GBP Bulk-Upload-Edits Triggers Google To Un-verify Locations

[DanielTexasLira]

Hello,

I've encountered an issue in where I was making bulk edits to verified properties and some batches lead for several properties to being un-verified by Google. Here's what I consistently changed across all batches with the same account:

• Business Name
• Phone Number
• Website Link

I made the business name changes manually to one group since it involved only 5-10 locations, this didn't triggered anything. However, when I made changes to the categories listed above via GBP Bulk-upload method, that's when I started seeing the un-verification process start.

I even saw this happened to one business group when I moved a group of permanently closed locations to another folder. As I transferred the permanently closed to another folder, the remaining locations that were still opened and verified suddenly got un-verified.

It seems to be a new thing that GBP is doing in an effort 'to maintain quality business info'.

I did contact support and they reiterated the same statement from from above and that I would need to verify the property using the video method.

I wanted to see if anyone else has encountered this issue and if you ended up resolving this issue without re-verifying the locations the traditional way (video method). This is a really big inconvenience since I'm working with a large enterprise business. My best guess is that I would need to bulk verify these locations but I need to reserve some time to look at potential options before I move forward with this.

Any help/guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Best,

Daniel Lira

 

[ElizabethRule]

Been hearing and seeing a bunch of bulk verification issues lately related to profiles becoming unverified. I would reach out to support using the email you got this group bulk verified with and ask them to look into it again. Also, if you changed the business name make sure it matches what the business actually goes by in the real world, including on the website + signage photos. Maybe if you tell support you made this change BUT it matches everywhere and send some proof they can help. I would continue to ask support to help, "work with them" by re-explaining the issue and sending proof as the only other option is to reverify the listings via video.

In the future I would avoid making such big edits in bulk all at once. Name, phone number, and website are all considered "major edits" and if you made edits to all 3 at once via bulk edit that likely triggered something in the backend that could have caused Google to require the reverification. Every time you make a major edit wait a few days before making another.

 

[ElizabethRule]

@krystaltaing may have other insights into this, she's the BV master.

 

[bfrazier]

Been hearing and seeing a bunch of bulk verification issues lately related to profiles becoming unverified. I would reach out to support using the email you got this group bulk verified with and ask them to look into it again. Also, if you changed the business name make sure it matches what the business actually goes by in the real world, including on the website + signage photos. Maybe if you tell support you made this change BUT it matches everywhere and send some proof they can help. I would continue to ask support to help, "work with them" by re-explaining the issue and sending proof as the only other option is to reverify the listings via video.

In the future I would avoid making such big edits in bulk all at once. Name, phone number, and website are all considered "major edits" and if you made edits to all 3 at once via bulk edit that likely triggered something in the backend that could have caused Google to require the reverification. Every time you make a major edit wait a few days before making another.

We had a similar experience.

-multiple businesses (but not all) in the same group became unverified when we added categories in bulk (but kept the primary category the same)
-multiple businesses (but not all) in the same group became unverified when we changed the business name manually (only removing city name from real world business name to adhere to Google's Guidelines)

These businesses were all in in the healthcare space. We recently manually removed city name from another client's GBPs in the finance space, and nothing happened. They stayed verified with no issues.

 

[krystaltaing]

Hi Daniel,

Can you share a few examples of the changes? Name may be the trigger here

 

[klharris08]

Confirming you are not alone.

 

[bfrazier]

Ditto... you are not alone. We bulk updated secondary categories using Birdeye and saw mass unverifications.

Can I ask what verticle and category your business is in? Mine was healthcare verticle, with the GBP primary category being nursing home.

 

[klharris08]

It's all industries. Brick & mortar, service area, retail, everything. I don't see this occurring more in one area vs. another.