Antarctica
Published:
04-09-2026
At first glance, Google Business Profile is designed for conventional businesses, offices, stores, restaurants, and service providers. But what happens when the location is one of the most remote places on the planet?
This was exactly the kind of unusual challenge that was brought to the Mappers GEO team.
Our task was to help verify the Google Business Profile of Akademik Vernadsky Station.
And it turned out to be one of the most challenging Google Business Profile verification cases we have worked on.
We were contacted by a company from Germany that also specializes in promoting businesses on Google Maps. Their client was experiencing difficulties verifying the profile of Akademik Vernadsky Station in Antarctica.
The main challenge was that Google generally requires evidence that a business physically exists at the specified location when verifying a physical location.
Depending on the situation, important verification evidence may include:
However, in Antarctica, the standard verification process works very differently.
The station does not have a conventional street address, a local phone number, or the typical conditions of a commercial business that Google expects to see during a video verification.
One possible verification method for locations like this may involve using a Plus Code and displaying it on the building. However, physically implementing such a solution at a remote Antarctic location is significantly more difficult than doing so in a conventional city.
Therefore, we decided to proceed with the available verification process, understanding in advance that standard video verification would most likely fail.
During our initial analysis, we discovered that the profile had not been completed correctly.
In addition, the company’s website contained outdated and inaccurate information.
For Google, it is important that business information is consistent and reflects accurate data. Therefore, before proceeding with the verification, we updated the information on the website and corrected the profile data.
We then submitted a verification request.
As expected, the standard video verification process turned out to be problematic.
The reason is simple: algorithms and standard verification procedures do not always take the specifics of highly unusual locations into account.
For example, during verification, Google may ask questions that are perfectly reasonable for a conventional business:
For an Antarctic research station, however, these questions do not always have conventional answers.
This is where expertise matters — not simply attempting verification, but understanding how Google Business Profile works and knowing how to communicate effectively with Google Support.
The Mappers GEO team includes three Google Business Profile experts, giving us extensive experience handling complex cases and access to advanced support escalation processes.
After the initial unsuccessful support request, we submitted another request and escalated the issue. As a result, Google arranged an online video call.
Following the video call, the profile was successfully verified.
But the story did not end there.
After the successful verification, we discovered a critical detail.
There were two profiles in Google associated with this activity.
One was a profile for a business operating within a service area — a Service Area Business.
The second was the physical profile of the station itself, with a specific location on Google Maps, photographs, signage, and more than 200 reviews.
Initially, we verified the new profile, which was actually associated with the service area.
However, the main physical profile of the station remained unverified.
This was our mistake: during the initial stage, we had not checked for duplicate profiles and did not identify that there were actually two different Google Business Profiles.
It was an important lesson for us: before starting a verification process, it is essential to check not only the data of the specific profile but also all related and potentially duplicate profiles.
Once we identified the physical station profile, we started the process again.
We once again:
This time, the result was positive.
The physical profile of Akademik Vernadsky Station was successfully verified as well.
After both profiles had been verified, another question arose: what should be done with them next?
At this stage, it is important not to rush into merging the profiles.
First, it is necessary to determine which profile should be the primary one, whether it accurately reflects the actual business model, and which information should remain in the profile.
In particular, one of the profiles contained an employee’s phone number, which is not the optimal contact number for representing the organization.
Therefore, the next step should be a consultation on the correct profile structure, contact information, and ongoing Google Business Profile management.
It is also important to train the organization’s representatives on how to manage the profile correctly, so that critical information is not accidentally changed or new verification problems are created in the future.
As a result of Mappers GEO’s work, we successfully verified the physical Google Business Profile of Akademik Vernadsky Station.
The uniqueness of this case was that the profile had to be verified under conditions that were far removed from the standard verification scenario:
This is one of those cases where a standard algorithm does not guarantee a result, and success depends on proper analysis, accurate preparation of the business data, and effective communication with Google Support.
If a business profile cannot be verified on the first attempt, this does not necessarily mean that it cannot be verified at all.
However, before making repeated attempts, it is important to:
Check the data.
Information on the website, in the profile, and across other relevant sources should be accurate and consistent.
Check for duplicates.
Multiple profiles for the same organization may exist on Google Maps, so it is important to understand which profile should be the primary one.
Consider the business model.
A physical location and a Service Area Business are different scenarios and should not be confused.
Do not repeat the same attempts endlessly.
If the standard verification process does not work, analyze the reason for the rejection and change the approach.
Communicate effectively with Google Support.
In complex cases, it is not enough to simply submit another request. The issue should be presented with the specifics of the particular business and location in mind.
This case was a particularly important one for our team.
We helped verify a Google Business Profile for a location in Antarctica — in circumstances where standard verification methods were practically unsuitable.
Cases like this demonstrate the value of expert Google Business Profile management.
If your profile cannot be verified, has been suspended, contains duplicates, has an incorrect category, has address-related issues, or you are facing another unusual situation, there is no point in endlessly repeating the same verification process.
Contact Mappers GEO.
We can analyze your situation, identify the cause of the problem, and develop a strategy for working with your Google Business Profile — even when your case appears unusual or exceptionally difficult.
