Sometimes, searching for a quality and renowned service-based business on Google can be challenging, frustrating, and overwhelming. There are just too many businesses that offer the same or similar services to choose from. That’s why it can be hard to decipher which ones offer the best services for your needs. If you’ve ever searched for specific services online and notice a little green checkmark next to a local listing, that’s called the Google Guarantee. It’s basically a stamp of approval that Google delegates to service-based businesses, letting customers know that the business is legitimate and that they offer high-quality services based on past customer experiences.
Here’s everything you need to know about this feature.
What Is the Google Guarantee?
Google AdWords has a strict standard for identifying businesses that offer specific services. Getting the Google Guarantee is a special badge of honour that lets prospective customers know that the business is legitimate.
Google doesn’t give these badges out lightly, though. If a customer is dissatisfied with a particular service or product, they received from a Google Guaranteed business, then Google could be liable for reimbursing them for the cost of the service with a lifetime cap of US$2,000.
Service-based businesses that currently qualify to become Google Guaranteed in Canada include plumbers, electricians, HVAC companies, and other trades. These businesses are automatically included in a detailed Google database so that local service ads can be matched as accurately as possible to relevant user searches.
Customers that have a complaint about a service they received from a Google Guaranteed business can file a claim directly through Google and Google will refund them for the cost of the service and the products used.
What Does the Google Guarantee Cover?
Clicking on a local listing for a Google Guaranteed business will bring up the home service ad that’s associated with that business. It reads, “This business is backed by the Google Guarantee, which means they’re licensed, insured, and pre-screened. Any job you book with them is guaranteed to be done right or your money back.” There’s also the option to click “Learn more”, which will provide you with more information about how the Google Guarantee works and why it’s relevant.
The purpose of the Google Guaranteed feature is to reassure prospective customers that the businesses they’re interested in supporting are completely certified. It gives you the peace of mind to entrust your most important residential and commercial improvement projects to professional contractors, companies, and workers without having to worry about liability or low quality workmanship.
In addition to reimbursing dissatisfied customers, the Google Guarantee also covers jobs that are booked and completed through Google Home Services. A wide range of service-based jobs are covered. Simply look for the Google Guaranteed badge prior to booking.
How to Become a Google Guaranteed Business
Becoming a Google Guaranteed business is essentially an online screening process. Google just wants to make sure that your business is legitimate and that you provide the high-quality services that your customers expect. Google’s mission is to hold all businesses accountable and ensure customer satisfaction. To receive a Google Guaranteed badge, you need to sign up for a local listing first. Once you do that, you’ll receive a confirmation e-mail from Google.
Only after passing the rigorous multi-step screening process can you commence the process of becoming Google Guaranteed. This screening process depends largely on the country your business is located in, the type of services you offer, and whether you have a working relationship with or advertise through Google Partners.
The screening process includes a series of background checks, providing proof of insurance, obtaining at least one Google review, and you must set up a budget and billing for advertising.
Once all of that is complete, you’ll be redirected to a portal where you’ll have to provide additional details about your business including insurance certificates, a business ID, and copies of any licenses you have.
Background checks are conducted by a third-party risk management agency called Pinkerton. When the background checks are complete, you’ll receive an e-mail confirmation and you’ll also need to verify all of your information and identity. Identity verification requires uploading a selfie taken on your mobile device.
It takes approximately 4 to 6 weeks to complete the background checks and process all of the information you provide, so patience is a major virtue throughout this whole endeavour. If you encounter any issues getting Google Guaranteed, you can contact the search engine mogul directly and the Google Assistance team can work to resolve the issue for you.
Google Guarantee Association with Local Service Ads
Only a small number of business sectors in Canada and the United States are eligible to become Google Guaranteed. The list for the United States is far more expansive and inclusive than the Canadian list. In the United States, the following types of businesses can qualify:
- Plumbers
- Locksmiths
- HVAC
- Electricians
- Carpet cleaners
- Garage door services
- House cleaning services
The following types of businesses in Canada can qualify:
- HVAC
- Locksmiths
- Plumbers
Of course, Google is constantly making changes to its platform. One of those changes is to continue expanding its support for the Canadian market. It’s highly likely that more service-based business types will be added to the list by the end of the year.
Why You Need to Care about Getting Google Guaranteed
Simply put, getting that all-important seal of approval from Google gives your business credibility and it also helps to improve your rankings on search engine results pages. That means increased visibility for your ads and more clicks for your web site, which essentially translates to a higher ROI for your business as a whole.
Numero Uno Business Growth Specialists is one of the leading SEO and web design firms in North America. As such, we’ve helped countless businesses across the United States and Canada optimize their web content, improve search engine ranking, boost visibility, and increase their ROI. Contact us today for more information on how to gain more online traffic for your web site and become Google Guaranteed.
