Google testing verified checkmarks for businesses in search results
Google is currently testing a new verification feature designed to help users avoid fraudulent or counterfeit website links. The feature, still in its experimental phase, displays blue verified checkmarks next to business links in Google search results. This indicates that the company is legitimate and not an imitation trying to exploit a well-known brand's recognition.
A tool for identifying trustworthy businesses
The new verification feature is part of Google's ongoing efforts to help users identify reliable businesses online. "We regularly experiment with features that help shoppers identify trustworthy businesses online, and we are currently running a small experiment showing checkmarks next to certain businesses on Google," said Molly Shaheen, a spokesperson for Google's public affairs. The checkmarks have been spotted next to official site links for several major firms including Microsoft, Meta, Epic Games, Apple, Amazon and HP.
Checkmark verification: A limited rollout
The appearance of these checkmarks is not consistent across all Google accounts, indicating that the feature is not yet widely available. When a user hovers over a checkmark, they see a message stating, "Google's signals suggest that this business is the business that it says it is." This verification process involves several factors like website verification, Merchant Center data and manual reviews.
An extension of BIMI feature
The search checkmarks appear to be an extension of Google's Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) feature. This existing feature is used in Gmail's web and mobile apps to display checkmarks next to senders who have adopted the verification platform. However, Google has not officially announced the introduction of these search checkmarks, or provided a timeline for when more users can expect to see this new feature.
