Google Just Made Business Address Verification Harder. Here's What That Means If You Use (or Need) a Virtual Address
By Eric Stone, Strategic Growth Advisor at Eastern Innovation
Quick answer: Google increasingly requires a live, unedited 30 second video filmed at your business address (showing signage, street identifiers and proof you operate there) to verify a Google Business Profile, on top of or instead of postcard verification. Virtual addresses without visible signage, staff on site or genuine mail handling are at higher risk of rejection.
If you've registered a business address with Google in the last little while, you may already have noticed the process feels tighter than it used to be. It's not a glitch. Google has been steadily raising the bar on how it verifies where a business actually operates from, and for anyone using a virtual or shared office address, it's worth understanding exactly what's changed before you get caught out.
What's Actually Changed
Postcard verification, the old standby where Google mails a code to your address, still exists, but Google has been leaning harder on a newer method: video verification. Instead of just proving you can receive mail at an address, Google now increasingly asks businesses to submit a short, unedited video (at least 30 seconds, recorded live on a mobile device, no pre-recorded footage allowed) filmed at the premises. Depending on your business type, that video needs to show things like:
Street signs, the building number or nearby landmarks that prove you're actually at the address.
Signage with your business name clearly displayed on a permanent fixture.
Something that proves you operate there, such as opening up a workspace, using business equipment, or showing a permit, invoice or utility bill tied to that address.
Google reviews submissions within about five business days and will reject anything that looks staged, edited or generic.
Why This Hits Virtual Address Users Specifically
This is where things get tricky if your registered address is a virtual office. Google's own guidance is blunt about it: if you don't actually serve customers or operate from the address on your profile, you shouldn't be listing it. That's a direct challenge to the old approach of grabbing any virtual address, popping it into your Google Business Profile, and moving on.
It doesn't mean virtual addresses are banned. It means the bar for proving legitimacy has moved from "can you receive a postcard here" to "can you show Google a real, signed, identifiable business presence at this address." A generic mailbox with no signage and no one on site to film a verification video is going to struggle. A legitimate business centre with visible signage, a real reception presence, and staff who can help you get the video right is a different story.
How to Stay on the Right Side of It
A few things make this much easier:
Choose a provider that looks and functions like a real business address
Not just a mail drop. Clear signage with your business name, a staffed front desk, and an environment Google's reviewers will recognise as a genuine commercial premises all matter more now than they did twelve months ago.
Make sure mail handling is actually included
Some cheaper virtual address plans only offer the address for registration, with no one actually receiving or forwarding mail. If postcard verification is still part of your path, that gap will trip you up.
Get help filming the video verification
Because it has to be live and unedited, you generally need to actually be on site, or have someone on site who can film it properly, showing the right signage and proof of presence, in the way Google expects for your business type.
Why This Is Worth Sorting Out Now, Not Later
A rejected or suspended Google Business Profile doesn't just cost you time. It can mean disappearing from Google Maps and local search results while you resubmit, which for most small businesses translates directly into lost enquiries. Getting your address verification right the first time, with a provider set up to support it, is far cheaper than fixing it after the fact.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still use a virtual address for my Google Business Profile?
Yes, but Google now expects to see genuine signage, mail handling, and (if requested) a live video showing real business presence at that address, not just a mailbox.
What exactly does Google's video verification require?
A live, unedited video at least 30 seconds long, recorded on a mobile device, showing proof of location (street signs, building number, signage) and proof you operate there.
Is postcard verification still available?
In some cases, yes, but Google is increasingly defaulting businesses to video verification instead, especially those flagged as higher risk, which can include virtual addresses.
What happens if my verification gets rejected?
Your Business Profile can be suspended or hidden from Google Maps and local search until you resubmit and pass verification, which typically costs you visibility and enquiries in the meantime.
A Virtual Address That's Built to Pass
Eastern Innovation's Virtual Office Address is based at a real, staffed business centre in Mulgrave, with the signage, on-site presence and mail handling that make Google's tightened verification process straightforward rather than stressful. If you're not sure whether your current address setup would survive a video verification request, or you're looking for a virtual address that won't cause problems down the track, get in touch with our team to talk through your options.
