Setting up your Google Business Profile is free, done right from Google Search, and takes about ten minutes. What takes longer is verification, which today is done by video for most new profiles in Brazil and takes 3 to 14 days.
Before you start, gather five things
A rejected profile is almost always one set up with incomplete information. Have these ready before you open the form.
- Your business name exactly as it appears on your storefront, your contract, and your invoices
- Your address with number and unit, exactly as the mail carrier would deliver it
- A phone number someone answers during business hours
- The URL of the page that makes sense for someone arriving from Maps
- A Google account for the business. Don’t use a partner’s or employee’s personal account, because the day that person leaves, the profile leaves with them
The 6 steps to set it up
- Open the form. Search for “create a Google Business Profile” while logged into the right account.
- Enter the name. No city, no service, no keyword. “Ciclicko Digital”, not “Ciclicko Digital | Google Ads Agency in João Pessoa”.
- Choose the main category. The most specific one that describes what you do. You can change it later, but each change resets part of Google’s evaluation.
- Set your service type. You serve customers at your location, you go to them, or both. If you go to customers, you hide your address and set a service area.
- Fill in your phone number and website. A local landline carries more weight than a cell number during verification.
- Request verification. Google picks the method. You don’t get to choose.
Video verification, where things get stuck
Since 2024, the standard method in Brazil has been recording one continuous video on your phone, inside Google’s own verification screen. No cuts, no editing, no uploading a file from your gallery.
The video needs to prove three things in a single recording: that the address exists, that the business operates there, and that you have access to the inside and its equipment.
- Start out on the street, showing the sign with the house number and street name
- Move in closer to the storefront and the business sign
- Walk in without stopping the recording
- Show the interior with real activity, during business hours
- Show some proof of operation: equipment, inventory, counter, appointment book, letterhead
- End by showing something administrative, like the register computer
The 5 mistakes that get Google to reject you
Rejection doesn’t come with an explanation. It comes with “we couldn’t verify this business.” These are the most common reasons.
- Keyword stuffing in the name. This is the top offender. Google compares the registered name against the storefront in the video and against public records.
- Residential address with in-person service. If you don’t see clients at home, set it as a service area business and hide the address.
- Virtual office or coworking space listed as the service address. Google knows coworking addresses and flags them.
- Video showing the business closed. Roll-down door shut, lights off, nobody around. Re-record during business hours.
- Category that doesn’t match what the video shows. A “Restaurant” profile with a video of an office is an instant rejection.
I set up my profile and I’m not showing up. Is that normal?
Yes. A verified profile gets you into the index, not to the top. The business ranking first in your search probably has dozens of reviews and years of history, and setting up a profile doesn’t buy you that.
What speeds things up in the first few weeks is easy to list and tedious to do: ten photos taken on site, services written out one by one, one post a week, and your first reviews coming from real customers. Our step-by-step optimization guide covers each one in detail.
If you’d rather see the diagnosis before deciding where to start, our free profile audit compares you with 3 competitors on Maps and points out what to fix first. It’s free.
Frequently asked questions
How long does verification take? 3 to 14 days after you submit the video. Postcard verification, when it’s offered as an option, takes up to 21 days.
Can I set up a profile without a fixed address? Yes, as a service area business.
Can I use a virtual office address? Technically you can register one, but this is the most common reason verification fails, and later on it’s the most common reason profiles get taken down after a competitor’s complaint.
How many times can I try to verify? There’s no fixed limit, but repeating the same attempt usually gets you the same rejection. Fix what was flagged before you resubmit.
Is setting up a profile the same as optimizing it? No. Setting up the profile gets you on the map. Optimization is what changes your ranking.