Bulk verification process

[paintingtheworld]

started a new company over the past year or so and we are up to 18 office locations with plans to be nationwide. just now getting our website set up, upon talking to a few agencies, we are getting quoted to set up bulk verification on google. they would coach us through the process. I have done seo for quite some time, so I understand the process a bit. and I understand how to do the video verification stuff.

question: do I need 10 VERIFIED listings in my account before I apply for bulk, or am I supposed to have 10 UNVERIFIED listings in my account... or is it either way ??

since our business is new, I am thinking it might be smarter to just 1 by 1 verify those listings until I hit 10 over the next month or two, then apply for bulk once I have 10 verified listings. considering we don't have much of an online presence and google would probably deny me with 10 unverified listings...

 

[keyserholiday]

You need to be the listed owner for ten verified locations prior to requesting bulk verification. You need to have all 18 locations uploaded into your dashboard. You need to have all 18 locations listed out on your website too.

 

[ElizabethRule]

@keyserholiday is right, you need at least 10 verified listings in your account to apply for bulk verification. These listings should all have the address showing as well, not sure Google allows SABs to be bulk verified. You will also want to work on building the online presence because if Google cannot verify these 10 locations as legit they may deny you bulk verification.

 

[keyserholiday]

SABs don't qualify for bulk verification. Even if you are bulk verified, you can't instantly verify a SAB.

 

[paintingtheworld]

Ok that makes sense

SABs don't qualify for bulk verification. Even if you are bulk verified, you can't instantly verify a SAB.

ah damn okay I did see that, now I understand it.

I’m just gonna do them one by one anyways. Thanks for the help

 

[cleverlyengaged]

I have had several issues with Bulk Verification in the past few months. Followed all the guidelines and used an email that was managed by the client to request bulk, where the only locations were the client's. That seems to be important. If you access GMB with an email that is an owner of many other businesses, your request will be rejected.

Both responses from Google Support have been similar and vague:

Thank you for being patient. After a careful review, we've confirmed that some of the attributes for your Business Profiles aren't eligible for Bulk Verification.

For more info on our best practices, go to:

• Key best practices
• Get started with Search Console

Kindly review the content and implement all applicable steps. Once completed, you can apply for Bulk Verification again.

 

[localseomaria]

I have had several issues with Bulk Verification in the past few months. Followed all the guidelines and used an email that was managed by the client to request bulk, where the only locations were the client's. That seems to be important. If you access GMB with an email that is an owner of many other businesses, your request will be rejected.

Both responses from Google Support have been similar and vague:

Thank you for being patient. After a careful review, we've confirmed that some of the attributes for your Business Profiles aren't eligible for Bulk Verification.

For more info on our best practices, go to:

• Key best practices
• Get started with Search Console

Kindly review the content and implement all applicable steps. Once completed, you can apply for Bulk Verification again.

Hi, running into this issue right now. Did you ever find what attributes Google is referring to?

 

[cleverlyengaged]

The strange thing is, Google sent me that response and yet they also granted me Bulk Verification Status on the account. I've had some luck recently on getting bulk verification status approved on more accounts. My advice is to:
-Use an existing email account or create a new one that is clean and only has access to the locations you want to get verified. It can be a gmail account or on the client's domain. An email with ownership access to Search Console and GA4 helps as well.
- Make sure all the locations you are seeking to be bulk verified have the same primary and secondary categories.
- Further check if a few locations have service areas included or major differences in settings on the GBP
- All locations should link to the same website which would have a locations page or store finder tool that shows the name, address, phone, etc of the locations in your GBP Bulk Verified Account.
- Do not have locations that are suspended, marked duplicate, need verified, temporarily or permanently closed, etc You can manage these with a different Google Account or have them in a different GBP group.
- Note on locations that are not verified. If you do get bulk verification status, you can add locations that have no reviews and get instantly verified. For locations with a strong reputation/many reviews that are unverified, there is still value in working on video verification.

 

[localseomaria]

Hi,
Thank you so much for these pointers!! So the client used to be bulk verified but they Google revoked it because it wasn't a company branded email. We created the branded email and have manually verified around 10 new listings manually. I think Google might not be indexing their locations on the website.

Question, would verify them on Google search console help with bulk verification?

 

[cleverlyengaged]

Well if they only have 10 total locations, that can be a problem as well. Building trust on the email is helpful, admin level access on GA4, GTM, Search Console, all show ownership of the website and brand.

Another option is to request a new support rep or get it routed to a supervisor. I recently was facing pushback for not having enough locations that needed bulk verified. The rep kept saying you only have 6 that need verified. It was after I did a manual video verification on 8 others. Long story short, try speaking with a different rep as well.

 

[localseomaria]

I think i might give the Google search console a try! We have a total of 134 locations and all are verified. We did it manually under the new branded email. But thanks so much for the insight on this! Google is just making bulk verification so much harder then before.

 

[SabrinaB]

Weird question - Is the form for the Chain verification request still pulling up for you guys? I had a client try to start this process recently and when either of us click 'Chain' it takes us to the general support form, not the one that used to request business info (business name, contact name, Google account manager, etc.).

The client reached out to Google support but they seem to be going in circles as the support specialists don't seem to understand what we are trying to do. Just wondering if this is a one-off or if anyone else has experienced anything similar?

 

[localseomaria]

Weird question - Is the form for the Chain verification request still pulling up for you guys? I had a client try to start this process recently and when either of us click 'Chain' it takes us to the general support form, not the one that used to request business info (business name, contact name, Google account manager, etc.).

The client reached out to Google support but they seem to be going in circles as the support specialists don't seem to understand what we are trying to do. Just wondering if this is a one-off or if anyone else has experienced anything similar?

Hi Sabrina! Are you trying to bulk verify a business? I know that as of last week Google changed the way you apply.

 

[SabrinaB]

Hi Sabrina! Are you trying to bulk verify a business? I know that as of last week Google changed the way you apply.

Yes! What have you heard? I haven't seen a change in the documentation online as far as how to request bulk verification so I'm not sure what exactly has changed.