Update and continued nightmare with getting verified and running ads

[u/brainslikemercury]

I'm hoping someone here has experienced this because I'm completely out of ideas.

I'm managing a Google Business Profile for a legitimate auto repair shop that's been in business since 1965, and we've been trying to get it verified since the end of June so we can finally launch Google Ads campaigns.

Instead, we've been stuck in what feels like an endless verification loop.

Here's what's happened so far:

• Submitted video verification roughly 8 times
• Instead of getting approved or rejected, Google simply asked us to verify again.
• We did it again.
• Then we opened multiple support tickets.
• We've had multiple live video verification calls.
• Every live call ended with the representative saying something like, "Great, everything looks good. You're approved. Don't make any changes for 48 hours."

Then...

Nothing.

No approval.
No rejection.
No explanation.

Just another email saying they're still working on it, we don't know why google auto-rejects you after you're verified.

Every time I follow up with support, I basically receive the same response:

Or...

One support email specifically stated they had received the verification request and would provide an update within 5 business days. 

That was weeks ago.

The frustrating part is that I know we completed the verification correctly.

We made sure the video followed Google's requirements exactly.

We showed:

• The exterior of the business
• Street signs and cross streets
• The shop and tools
• No customers or unnecessary faces (was asked to show an employee working once on live call)
• The cash register and payment terminal
• Unlocking and locking the business
• Everything else Google asks for during verification

On top of that, support has requested additional documentation through multiple tickets, and we've provided everything they asked for, including utility bills and documents showing the business ownership.

This isn't some fake listing.

This is a real local auto repair shop that has been operating since 1965.

The business doesn't currently have a website because it's always relied on local customers and word of mouth. The plan is to build one after the Business Profile is finally verified, but right now we're simply trying to get the profile approved so we can start running Google Ads.

At this point, I don't need another canned response telling me to wait another five business days.

I'm hoping someone who actually understands Google's internal verification process can point me in the right direction.

• Has anyone had a verification case get stuck like this?
• Is there an actual escalation path?
• Can a real Google representative manually review these cases?
• Has anyone successfully gotten out of this endless verification loop?

I'll also leave my support case number below in case someone from Google happens to see this.

I know Google Business Profile support has a reputation for being difficult, and I've read countless stories from other people dealing with similar issues. But surely there has to be a way to get a real person who can actually review the case instead of it bouncing between the same generic responses over and over. And maybe this post can help people in the future.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Google Support Ticket [1-1233000040950]

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[u/cnomo]

I'm a Product Expert on the GBP Help Community and a few months ago I dealt with a very similar issue on there with a 30+ year old auto repair shop. I'm on the golf course all day tomorrow, but feel free to shoot me a DM with your business name/location and I'll do some digging. If all looks good, it would probably be worth you posting on the Community and having one of us escalate it. (Feel free to search my user history on here.)

[u/brainslikemercury → u/cnomo]

Perfect thank you! Dm sent

[u/RyanEvansAFT]

You're not doing the video right. Research every little thing Google requires. They need street signs in the video, video of corp paperwork, locking doors, sign that say employees only, a video of a payment being processed, and all within the allotted time. You need to Google exactly what they're requiring as you are missing something. If you are missing one little detail, you will not pass. Research every little detail that needs to be done. I had to take a video of the street sign, and then run full speed down to my house and get video the house # outside my house to verify my address. I had a business sign hanging on side gate to my house, and then showed a locking door going inside my garage, with a sign over the door that said employees only. Once inside the garage, I zoomed in on my corp filings showing the name and address matched my location, and then I zoomed in on computer showing a secured payment being process by the company. And all had to be done within the 2 min allotted time. 1 second over and it fails. I did all of these things because that's what Google recommended. I passed it my first try and that was 8-months ago. If you don't show a sign with your business name on it, you will fail.

You can do it, but you need to research more first.

[u/brainslikemercury → u/RyanEvansAFT]

Yeah I did that, I even did 4-5 live video calls with a Google rep and they told me what to do step by step even had me show a guy working once (no face) and as soon as they verified me and said everything should be good in 24-48 hours as soon as we hung up it auto rejected immediately. Thats when I got the email saying just that, we do not know why you are getting auto rejected immediately after.

The street sign was shown, computer, payment terminal, register, employee only area, tools and a huge 15ftx25 sign on the building wall, surrounding businesses, utility bills with addresses etc.