Google is testing a new feature that introduces verified checkmarks next to business links in its search results. This move aims to help users identify genuine businesses, offering some reassurance in a search landscape often cluttered with spam. The blue checkmarks, currently in limited testing, are meant to signal trustworthiness, although Google acknowledges it “can’t guarantee the reliability” of a business or its products.
This feature may feel familiar to anyone who’s used social media, especially since verified checkmarks were once a status symbol before platforms like X (formerly Twitter) allowed users to purchase verification. However, in Google’s version, the checkmarks are not available to influencers or media personalities—at least for now.
Google’s spokesperson Molly Shaheen confirmed to The Verge that the company is experimenting with this feature to help shoppers identify trustworthy businesses online. Though it’s still early in testing, this new feature could become a useful tool for users navigating Google’s search results.
