2025 My Merchant Verification Tutorial (Merchant Profile), the most detailed on the entire network, pass 90% in one go!

95% of us use Google Maps; it's become an essential app in our lives. When we search for products or services on Google Maps, businesses appear at the top of the map, displaying their detailed information and reviews. That's the magic of Google My Business (now renamed Business Profiles)! How do you apply for and manage this feature to maximize its benefits? Here are three things you need to do!

 

What is Google My Business? (Now called Business Profiles)

Google My Business is a free marketing tool for brick-and-mortar businesses, helping them increase their visibility on Google Search and Maps. Setting up a comprehensive business profile allows customers to quickly find your business hours, address, and contact information, and even navigate directly to your store. It's a practical and simple tool!

Advantages:

• Increase digital exposure: Your business is easier to find.
• Improve customer experience: Provide real-time and accurate business information.
• Free to use: Create a digital image at zero cost.

 

How to apply for Google My Business? Complete step-by-step tutorial

Follow the steps below to quickly complete your Google Merchant application and setup:

• Step 1: Enter Google My Business admin
  Step 2: Fill in the business name and main business category
• Step 3: Choose whether to make your business address public

If you provide home delivery service, you can choose to hide the address.

• Step 4: Enter business address and contact information
  Ensure information is correct and facilitate direct contact from customers.
• Step 5: Add business hours and services
  Provide detailed business information to attract target customers.
• Step 6: Select verification method
  Postcard verification: The official will send a verification code to your address.
  Instant Verification: Select merchants can provide instant verification via phone or email.
• Step 7: Add business description and photos
  Make your profile more engaging by adding business photos, descriptions, and other supplementary information.
• Complete the application: How can I confirm that my merchant profile application is successful?

 

What are the ways to verify a Google Merchant?

After completing your business profile, verification is a necessary step. Here are a few common ways to do it:

Verification method	Applicable Scenarios	advantage	shortcoming
Postcard Verification	Physical address merchant	Simple and direct	Longer verification times (up to 14 days)
Instant Verification	Phone or email verification for applicable merchants	Instant completion	Only available at some merchants
Video Verification	Special situational needs	Flexible authentication method	Environmental videos must be recorded according to specifications

 

Note: Please do not modify the merchant information during the verification period to avoid affecting the application progress.

3 major reasons why Google merchant verification failed!

1. Do not modify information during verification: Modifying information may cause verification to fail.
2. Enter the verification code correctly: Make sure you enter it correctly.
3. The address must be real and valid: a fake address will result in unsuccessful verification

 

How do I get my business on Google Maps?

1. Keep your information complete: Make sure the business name, address, phone number and other information are correct.
2. Update photos and comments regularly: attract more customers to click and interact.
3. Increase the number of positive reviews: encourage customers to share their experiences and improve map rankings

 

Google My Business Management and Optimization Tips

• Complete business profile to improve local search rankings
• Add accurate business information and description
• Upload high-quality pictures to attract consumers
• How to deal with negative reviews? Maintain your brand image
• Understand the causes of negative reviews
• Best way to reply to comments
• Submit a review removal request to Google

How to address negative reviews?

Understand the reasons for comments: Analyze the customer’s dissatisfaction.

Respond to reviews proactively: Improve your image by replying to customers with sincerity.

Submit a removal request to Google: You can apply for removal of illegal or malicious comments.

 

3 key factors that affect Google Maps display

1. Information completeness and accuracy: Fill in the merchant information in detail and update it regularly.

2. Customer interaction and word-of-mouth management: encourage reviews and increase merchant activity and reviews.

3. SEO and Technical Optimization: Ensure keyword strategy and technical setup are in place for your website and business profile.

• Completeness of merchant information
  A complete business profile helps Google match search queries more accurately and improve your display ranking.
  • Fill in the detailed information: including business name, address, phone number (NAP information), and business hours.
  • Add photos and descriptions: Provide high-quality photos of your business and write an engaging description of your business.
  • Choose the right category: Make sure your business category matches your services accurately.

