Google Business Profiles may soon offer businesses a new way to verify their listings: submitting a photo of the business location.
The new option, “Submit a business photo,” has reportedly started appearing for some businesses during the verification process. If widely rolled out, it would become another alternative to Google’s existing verification methods.
Google currently offers several verification methods, depending on the business and account. These include:
The newly spotted photo option could add a simpler way for some businesses to prove that their location is legitimate.
The option was spotted by local SEO expert Ben Fisher, who shared the update on LinkedIn. He described the change as potentially significant for Google Business Profile verification.
Google has not yet added the new option to its official Business Profile verification documentation.
However, an update shared by Fisher indicates that businesses using the photo method need to show the business name printed on a permanent fixture, such as a storefront signboard.
The entire storefront must also be visible in a single photo.
This suggests Google may use the image to confirm both the business identity and its physical location.
Google's existing live video verification asks businesses to show several types of evidence.
This can include the current location, business signage, products or equipment, and areas or items that show the person has access to the business.
The new photo option appears to require less evidence, although the exact process and eligibility criteria are still unclear.
For now, the “Submit a business photo” option does not appear in Google's official verification documentation.
That means it could still be an experiment or a limited rollout rather than a feature available to every business.
Google has not publicly confirmed whether the photo verification option will be rolled out more broadly.
If Google makes photo verification widely available, businesses may have another potentially faster way to verify their Business Profiles without waiting for a postcard or arranging a live video verification.
For now, businesses should treat the option as a limited test until Google officially updates its documentation.
