Setting up your church’s Google Business Profile is often one of the first steps pastors take when delving into digital communications. While the process of getting verified by Google is simple in theory, it doesn’t always go so smoothly. 

Is Google asking for more information about your church? Getting stymied by that “verification failed” message? Are you on the verge of giving up on getting verified? 

This is the blog post for you. We’re going to walk you through what to do when verifying your church’s GBP listing, step-by-step. 

Getting Started: What Is GBP, and Why Does It Matter?

Not sure if you have a GBP for your church? Here’s an easy way to find out. 

Search your church’s name in Google and see what comes up.

It should look something like this. That info card on the right-hand side with your church’s name, address, phone number, photos, and website link is what’s known as a Google Business Profile. (Yes, even when it’s for a church or nonprofit.) 

Your GBP is a tool provided by Google to help people looking for your church find everything they need in one place. 

A verified, up-to-date GBP helps your church make a good first impression with potential visitors and makes it easy for new guests to find critical information like your address, website, and hours of operation. 

Your church’s online presence is critical to your ministry’s visibility in today’s world. 4 out of 5 churchgoers will look to find you on the web before they enter your doors, and we expect that number to only keep growing. 

You wouldn’t open your church without any signage pointing people to your building. Think of your church’s GBP as a digital sign pointing to your website, your digital front door.

Why Google Isn’t Verifying Your Church’s GBP

The main issue we have seen churches—especially church plants and small churches—run into with their GBPs is their location. 

Maybe you rent your space. Maybe you have no permanent address and meet once or twice a week in a school gymnasium or music venue. Maybe you’ve moved locations. 

We’ve seen it all—church in a bowling alley, a bar (yes, really!), a dance studio, even a church that borrowed another church’s building in the evenings. 

Google wants to make sure that they are only directing their users to trustworthy entities, especially when it comes to providing real-world addresses. (Imagine the liability if they didn’t verify each map listing!) That means any discrepancy between the address listed in your GBP and existing data about that address could send up red flags. 

If your church meets in a multipurpose space, you can expect some extra work verifying your address. Be prepared to take lots of video of your building, and keep some bills or a lease agreement handy in case you need extra proof. 

Step-by-Step Instructions for Setting Up Your Church’s GBP

Pro Tip: Try to wait for regular business hours on weekdays so that you can contact Google’s support team for help if needed. 

1. Submit your basic profile information: church name, location, hours, logo, contact information, photos etc. Make sure all of this information is consistent with any official documentation you may have. 
2. You may be asked to submit a verification video. This video should be continuous, unedited, and at least 30 seconds long, showcasing your church building and its surroundings. 
3. If Google denies your initial verification video, try including some or all of the following in your next attempt: 
   • Film street signs that are visible from your church property. This helps Google verify your location against their streetview footage. 
   • Film yourself using a key or fob to unlock and enter your church building. 
   • Include any signage on or around your building featuring your church branding. This can be as simple as a sandwich board sign. 
   • While doing a walking tour of your church, film any business cards or flyers you pass that confirm your church meets in that space. 

4. If you run into issues with your verification video, you have the option to do a live verification. However, this is only available during weekday business hours, so if you only have your space on Sundays, you cannot use this option. 

Many of the features that Google wants to see to verify your GBP are not explicitly stated. Be patient, and get in touch with their support team for clarification. 

Don’t Give Up on Getting Your Church Google Verified

We know how frustrating it can be when the technology meant to help you seems to be working against you. 

But it’s important that you persevere and get your GBP verified. When people can’t find your church, they won’t walk through your doors. 

As one of our clients recently said, “Having something that makes you discoverable on Google is a world of difference.”  

If you’re still stuck on getting Google verified, let us know! We at GraceLed would love to help you through this process, so that you can reach your community with the good news of Jesus Christ, online and in-person. 

More Resources

• The GraceLed webinar on Google Business Profile for Churches
• “Getting Your Church Google Verified and More Visible in Your Community” GraceLed podcast episode
• Google Business Profile Help Center

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