Full Transcript
Lauren: Okay, so you're Googling plumbers in your area, and some of them have this little checkmark badge next to their name. Your competitor has it, you don't. What is it, how do you get one, and is it even worth the effort?
Honor: Welcome to the 805 Web Minute with Lauren and Honor. We make website stuff make sense. Let's get into it.
Honor: Short answer, yes it's worth looking into for the right kind of business. But the program changed recently, and most of what you'll find online is out of date. So let me walk you through what's actually going on.
Lauren: Wait, it changed? I thought it was called Google Guaranteed.
Honor: That's what most people still call it. But Google actually retired the Google Guaranteed badge in October 2025 and replaced it with a new one called Google Verified. The old badge was green and came with a money-back guarantee for customers. If a customer had a bad experience, Google would refund them up to 2000 dollars. The new badge is blue, and that refund is gone.
Lauren: So the customer protection part got killed?
Honor: Right. But what didn't change is the screening process. You still have to pass background checks, verify your license, and prove you have insurance. All the same requirements. Google just dropped the refund and simplified the branding.
Lauren: Okay, and what does the badge actually do for your business?
Honor: It shows up on your Local Services Ad, which is that listing at the very top of Google when someone searches for a service near them. Above the map, above the regular ads, above everything. And the badge tells the person searching, hey Google checked these people out. Verified their license, ran a background check, confirmed their insurance. For someone who's never heard of you, that badge does a lot of heavy lifting.
Lauren: Does it show up anywhere else? Like on my website or Google Business Profile?
Honor: No, just on the Local Services Ad. The badge is tied specifically to that program. If you stop running those ads, the badge goes away.
Lauren: Okay, who can actually get it? I'm guessing not every business.
Honor: Not every business. Google limits it to about 70 specific categories. Home services is the biggest one. Plumbers, electricians, HVAC, roofers, house cleaners, landscapers, painters, pest control, locksmiths, movers. Also lawyers, dentists, vets, personal trainers, mechanics, tutors, preschools. If you run retail, a restaurant, or a marketing agency, including us, you can't get it.
Lauren: Us too, huh?
Honor: Web designers don't qualify, yeah. But Google has an eligibility checker on their Local Services Ads page. Type in your zip code and business type and it'll tell you right away.
Lauren: Let's say I qualify. What do I actually need to get approved?
Honor: Six things. One, you pass a background check on the business owner, and for some industries on every employee who enters a customer's home. It's not a credit check, it's free, and most people pass without issues. Two, general liability insurance, active for at least 14 more days when you submit it. Three, your state business license. Four, business registration, usually a DUNS number or your EIN works. Five, a verified Google Business Profile linked to your Local Services Ads account. Six, at least 5 Google reviews.
Lauren: The background check part is probably what makes people nervous.
Honor: Yeah, but it's really straightforward. It covers criminal history and the sex offender registry. Not your credit. And again, free.
Lauren: Okay, so how do you actually apply?
Honor: Set up or claim your Google Business Profile first. Then go to ads.google.com slash local-services-ads, click Get Started, enter your zip code and business type, fill in your services and hours, and upload your documents through the verification dashboard. Then you wait. The screening process usually takes a few weeks. Once you're approved, the badge shows up on your ad automatically.
Lauren: What if something goes wrong in the process?
Honor: A few things trip people up. If you fail the background check, you have to wait 30 days before you can reapply. Fail the second time and it jumps to 180 days. So double-check all your info before you submit. Also, Google can pause your ads before your insurance actually expires, to protect customers. Renew your policy at least a month early. Same with your license. Let it lapse and the badge disappears until you fix it.
Lauren: That's the quick tip for today.
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Honor: There is zero setup fee, no contract, and it is strictly month-to-month, so there is zero risk. We're local here in AG, and we can get your site online in days, not months.
Lauren: Want to see what your site could look like? Go to YouGrow.pro right now, and we'll design three custom mockups for your business, completely free, no strings attached.
Lauren: Thanks for listening, and keep growing.