Google Guaranteed for GMB?

[lincolnchan]

Google offering 'upgraded' GMB profile with Google Guaranteed badge for $50 per month

Google tested the idea of subscription-based services for GMB in April 2019.

searchengineland.com

Has anyone seen or heard anything about this? I'm familiar with Google Guaranteed for ads (our clients still on the waitlist or whatever ) but first I've ever heard anything about a GMB subscription. Has anyone been involved in survey, Google's experiment, or is this live for anyone? Really innnnteresting.....

 

[TomW]

Oh my... what a bunch of nonsense. Thanks for sharing your exchange with the rep.

Google has not been very clear about any of this and I have heard conflicting info as well, but it is possible to be in Google Ads and LSA and have the badge in GMB, Now, they could change this, of course, but I don't see a scenario where they would make a business choose between them.

This is still a small test group and I haven't heard any updates on where they're going with it but they do seem to be testing it more. And by testing I don't mean opening up the option to more businesses necessarily, but instead sticking the GG badge and a call tracking number on the GMB listing of a business without their knowledge. More than likely when you see a badge that is what is happening. The business is not paying $50/month for it, Google is just currently testing on their listing.

And when Google does stick the badge on a listing for their testing, it's going to be a business that's already in LSA. Why? Because they're not going to put it on the GMB listing of a company that they haven't already screened.

My best advice at the moment for actually getting in the program is to occasionally check the GMB dashboard for the option to upgrade. And if multiple users manage the listing, have them check too because the option may be visible in one account but not another.

 

[Lanerizz]

Thanks Tom! Yes I agree, would make no sense for them to show the badge for businesses that aren't already verified in the LSA program.

Good advice to check multiple users, will do that. Thank you for staying on this and sharing your knowledge.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Do we have a screenshot of what the invite in the dashboard looks like to upgrade? And is it only in the GMB dashboard?

 

[JoyHawkins]

@JoshuaMackens there are some screenshots here: Google Now Offering Fee Based Business Profile Enhancement to LSA Users - Local University

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Great, thank you!

Any idea where in the GMB dashboard it shows up? Or is it in the LSA dashboard?

 

[TomW]

Hey @JoshuaMackens look in the 'Home' section of the GMB dashboard on desktop. That's where it will appear if it is available for the listing.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

I thought so! Tons of stuff there but no option no way to get in touch with support and ask them to make it available?

And are you still hearing it's available more for the bigger brands than the smaller guys?

 

[TomW]

I haven't seen indications that it's mainly bigger brands. I know a couple small ones in it. It's probably a decent mix but not sure why they picked the ones they did.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Interesting. Thank you!