The first step is to create a Google My Business account if you have not already done so. You can do this on the Google My Business main page. Open an account with either an existing Gmail account or a premium Google account.

If you are new to Google, you can create a brand new Gmail account or premium Google account here. After your account is created, use the same login information to create your Google My Business account.

Once you have created your Google My Business account, you can move on to the next steps which includes setting up your account’s basic information as well as verifying your account.

Setup Basic Account Information

 Before verifying your account, you want to further set it up by filling out the basic information. This includes adding the account page name (your business name), your business phone number, your business location (address), and your business website. This NAP is essential for Local SEO and showing up higher in local search results.

The business address you add will be used to verify your account. Google will send a postcard to the address that you enter. 

This postcard includes a verification code that you will be prompted to enter to confirm your account. This not only verifies your account, but also confirms that your business has a valid location and address.

The final step is to verify your account using the code that appears on the postcard. The postcard will arrive in the mail at the address you enter for your business’s location. You should receive it within three to five days. Once you’ve received the postcard in the mail, take the verification code and enter it into your account.

To do so, log into your account. On your account’s home page, you should see a notification that reads “Pending Verification”. This notification gives you the option to enter the verification code on the postcard you receive. Simply follow the instructions. Select the option to enter the code. The following page will allow you to submit the code to successfully verify your account. 

When you submit the code, your account is instantly verified. From here, all you need to do is optimize your account. Add your business services, description, hours, posts, photos, videos, and bookings. For more information, see our blog on how to optimize your Google My Business account to further strengthen your account page and its SEO performance.

The Ultimate Local SEO Cheat sheet we created explains all the different opportunities and tactics to optimize your GMB and manage it properly to rank high on Google as quickly as possible with Local SEO.

Thanks for learning How to Verify Google My Business accounts with our weekly marketing blog and video!