Google changed its help pages to mention that it might need you to validate your business using an additional method.
Barry Schwartz on March 2, 2022, at 8:21 am
Google has updated their document about the methods to confirm your company’s information through Google Business Profiles to add that Google “may require you to verify by more than one method.” This could be related to fake business profiles that are made using some of Google’s verification options.
Methods to verify. Google has a number of ways to confirm a listing by using Google Business Profiles. At the time of its initial launch, Google had only the postcard method, which meant that Google would send the address of the business a postcard and pin. However, Google has expanded its alternatives since then, including:
A text message or phone
Video recording
Live video calls
Postcard
Double verify. This time, Google may request that certain companies use more than one method of verification however, two. Here’s a screenshot of the latest document:
Stefan Somborac spotted this post on Twitter that this could result in “a stricter verification process” and, consequently “reduce fake locations on Google Maps.”
This could add additional steps for both you and your customers to verify their business profile by contacting Google however, hopefully, this will help reduce fraudulent business listings that appear in Google Maps. Google has not yet commented on this update and it’s difficult to determine the reason Google included that particular phrase, but we could assume that it’s connected to helping to ensure that the company is legitimate.
You might want to explain to your clients that they might require verification of their business in more than one method if you’re working with a company that is yet to verify their profile on Google.
