Google Is Retiring the Google Guarantee for LSA

On October 20, 2025, Google will officially launch the Google Verified badge for all eligible Local Services Ads (LSA) advertisers. This update marks a significant shift in how Google communicates trust and verification to consumers, and it comes with the retirement of the Google Guarantee, along with the Google Screened and License Verified by Google badges. If you’re running LSAs, here’s what you need to know, and what it might mean for your performance.

What’s Changing?
To simplify the badging system and improve consistency across surfaces, Google is consolidating its three existing LSA trust badges into a single, unified badge, Google Verified.

What’s Going Away…

• Google Guaranteed (and its money-back guarantee)
• Google Screened
• License Verified by Google

What’s Coming…

• A Google Verified badge that reflects completed verification checks, such as background checks, license verification, and insurance
• A consistent badge experience across LSA profiles and other Google surfaces where it may influence consumer decisions

Beyond theses badge changes and implications, there are a few additional considerations we anticipate as we go forward with Google Local Service Ads, including:

Consumer Trust Likely Unaffected
While the Google Guarantee may have served as a psychological safety net, the reality is that most consumers weren’t even aware that Google offered a money-back guarantee for services booked through LSAs. Because of this low awareness, and the rarity of actual refund claims, its removal is unlikely to significantly impact consumer confidence. The new Google Verified badge still communicates that a business has passed Google’s vetting process, including background checks and license verification, which remains a strong trust signal for users evaluating service providers.

Reviews Will Matter More Than Ever
With the Guarantee gone, reviews and ratings become the primary trust signal. Businesses with strong reputations will likely maintain performance, while those with weaker profiles may see a drop in conversions.

Ad Performance May Stay Stable
If the Guarantee was rarely used, its removal may not significantly impact click-through rates or lead volume. But advertisers should monitor performance closely in Q4 to spot any shifts.

No Action Required
All eligible advertisers who have completed the LSA verification requirements for their selected business category and location will automatically receive the new Google Verified badge. For new advertisers, the badge will be issued once all verification steps are completed.

So What Should LSA Advertisers Do Now?
Even though no action is required as we mentioned previously, here are a few proactive steps we recommend considering as a result of this change:

Audit Your Reviews
Encourage happy customers to leave reviews. They’re now your most powerful trust signal.

Update Your Messaging & Monitor Performance Trends
If your website or sales materials reference the Google Guarantee, update them to reflect the new badge. Be sure to watch for changes in click-through rate, cost per lead, and conversion rates post-October 20.  It’s also important to ensure that your customer service and sales teams understand the change so they can confidently address any questions that may arise from potential leads or customers.

Lean Into AI Visibility Strategies
Brand references in LLM’s such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Mode, are becoming the new trust validation sources. As Google continues to expand AI Overviews and large language model-powered search experiences, it’s critical to ensure your brand is cited and surfaced in these results. We’ve outlined actionable strategies in our latest white paper,
Download: Adapting to Google AI Overviews

In Summary
The move to a single Google Verified badge simplifies the LSA ecosystem and may reduce confusion for consumers. While the removal of the money-back guarantee is notable, it’s unlikely to cause major disruption, especially for advertisers who’ve built strong reputations and deliver consistently great service. At Location3, we’ll be watching this rollout closely and helping our partners adapt. If you’d like a personalized audit of your LSA strategy or help optimizing your review generation and AI visibility, we’re here to help.