Google is testing a new feature that displays blue verification checkmarks next to certain business listings in search results, aiming to help users identify trustworthy websites more easily, reports The Verge.
The experimental feature, spotted by some users, shows blue ticks next to official site links for major companies such as Microsoft, Meta, Epic Games, Apple, Amazon, and HP.However, the visibility of these checkmarks varies between users and Google accounts, indicating a limited rollout of the test.
When users hover over a checkmark, a message appears stating, “Google’s signals suggest that this business is the business that it says it is.” According to Google spokesperson Molly Shaheen, who spoke to The Verge, this verification is determined by factors including website verification, Merchant Center data, and manual reviews.
The Verge reports that this new search experiment appears to be an extension of Google’s Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) feature, which displays similar checkmarks in Gmail for verified senders.
As the experiment continues, users may see an increasing number of these blue checkmarks appear alongside trusted business listings. However, The Verge notes that Google emphasises that while these signals suggest legitimacy, they cannot guarantee the reliability of a business or its products.
While Google has not officially announced the feature or provided a timeline for wider implementation, the test suggests company could soon rollout this feature more widely.
Google is bringing blue checkmarks to Search results – Times of India
