Google begins verification badges for advertisers

Just when we thought blue checkmarks weren’t trustworthy, Google flips that assumption on its head… kind of. 

Earlier this month, Google began testing out verification badges for Google Ads. So next time you see a sponsored link on your Google search, check to see if you see a checkmark next to it, too. As of now, there appear to be two different versions. One is a blue shield with a white checkmark—rather eerily similar to the Twitter verification sign. The other is a gold shield with a checkmark inside.

Google has yet to comment on either badge, so we can assume that both are in the texting phase. It’s also unclear if there’s meant to be a difference between the gold and the blue versions of the badge. 

However, we do know what the badges do. According to Search Engine Land, if you click on a badge, you’ll be transported to My Ad Center. There, you can see the advertiser’s name and location.

Getting this blue (or gold) badge could be a big deal for businesses. After all, Google is by far and away the world’s largest search engine—and having a clear signal that Google trusts your company could mean more clicks and more revenue for many corporations. 

But how do you get verified badge status? Given Google’s lack of comment on the matter, nobody knows yet. However, they did also release the following statement this month.

“A subset of advertisers may qualify to voluntarily submit their identity verification to access the Business Information feature which allows advertisers to use a business name and business logo in their search ads. Advertisers who are qualified for this program, will see an option in their Google Ads account to complete advertiser verification to unlock this feature.”

Screenshots from around the Internet of the verified advertisers also show the business’ logo. So if you qualify for voluntary verification, that might be your next move.