In 2025, if your business is not on Google Maps, it almost does not exist for a big part of your potential customers. Research shows that around seventy per cent of consumers use Google to look up local business information, and a very large share of local searchers click straight into the map results rather than scrolling down to normal website links. Businesses that appear in the local map pack receive far more traffic, calls and direction requests than those that sit lower down the page.
For a new business, this is huge. A verified Google Business Profile gives you a proper pin on Google Maps, a panel in search results with your name, phone number, website and reviews, and a very visible way for people to find you when they search “your service near me”. Google’s own data and industry studies show that a complete, verified profile makes customers more likely to trust your brand, visit your location and actually contact you. Many verified profiles generate around two hundred clicks a month on average, including website visits, calls and direction requests.
In simple terms: if you care about enquiries, bookings and brand recognition, you should care about your address on Google Maps.
However, to get that blue “verified” tick, Google now expects far more proof that a business really operates from the address it claims. The days of a simple postcard and a five-digit code being the default are mostly over. Over the last couple of years Google has pushed strongly towards video-based verification to weed out fake listings and to confirm that a real business actually exists and trades at that location.
How Google’s video address verification works now
When you set up or claim a Google Business Profile, Google offers one or more verification methods. Postcard, phone or email can still appear in some cases, but increasingly the main option for new or higher risk profiles is a short video recording, and sometimes a live video call.
Video recording / video call
The short video recording is now one of the primary methods. Google’s official guidelines say that the video must be:
- Recorded and uploaded from a mobile device, inside your Business Profile
- A single, continuous, unedited recording with no cuts
- At least thirty seconds long and captured in real time on location
You cannot film it in advance on another device and upload it later.
The idea is that the video works as a live “walk-through”, proving that you are exactly where you say you are.
To secure a successful address verification, the video must show three main things:
- First — Location: You need to clearly show the outside of the building, street signs, building numbers, nearby businesses or recognisable landmarks. This helps Google match what the camera sees with the point on the map.
- Second — Proof the business exists at that address: Google wants to see proper business signage on a permanent fixture: a signboard, window decal, lightbox, directory listing — something that looks real and long term. The name on the sign must match the name on your Business Profile.
- Third — Proof of management or control: You must demonstrate that you genuinely manage or represent the business. Typical examples include unlocking the front door, opening a private office, accessing a cash register or point-of-sale terminal, showing a staff-only storage room, or logging into a business system. These are things that only staff or the business owner would be able to do.
For service-area businesses and home-based businesses, the expectations are similar but the evidence changes a little. Instead of a shopfront, you may show a branded vehicle with your logo, uniforms, tools and equipment you use at work, and business documents such as licences, invoices or utility bills that match the details on the profile.
On top of the recorded option, Google still uses live video calls in some cases. During a live call a Google support person asks you to walk around and show the same kind of evidence: street view, signage, workspace and proof of control. The call is usually done on a mobile device, during local business hours.
All of this is much stricter than what many business owners were used to. It requires permanent signage, a genuine workspace and proper preparation. If the video is unclear, too short, does not show the right details, or looks suspicious, verification can fail and you may need to try again or use another method. Reviews can take several days, which can delay your listing going live.
Why this matters so much for visibility and enquiries
The effort is worth it. Local search has become one of the main channels for new business. A very large percentage of Google searches now have local intent, and a high share of mobile local searches lead to a visit or a direct contact within a short time. When someone searches “bookkeeper near me”, “roof repairs Randwick”, or “virtual office Sydney”, they are usually ready to act.
A fully verified, well-optimised profile can:
- Place your business in the local map pack, which typically attracts the lion’s share of clicks for local queries
- Make customers 2–3 times more likely to see your business as reputable and worth considering
- Generate a steady stream of calls, direction requests and website visits every month
- Build review history, which has a direct impact on conversions and trust
On the flip side, incorrect or incomplete information can actively push people away. Studies show that many consumers will avoid a business if they see inconsistent address details or outdated information online.
In other words, your Google Maps listing is not just a pin on a map. It is a reputation tool, a lead generation tool and, for many small businesses, the main way new customers discover them.
Where virtual offices come in
This is where virtual office services and flexible workspaces become very interesting, especially for start-ups and lean service businesses.
A lot of owners begin from home or from a very small space that is not ideal to present to clients. They want:
- A professional address in a good suburb or CBD location
- A place where clients can meet them if needed
- A way to satisfy Google’s stricter verification rules without renting a full-time office that sits empty most of the week
However, many virtual office providers are not able to provide a solution that ticks all the boxes. Some of them simply do not have the facilities or infrastructure to support the new address verification requirements. They can offer a virtual address, but without real access to a workspace or any physical proof that a business operates from the location. Others technically have the space and resources, but choose not to get involved. The verification process is slow, detailed and easy to get wrong, and many providers decide it is not worth the time or effort.
We take a different approach. We are one of the very few providers – if not the only one – who actively support these verification requests. We have built our own internal process, tested it, refined it and proven that it works. Our centres are real, fully functioning workplaces, and our virtual office packages are built around genuine presence, not just an address line on an invoice. For businesses that need to verify their address on Google Maps and across other online platforms, we provide three key layers of support.
First, we provide a real business base
Clients can use our address because they actually have the ability to work and meet at our locations. Depending on the plan, they can book offices, meeting rooms or desks, and they are part of the community in Randwick, Botany or the Sydney CBD rather than being a name on a PO box.
Second, we provide signage and a verifiable environment
For clients who are preparing for Google Business Profile verification, we install appropriate directory or internal signage with their business name so that it matches the Google listing. We set up a workstation or office in a way that looks like a genuine day-to-day workspace, with the right equipment and layout. This makes it much easier to satisfy Google’s requirement to show permanent signage and a functioning work environment during the verification video.
Third, we support the video verification process itself
Our team is familiar with Google’s current guidelines for video verification. We help clients plan the route of the recording, starting outside the building to capture the street, nearby landmarks and entrance, then moving through the foyer and directory board, and finally into the office or workspace. During the recording we make sure that the key elements are highlighted: the correct business name on the sign, the door or office being unlocked, the desk setup, tools, computers and anything else that supports proof of management and operations. We can even step in and record and upload the the video if required.
We handle the heavy lifting on the ground to get your address verified.
Beyond Google Maps
Google is the main player, but it is not the only place where your address matters. Consistent name, business address and phone details across other maps, directories and social platforms strengthen your overall online presence and reduce confusion for customers. Many consumers check more than one source before they contact a business, and they lose confidence quickly if details do not match.
Because our virtual office services are built around real locations, we can help clients maintain that consistency across multiple platforms, not just on Google Maps. The same address and signage that support your Google verification also support your broader digital footprint.
Bringing it together – How to pass Google business verification?
Google’s newer video-based verification rules can feel demanding, especially if you have never gone through the process before. But they exist for a reason: to keep Maps and local search useful and trustworthy. If your business can show a genuine, well-presented presence at its address, you are already ahead of many competitors.
For new and growing businesses, the smart approach is to combine:
- A strong, well-managed Google Business Profile
- A location where you can genuinely work and meet clients
- Professional support with signage and video verification
That is exactly what a well designed virtual office solution can deliver. Instead of fighting with Google’s rules or trying to work around them, you use them as an opportunity to prove that your business is real, reliable and ready for new customers.
Contact
For more information, please call us at +61 2 8378 9111 or email info@anytimeoffices.com.au
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