I starting? What will identify the location? What will show the work the business does? And what can I access that demonstrates my connection to it?

Then I’d walk that route once with the phone down.

Check the lighting. Find the keys. Move anything private out of the camera’s path.

You don’t want to get halfway through and realize the thing you need is locked in another room.

Let’s start with a shop that receives customers.

For our example, I’d plan to begin outside, where the surrounding location is recognizable.

Then I’d move toward the shop, show the permanent business sign, and continue into an area connected to the business.

The name on the profile should reflect the name the business uses in the real world. A business displaying its address should have permanent signage there.

Now, picture the recording from the reviewer’s side.

If the camera swings past the sign too quickly, the owner knows what it says. The reviewer may struggle to read it.

I’d slow down there.

And I’d think ahead about the management evidence. For this example, that could mean using the key to access the shop’s restricted work area.

You’re trying to make your relationship to that business understandable.

The exact route will depend on the property. Use what genuinely exists at your location.

But a plumber working from home has a different situation.

There may be no customer entrance or shop sign to show.

That’s where the business type matters.

A service-area business travels to its customers rather than serving them at its business address.

If customers aren’t served at your home, the address should be hidden from customers on the profile.

Showing Google where the business is based for verification is a separate part of the process.

For our plumbing example, I’d plan a route connecting the operating location with the work equipment and something demonstrating access to the business.

Google gives examples such as location markers, professional equipment, and access to business assets. Business documents can also help establish the connection.

I wouldn’t copy somebody else’s recording shot for shot.

Their business might have a workshop, a branded vehicle, or a different way of operating.

Start with your own situation and the requirements shown in your profile.

For our example, I’d ask whether the planned footage explains how this plumber operates from this location. If part of that connection is unclear, I’d work it out before recording.

Take a minute to check what else the camera might pick up.

Google says to keep sensitive information, private information and other people’s faces out of the recording.

That includes things like financial details and identification numbers.

If you’re showing a document, prepare it so the relevant business information is visible without exposing unrelated private details.

This is something I’d handle before starting. Same with customers or employees who might walk through the shot.

The actual verification recording needs to be captured live through the Business Profile process on a mobile device.

Google requires an unedited, continuous recording of at least thirty seconds. You can’t film separate clips, edit them together, and upload that finished video later.

That’s why walking the route beforehand helps.

I’d keep the phone steady, move at a comfortable pace, and give the important details enough time to be understood.

When you’re ready, open your profile on your phone and follow the verification prompts.

Read the instructions presented there before recording.

Afterward, review the video before submitting it.

I’d watch it as though I didn’t already know the business.

Can I understand where this is?

Can I see the relevant business details clearly?

Did I actually show the evidence I planned?

If the sign is unreadable or an important part is missing, I’d record another attempt before submitting.

And if you’ve already submitted it and Google asks you to try again, start with the explanation it provides.

Look for “Review issues” and follow the instructions.

Google says verification reviews can take up to five business days, with some taking longer. If other verification methods are available on your profile, those may also be options.

I wouldn’t rush into another recording without understanding what needs attention.

If the location wasn’t clear, work on that part of the route.

If the business name couldn’t be read, think about the camera position and lighting.

Go back through the complete requirements as you prepare the next attempt.

Nobody can promise that a particular recording will be approved. What you can do is make the evidence clear and follow the instructions for your business.

Before you record, make sure the profile describes how you actually serve customers.

A shop receiving visitors and a business traveling to customers have different setups.

If you’re unsure whether your address should be visible, I walk through those examples in the Address or Service Area video on screen.