What's Changing & When
-
As of October 20, 2025, Google will replace multiple trust badges (Google Guaranteed, Google Screened, License Verified, etc.) with a single unified "Google Verified" badge. Google Help
-
The old "Money-Back Guarantee" tied to the old badge is being discontinued. Google Help
-
For businesses already verified under LSA, the transition is automatic. No re-verification is required — but reviewing and updating your public materials is strongly recommended. Adam Grubb Media
What Stays the Same (And What Still Matters)
-
Your LSA placements and ad visibility remain untouched: the badge change itself does not affect ad ranking or ad serving. manticoremarketing.com
-
Verification requirements remain intact — license, background (where applicable), insurance documentation, and business info verification are still needed under "Google Verified" to maintain credibility. Adam Grubb Media
-
Google Verified continues to serve as a trust signal: for homeowners searching for contractors, a verified badge still matters. Google Blog
What This Means for You
Because the badge is changing (and the guarantee backing it is gone), your business's credibility now relies more than ever on your own reputation, reviews, and transparency. Here's how to stay ahead:
-
Update your marketing copy and claims — stop using "Google Guaranteed" in your ads, website, and social posts. Replace with "Google Verified."
-
Gather and showcase social proof — strong reviews, before/after photos, testimonials, clear licensing & insurance disclosures — these become the main trust signals.
-
Respond quickly and professionally to leads — responsiveness and service quality become more important than ever.
-
Use the badge as a selling point, but don't over-promise refund perks — since the money-back guarantee is gone, focus on your workmanship, guarantees you control, and transparency.
-
Leverage Local Services Ads wisely — run LSA alongside other channels (your broadcast/streaming, digital ads, SEO) to create a diversified lead flow and not rely on a single badge or platform.
What You Should Do Right Now
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| #1 | Review all public-facing materials (website, ads, social, print) for "Google Guaranteed" language — replace with "Google Verified." |
| #2 | Ensure your licensing, insurance, and documentation are up to date and uploaded to your Google LSA account. |
| #3 | Ask recent customers for reviews and make them visible on your site, your Google Business Profile, and in your ads (when possible). |
| #4 | Run a "quality signal check": photos of real work, clear contact info, and a fast-response setup (phone/text/chat) to reinforce trust beyond the badge. |
| #5 | Monitor LSA lead volume, cost-per-lead, and quality — compare them to other channels to ensure balanced lead generation and avoid over-dependence on a single source. |
What This Means for Your Marketing Strategy
This change is more than a cosmetic tweak — it shifts part of the trust burden from Google to you. Contractors who treat their online presence, reputation, and responsiveness like core deliverables will benefit the most.
It's a good time to treat verification as a baseline — then build trust on top of it with strong branding, real-world credibility, and consistent performance.
If you want help auditing your LSA profile, updating copy, or planning a diversified media strategy to support the change, I've got you. Digital marketing strategy can play a key role here.