Using Bulk Verification to Claim Listings in Google My Business

Tony Fazzini - January 5, 2016

Claiming business listings in Google My Business can be very challenging. You need to find the listing, let Google know this is your business, then if you want to change the content (and control the content moving forward), you need to verify your affiliation with business using one of two systems that Google offers:

1. An automated phone call that gives you a verification code
2. A postcard mailed to the business address with a verification code

This can be a relatively simple process if you have one or two locations but what about if you have 30 or even 1,000 nationwide? Previously, you would need to claim each listing individually and verify each listing individually. This was a huge pain point for larger companies, so Google created Bulk Verification.

Bulk Verification is only available for companies with 10 or more locations and uses a simple template that houses all the profile information you’d like entered into your profiles. Once the template is complete, you will login to your Google Account (which must have the same business domain as the listings you are claiming), and upload the template file. This will be reviewed by Google and if everything is filled out correctly, they will update the information as instructed within the sheet and grant you access to your profiles.

This is a much easier system than verifying individually, but since you’ve skipped the phone call and post card, there is a drawback. Google may automatically (and incorrectly) update the information you provide after you’ve changed your listings. This can be a challenge if you don’t consistently monitor your account and you’re unaware of the changes. If you log in to your account, all the changes made automatically are displayed and you have the option to change the information back to the previous information (assuming the changes are incorrect).

Now you have all your listings for your locations and you’re ready to manage your Local Google presence!