Are you looking for ways to increase visibility and enhance the online reputation of your service-oriented business? Or perhaps you need the endorsement of a respectable corporation such as Google to drum up business? With either scenario, a Google Guarantee badge might be the ideal solution. With this badge, you could experience a significant boost in visibility and attract more customers to your business.
The Google Guarantee badge signifies membership in the Google Guarantee program. Part of Google’s AdWords, the program focuses primarily on local businesses in the home service sector.
Businesses that qualify for the Google Guarantee program will receive the badge, which they can then display in their company listing on the Google result page. The badge serves as a sort of seal of approval by which Google indicates their high regard for a particular business.
Businesses that have the Google Guarantee badge gain many advantages over other companies.
For one thing, the endorsement from Google enhances their reputation in the online community, making them more trustworthy to potential customers. All factors being equal, customers are more likely to click on a business link with a Google Guarantee badge than a similar business without a Google endorsement.
Google Guaranteed businesses also enjoy greater visibility than other companies. Although the Google Guarantee program is part of AdWords, listings for businesses belonging to the program are displayed more prominently than Google Search Ads.
The Google Guarantee program benefits customers of the businesses as well. Google covers all transactions that take place between the customer and the business. This means that if a customer is not satisfied with the service that they receive from a Google Guaranteed company for any reason, they can file a reimbursement claim for up to $2000 (lifetime cap).
Transactions will have to be booked through Local Services to qualify for reimbursement. All claims will have to be submitted within 30 days after the transaction takes place.
The Google Guarantee program does not cover the following:
The Google Guarantee program is currently undergoing beta testing and is available only in some U.S. and Canadian cities.
Businesses will have to undergo a rigorous screening process to qualify for the program, including a background check and insurance verification. Companies will be required to
have general liability insurance and business and owner’s license, and be part of the Google AdWords program.
Membership to the Google Guarantee program costs $50 a month apart from the cost of background and eligibility licensing checks, which are part of Google’s eligibility rules. Taken altogether, the cost of the program per year comes to about $600.
Some business owners feel that Google’s revenue from advertising and pay-for-lead fees should go toward covering the program’s verification and consumer protection costs.
However, keep in mind that the Google Guarantee program is a value-added service for businesses that use AdWords. But companies that have the Google Guarantee badge
don’t necessarily have to use Google Ads. The monthly cost, therefore, goes toward costs that advertising fees would typically cover.
Your business has to use AdWords or Home Service Ads to qualify for Google Guarantee. Signing up for the program can be as simple as going through the following steps:
Here are more detailed steps for setting up a Google Guarantee badge:
After completing all these steps, the next thing to do is go through the advanced verification process. This involves closing your application with a Google-affiliated third-party service, Pinkerton.com, which should take about half an hour.
At this point, all you have to do is wait for a couple of weeks for the verification process to complete. At the end of that period, you will know whether or not your application has been approved. If you have not heard from Google by that time or if you have concerns about your application, you may send an email to Google support at the following address: advancedverification@google.com.
You will need to go through a separate process to set up your Local Ad to display the Google Guarantee badge that you have just received.
Be ready for the background checks that Google requires as part of the application process. These checks should cover the business owner, the business itself, and personnel that will be providing in-residence services to your customers.
After going through these steps, Google will send you an email so that you could finish setting up your Local Services account. Click on the link provided in the email, which will take you to a site where you could create your Local Service listing.
When creating your listing, you will have to add your bio and photo to your profile. You will also be asked to provide the postal codes of your planned service areas. You have the option to choose which areas you want to service.
At this point, all that is left for you to do is wait for new customers to come calling. Remember that membership in the Google Guarantee program not only provides you with a badge that serves as a glowing endorsement from Google. It also offers greater visibility and prioritized listing on Google’s search engine results pages. With any luck, these perks should provide you with scores of new customers.
