Google Business Profile Verification
Google Business Profile verification is the process by which Google confirms that a business really exists at the address given, before the listing can be fully managed and published. Google lists verification by phone or text message, by email, by live video call and by post. Which options are offered depends, according to Google, on business type, publicly available information, region and opening hours: the available methods are determined automatically by Google and cannot be changed. In some cases several confirmations are required.
In practice
Unverified or partly verified profiles are easier for unauthorised parties to take over or alter, so prompt verification is not only a matter of visibility but above all of keeping control over your own listing. Do not plan the process around a preferred method: because Google decides which procedures are available, you may be asked for a live video call instead of the expected postcard, which means someone has to be on site and available at the agreed time. If you do lose access, Google offers an official reinstatement process for the profile.