What to do when you've verified your phone number for too many Google accounts?

[Tim Colling]

Over many years I have created many different Google accounts for clients, mostly for their use in creating or claiming GMB listings. Google requires that you provide a mobile phone number to which they can send a text message to confirm that you're providing a legitimate phone number. Now I've reached the point where Google won't let me use my phone number to confirm any more listings.

Is there a way to get a "reset" on that counter so that I can continue creating Google accounts for new clients? If not, what does everyone else do when they reach this point?

 

[Phil Rozek]

@Tim Colling, for a range of logistical reasons I never create Google accounts on behalf of clients, so I haven't run into that issue. Therefore, I don't know of a workaround that would allow you to keep using that number on additional accounts.

Just the same, I'd probably do one of three things (roughly in this order of preference):

1. Have all new clients create their own Google accounts, tied to their numbers.

2. Transfer GMB ownership to certain existing clients - now that their pages are up and running - so as to free up some spots on that number. I'm not certain that would work, because I don't know whether Google sets an all-time limit on how many times you can verify pages with the same number, or only limits you when you manage a certain number of listings that at one point you verified with that number. In other words, I don't know whether the maxed-out status is permanent, or you can reverse it by letting go of GMB pages. In any event, transferring full GMB control to clients usually is a good idea anyway, just because it can save you some hassle down the road.

3. If one number got you a lot of mileage (lots of Google accounts and GMB verifications) and seems to hold you for a while, I'd probably just get a 2nd number. I don't know that it needs to be mobile, so maybe you can just get a VOIP and use that for a few more years.

 

[Tim Colling]

@Tim Colling, for a range of logistical reasons I never create Google accounts on behalf of clients, so I haven't run into that issue. Therefore, I don't know of a workaround that would allow you to keep using that number on additional accounts.

Just the same, I'd probably do one of three things (roughly in this order of preference):

1. Have all new clients create their own Google accounts, tied to their numbers.

2. Transfer GMB ownership to certain existing clients - now that their pages are up and running - so as to free up some spots on that number. I'm not certain that would work, because I don't know whether Google sets an all-time limit on how many times you can verify pages with the same number, or only limits you when you manage a certain number of listings that at one point you verified with that number. In other words, I don't know whether the maxed-out status is permanent, or you can reverse it by letting go of GMB pages. In any event, transferring full GMB control to clients usually is a good idea anyway, just because it can save you some hassle down the road.

3. If one number got you a lot of mileage (lots of Google accounts and GMB verifications) and seems to hold you for a while, I'd probably just get a 2nd number. I don't know that it needs to be mobile, so maybe you can just get a VOIP and use that for a few more years.

Thanks, Phil. I appreciate your help!

 

[Hunter23]

I am also interested in this as well. Virtual numbers do not work, nor does removing those old accounts.

 

[MonicaH]

And getting clients to set up their own accounts can be a nightmare - you spend more time walking them through everything and then they still do it wrong! I'm in the same position as @Tim Colling. Curious to know of any other options here.

 

[Phil Rozek]

@MonicaH, the only other irons I see in the golf bag are (1) getting an additional mobile number, and (2) working with your client's sidekick (if he or she has one) on the account setup and page-verification. Option #1 is cumbersome, of course. Option #2 isn't applicable to all clients, of course, and sometimes the client's helper is even harder to lead to water than the client / main contact is.

As usual, there's no perfect solution. Only whichever trade-off you dislike least.

One thing I'd keep in mind: to the extent the GMB verification process is a nuisance for you, walking your clients through it may be a service to them. The reaction often is, "Thanks for walking me through that! Not gonna lie: what was apain, which is why I put off dealing with it before, but it wasn't that bad. I'm glad we finally got it done. It's nice to feel a bit more in control now." It's one of those little things that can weld you and your clients to each other, usually early on.

 

[pestmarketer]

Hi Tim. Agreed, it can be time consuming or not feasible for a client to set up their own gmail account or gmb because...well...clients.

You only need an alternate phone number for the initial google account set up. After that you can set your own agency email or personal email as the backup email and use your own phone for future verifications. So for the initial account set up, if your phone number has reached its quota, can you try asking coworkers, friends and family? Its just for the one time and then you are done with it. Good luck!

 

[Tim Colling]

...So for the initial account set up, if your phone number has reached its quota, can you try asking coworkers, friends and family? Its just for the one time and then you are done with it...

Yep, I know. It's just a bit awkward and you have to have those people help you by taking time to pass on the confirmation codes etc. It's a little bit like selling Cutco knives or Kirby vacuum cleaners when you're a young person: eventually you run out of family and friends who you can bother with it.

 

[LaurenHoward]

This brings back memories! I ran into this problem when I first started out at my agency because I was trying to create Google accounts for all new clients and got maxed out pretty quickly. Once my number was maxed out I was resorting to using family members' phone numbers to verify accounts (which was not practical). Eventually my own number because available to use again but it was months later, maybe close to a year, or maybe it was just that I tried again about a year later and it happened to already be reset. I stopped trying to create accounts for every client because it was just not practical to do long term.

I now use a Google account for my agency and ask the client what email they would like invited to own the listing. 95% of the time the client already has a Google account that I can grant access to. If I did have to create a Google account for the client and was maxed out, I would either ask them to do it and tell them it's so they can choose their own recovery information, OR I would create it for them and just ask them for the verification code, similar to if I had to phone verify their GMB listing with them (or similar to sending the codes to my family members, except it was actually for the person I was sending the code to!). They never have a problem with it, they understand it's for their benefit. And because I rarely create new accounts, I am never maxed out!