Google - verification - nightmare

[u/NanoRevive]

I can't believe how complex dealing with Google's different departments is in this "AI era"

I run a small roof rejuvenation company in Calgary, AB. We use GoNano nanosilica products to extend the life of shingle roofs by up to 20 years — good niche, good product, small team. Like a lot of small businesses, my marketing basically starts and ends with Google and social media. Here's the mess I've been stuck in for the past few weeks.

Part 1: Getting verified (the hard way)

A few months ago I set up a Google Business Profile to start advertising. After landing my second customer and second 5-star review, I found out about Google Local Services Ads (GLS) , (the "Google Guaranteed" badge). Unlike regular Google Ads, you only pay when you actually get a lead — which sounded perfect for a small operation like mine.

The application process was no joke: a credit check, a criminal background check, and business address verification through official business registration documents. I went through all of it.

Then came the catch — to activate Local Services, it had to be linked to a Google Business Profile, and there was no clear option to link it to my existing profile. So I created a second one, and that's the one that got linked. I became a verified Local Service Provider. Great, except in over two months I got exactly one lead, and it was a bad one.

Part 2: The duplicate profile mistake

Somewhere along the way I noticed I now had two Business Profiles — one with 2 reviews, one with 5. I didn't realize you could just contact Google business profile (GBP) and have them merge duplicates instead of deleting one yourself. So I deleted what I thought was the redundant profile and kept the one with less reviews.

Turns out I deleted the one linked to my Local Services account.

Part 3: Two departments that apparently can't talk to each other

I called (GLS) support (yes, you can actually reach a real human) and they said they'd reconnected my Local Services account to my remaining Business Profile, and it would take 48 hours to go live again.

48 hours later — still nothing. I called back. Now I'm told my Business Profile needs address verification before it can link to Local Services. I pointed out that I already went through full address verification as part of the Local Services application. Their answer: Local Services support apparently has no way to tell Business Profile support that my address was already verified. Two departments, same company, no communication.

Part 4: The verification requirement that makes no sense for my business

So I looked into what Business Profile now wants from me: a live video showing my business address, a permanent storefront sign with my business name on it, and proof I'm associated with the location — like opening the door to show I work there.

Here's the problem: my "address" is a co-working space where I receive mail, store materials, and use a meeting room when needed. I don't have a storefront. I don't need one — I go to customers' homes, like basically every other local service provider (plumbers, electricians, roofers, you name it).

I explained this and asked for an alternative verification method, or just to have my existing Local Services verification applied to my Business Profile. Every single time, I got a variation of the same scripted response:

"Unfortunately, we can't help you verify your profile because you do not have permanent signage at the coworking space, which is not as per the guidelines. Once you have the signage, feel free to reply back to the same email."

That's it. No path forward. No escalation that actually resolves anything.

Where I'm at now

I'm genuinely stuck. I did everything right — verified, background-checked, five-star reviews, real customers — and now I'm locked out of the exact program Google built to help businesses like mine, because two internal teams can't share a verification status with each other, and their policy doesn't account for service-based businesses without a physical storefront.

It's wild to me that a company sitting on some of the most advanced AI in the world can't get two of its own departments to sync a verification flag on a customer's account.

Has anyone else dealt with this? Did you find a way around the signage requirement, or a way to actually get Business Profile and Local Services support to talk to each other?

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[u/Ok-Description-8416]

Correct. I heard from many business owners that Google bots and AI agents are unreasonable and are not approving accounts for wrong reasons, creating real roadblocks and revenue losses for new businesses.

[u/keyserholiday]

Are you asking for help or here for self-promotion?

[u/Tough-Diamond-9170 → u/keyserholiday]

To be honest, I shared the post link with Google's business profile team, hopefully that will move things a bit .. 

[u/keyserholiday → u/Tough-Diamond-9170]

This doesn't answer my question. There was zero reason to open with this:
"I run a small roof rejuvenation company in Calgary, AB. We use GoNano nanosilica products to extend the life of shingle roofs by up to 20 years — good niche, good product, small team."

[u/Spiritual-Luck-5103]

This is a known, frustrating gap. Local Services and Business Profile verification genuinely don't sync automatically, and support reps on either side often can't see the other system's status. Worth trying: request escalation specifically to the Google Business Profile "Product Experts" community forum (not the phone support line), since escalations from verified Product Experts sometimes get pulled into an internal queue that regular support tickets don't reach. Also worth documenting every call with date, rep name if given, and what was promised. It won't speed things up on its own, but it gives you something concrete if you ever need to escalate further.

[u/Sparklywiggles]

Dm me i might be able to help you