Google added official Search profile badge documentation on September 16, 2026. The badge is a link that helps visitors find a claimed Search profile and follow its connected content. It is not a Google endorsement, store verification seal, security certificate, or guaranteed ranking factor.
Before adding it, verify the destination profile, use Google's official asset, provide an accurate accessible label, and place it with identity or follow links—not checkout assurances.
Quick answer
- Add the badge only after confirming the correct claimed Search profile and handle.
- Describe it as a profile or follow link, never as Google approval.
- Keep the clickable area at least 44 × 44 px on the web and iOS; Google specifies 48 × 48 dp for Android.
- Preserve Google's logo colors, proportions, and official asset treatment.
- Measure profile visits and follows, not an assumed ranking lift.
| Decision | Good choice | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Label | “Find us on Google Search” | “Google verified store” |
| Placement | About page, byline, author profile, social-links area | Beside checkout-security or warranty claims |
| Destination | Confirmed `profile.google.com/@handle` profile | Guessed handle or unrelated Google page |
| Asset | Official badge, unchanged | Recolored, stretched, rotated, or redrawn logo |
| Success metric | Valid clicks, profile visits, follows | Treating rankings as proof the badge worked |
Confirm which Google profile you actually have
A Search profile can bring together content from a website and supported platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, and Facebook. Visitors can follow the profile, and Google says connected content is then more likely to appear for that audience in Discover.
The implementation starts with the destination URL, usually following this pattern:
`https://profile.google.com/@handle`
Open it while signed out or in a private browser session. Confirm that the name, image, biography, and linked platforms represent the intended person, publisher, or organization.
Do not assume that a Search profile, Brand Profile, and Business Profile are the same product. Google's Brand Profile help currently says that only selected ecommerce retailers can claim brand profiles. Eligibility and account-management controls are separate from placing a Search profile link on a website.
Applicable: a publisher or creator has a claimed Search profile and wants readers to find or follow it.
Not applicable: a store has no eligible or claimed profile but wants a Google-shaped “trust” graphic near checkout.
Use literal, defensible language
The nearby label should describe the action a visitor is taking. Google's own example uses an accessible label equivalent to “Find us on Google Search.” A text link can use the same wording.
Good labels include:
- Find us on Google Search.
- View our Search profile.
- Follow our Search profile.
Avoid labels that add an unsupported claim:
- Google approved seller.
- Verified secure store.
- Google-certified products.
- Trusted by Google.
Those phrases can suggest that Google reviewed the merchant, product, transaction, or website security. The badge documentation does not say that.
> Boundary test: Complete the sentence “This badge proves ___” using only the issuer's documentation. If the answer becomes broader than “this link points to our Search profile,” rewrite the label.
Place the badge where identity links belong
Use the badge where a reader expects information about the source or author:
- Author bylines and profile pages.
- About or newsroom pages.
- Creator and publisher footers.
- A restrained group of official social or platform links.
Avoid placing it beside payment icons, encryption messages, product certifications, return guarantees, or the Add to cart button. Proximity creates meaning. A profile link beside a lock icon can look like a transaction-security claim even when the image itself says nothing of the sort.
If both a Search profile badge and Google's Preferred Sources badge appear on one page, follow Google's guidance so the different functions remain visually distinct.
Preserve accessibility and asset integrity
Google's current guidance specifies a clickable target of at least 48 × 48 dp on Android and 44 × 44 px on iOS and the web. The image should also have clear alternative text, while the link needs an accessible name that describes its destination.
Implementation checklist:
- Download the official asset from Google's documentation.
- Keep the original aspect ratio and colors.
- Do not rotate, distort, redraw, or crowd the badge.
- Use a sufficiently large click or tap target.
- Add an accessible label such as `aria-label="Find us on Google Search"`.
- Test keyboard focus and open the link on a phone.
A useful example follows the official pattern:
`<a href="https://profile.google.com/@example" aria-label="Find us on Google Search">…official badge image…</a>`
Replace the example handle only after verifying the live destination. Do not treat the snippet as permission to invent a profile.
Measure the action the badge can influence
Google's Search-profile help says that edits to the profile do not affect content ranking in Search or Discover. Following is a separate audience preference: followers may see more connected content in Discover.
Track outcomes that match the feature:
- Badge click-through rate.
- Successful visits to the correct profile.
- Follows or profile audience growth when that data is available.
- Broken-link reports.
- Device and placement differences.
Do not promise that adding the badge improves SEO rankings. If rankings change, many variables could be responsible, and the documentation does not establish the badge as a ranking control.
Final implementation checklist
- [ ] The Search profile is claimed and accurate.
- [ ] The `@handle` URL opens the intended public profile.
- [ ] The label describes navigation or following, not endorsement.
- [ ] The official asset is unchanged.
- [ ] The tap target meets Google's minimum sizes.
- [ ] Keyboard focus and mobile tapping work.
- [ ] Placement does not imply payment, security, warranty, or certification.
- [ ] Analytics measure clicks and follows rather than assumed ranking gains.
FAQ
Does the Search profile badge verify a store?
No. Google's documentation describes it as a way to direct visitors to a Search profile. It is not a general merchant-verification or security badge.
Will the badge improve Google rankings?
Google says Search profile changes do not affect content ranking in Search or Discover. Followers may see more connected content in their own Discover experience.
Can any ecommerce store claim a Google Brand Profile?
Not currently. Google says only selected ecommerce retailers are eligible to claim and manage Brand Profiles, with access expanding over time.
Where should the badge appear?
Use it near author, publisher, About, or social-profile links. Avoid checkout and product-certification areas where readers may interpret it as an endorsement.
References
- Google Search documentation updates
- Add a Search profile badge to your website
- Manage your Search profile
- Claim your brand profile on Google Search
- Independent overview of the Search profile badge
Add the badge only when it gives visitors a clear, accurate route to a maintained profile. A useful link needs clarity more than ceremony.
Suggested internal link: website identity and trust checklist — target page to be confirmed; no unverified URL inserted.