• User distance
  Google Maps prioritizes nearby businesses based on the user's geographic location.
  • Correctly set the address: Make sure the business address is accurate to facilitate customer navigation.
  • Optimize service area: If you provide delivery or door-to-door service, you can set the service area to expand your visibility within the search range.
• Relevance of the business to the search term
  The matching degree between the search term and the business profile directly affects the display ranking on the map.
  • Use precise keywords: Include target keywords in your business description, product, or service name, such as "vegetarian restaurant" or "24-hour convenience store."
  • Stay updated: Regularly update business information and new services to improve search relevance.
• Customer Reviews and Ratings
  High ratings and positive reviews not only increase trust, but also significantly influence Google's ranking algorithm.
  • Encourage customer reviews: Invite satisfied customers to write reviews by offering discounts or incentives.
  • Respond to reviews promptly: Whether positive or negative, responding politely and professionally can improve your image.
  • Dealing with negative reviews: If you encounter malicious reviews, you can request removal from Google.
• Engagement of merchant activities
  Google prefers active businesses, and regular interaction can improve rankings.
  • Post regularly: Add promotions, product updates, and more to increase customer engagement.
  • Answer customer questions: Respond promptly to customer inquiries in your business profile.
  • Update photos: Regularly upload the latest store or product photos.
• Website links and SEO optimization
  A business's website links and SEO strategies will affect Google's overall evaluation of the business.
  • Add a website link: Add an official website to your business profile.
  • SEO optimization: Ensure your website content is consistent with the information in your business profile and use an appropriate keyword strategy.
  • Maintain speed and security: Improve website loading speed and enable HTTPS protection.
• Merchant activity history
  A merchant's long-term activity record on Google is an important indicator of trust.
  • Avoid frequent changes to addresses or names: Stable business information is more favored by Google.
  • Build a good reputation: Establish a good business record through stable service and replying to reviews.
• External citations and backlinks
  Mentions of your business on other websites can add credibility and improve rankings.
  • Obtain high-quality backlinks: such as local media coverage and links from partner websites.
  • Improve local SEO: Add your business listing to local directories (e.g. Yelp, Yellow Pages).
• Technical settings
  Technical issues may cause merchants to not be displayed properly or be ignored by the ranking algorithm.
  • Complete business verification: Make sure your business has completed the Google verification process.
  • Avoid violations: Adding merchants repeatedly or providing false information may result in suspension.
  • Check map location: Make sure the address and map marker location are correct.

 

Google My Business Profile FAQ

1. What should I do if I cannot verify my Google Merchant account?
   A: Confirm that the verification has been completed and check whether the business address setting is public.
2. How do I delete my Google Business profile?
   A: Log in to Google Merchant Backend
   Select the merchant you want to modify and click Edit.
   Select the merchant you want to delete
   A: The business information is incomplete, the verification process has not been completed, it violates Google policies, or there are issues with the business location or service area.
3. Can't see my business on Google Maps?
   A: The merchant has not passed verification, the merchant profile has been suspended, the user search scope is insufficient, and there is a lack of comments and interaction.

 

Recommended Google My Business tools and resources

Essential tools: My business QR code creation and data tracking tools

Recommended Resources:refer to Google Official Guide, learn more management skills.

in conclusion

• Google My Business is the ultimate tool for digital exposure, helping small businesses expand their reach at zero cost.
• Verification and management are key: correct setup and active management can improve user trust and search rankings.
• Resolve negative reviews and optimize profiles: Through review management and content updates, make your business profile a powerful tool to attract customers.

–

If you don’t have a website and need to quickly build a brand image website, you can contact a professional website design company, such as our professional team, who can easily help you build an image website!

Our service is suitable for those who need to quickly build an online presence, rather than those who want to follow a routine and grow steadily under the guidance of professionals.
By launching brand operations, we can quickly increase our influence and realize monetization capabilities in a short period of time.

👉 Contact us now to learn more website design and optimization tips! 🚀

Subscribe to our blog below and we'll send you the latest information on website development every week! Thank you for reading!