Google Confirms New Google Verified Badge for Local Services Ads
Google is launching the Google Verified badge in October 2025, replacing multiple Local Services Ads trust signals with one simplified identity for advertisers.
Brooke Osmundson
Director of Growth Marketing
Company
Follow Me
Education
Expertise
Favorite Tools
About
Brooke serves as the Director of Growth Marketing at Smith Micro Software, with over 10 years of paid media experience. She helps the business grow their digital strategies using tactics from paid search, social media, programmatic marketing, and more. With her experience and passion in analytics, strategic planning and everything digital, she helps create relevant customer experience strategies at every stage of the user funnel.
Previously, she’s held positions at NordicClick Interactive as the Senior Director of Digital Strategy, and an in-house E-Commerce PPC Specialist/Analyst for Invitations by Dawn, Inc.
Brooke has been featured in several international marketing publications, including The Journal of Digital & Social Media Marketing and Econsultancy. She’s spoken at countless industry conferences and events including SMX, PubCon Pro, MnSearch, Zenith, and Agents of Change. She’s also contributed to multiple US Search Awards winnings for “Best Use of Video in a Search Campaign” and “Best Use Of Search – B2B”.
When not working, you can find her enjoying a round of golf, catching up on the latest episodes of Law & Order SVU or completing never-ending house renovations.
Articles
Google Quietly Announces Search Partner Network Placement Visibility
Google finally adds Search Partner reporting. See where your ads run, review placements, and decide if Search Partners deserve a place in your budget.
Breaking Down Optmyzr’s Study on Amazon’s Exit from Google Ads
Explore Optmyzr’s study on Amazon leaving Google Ads: why clicks increased but value declined, and what it means for advertisers across industries.
Why CMOs Should Rethink ROAS As A North Star Metric
ROAS looks great in reports, but it can distort your strategy. Here’s how to rethink your KPIs for long-term growth, not just short-term wins.
Google Expands iOS App Marketing Capabilities
Google updates iOS App Install campaigns with new ad formats, smarter bidding, and privacy-first measurement. Here’s what it means and how marketers can adapt.
Google Expands Performance Max Controls and Reporting
Google Ads just launched new Performance Max controls and reporting tools to improve targeting, creative visibility, and new customer acquisition tracking.
Why Your PPC Structure Should Mirror Your Business Model
When PPC structure mirrors the business model, reporting gets easier, budgets make sense, and results actually matter. Here’s a practical guide.
PPC Audience Strategy: Targeting Vs. Observation (With Examples)
Audience settings in Google Ads aren’t set-and-forget. Use this guide to fine-tune “Targeting” and “Observation” for better results.
Google Performance Max: Everything You Need To Know
Learn how to set up, optimize, and troubleshoot Google Performance Max campaigns with this updated guide covering features, reporting insights, best practices, and use cases.
What Is Paid Media: The Different Types & Examples
Not all paid media is created equal. Know what works where – and why – before you pour money into your next campaign.
How To Get The Perfect Budget Mix For SEO And PPC
PPC drives results fast. SEO builds over time. Here’s how to budget for both with realistic expectations and measurable business outcomes.
Demand Gen Vs. Lead Gen: What Every CMO Needs To Know
Not all leads are created equal. Learn when demand gen or lead gen makes sense – and when it’s time to pivot.
What Are Good Google Ads Benchmarks In 2025? [STUDY]
See how your paid search metrics compare across 20 industries with fresh data from thousands of real campaigns.
Google Marketing Live 2025: Here’s Everything That Was Announced
With 30+ updates from GML 2025, Google Ads is going full AI. Here’s what actually matters for campaign performance and planning.
An In-Depth Guide To Apple Search Ads
Master Apple Search Ads with this in-depth guide covering ad types, bidding strategies, targeting options, and campaign setup tips for app marketers.
Google AI Measurement Upgrades Announced At Google Marketing Live
Google Ads launches new AI-powered measurement tools to help marketers of all sizes prove performance, boost ROI, and better use first-party data.
Google Announces Largest Ads Bidding Update In Over A Decade
Google launches Smart Bidding Exploration, a new feature to help advertisers unlock untapped conversions by expanding eligible queries without changing audience targeting.
It’s Official: Google Launches AI Max for Search Campaigns
Google introduces AI Max for Search, expanding query reach, adaptive creative, and better controls to boost performance while maintaining transparency for advertisers.
The 8 Most Important PPC KPIs You Should Be Tracking
Discover the essential PPC KPIs, beyond CTR and CPC, to measure profit, incrementality, and real business impact from your paid media.
SEO Vs. PPC: What’s The Best Strategy For Your Business?
SEO or PPC: Which is better for your business? Understand the trade-offs and advantages to make an informed decision.
Channel Reporting Is Coming To Performance Max Campaigns
Google introduces new channel-level, search term, and asset reporting for Performance Max. The updates give advertisers greater transparency into campaign performance across all Google surfaces.
Google Now Allows Top Ads To Appear At Bottom Of Search Results
Google now allows top-performing ads to appear at the bottom of search results, offering more visibility while reinforcing the importance of ad quality.
Navigating The Complexities Of International PPC Working With Agencies
Learn how to successfully manage international PPC campaigns with multiple agencies, avoid common pitfalls, and balance global consistency with local market needs.
Google Ads 2024 Safety Report Unveils AI Protections
Google’s 2024 Ads Safety Report reveals stricter enforcement, AI crackdowns, and key policy shifts every marketer should pay attention to.
How To Install The Google Tag For Conversion Tracking
Proper conversion tracking with Google Tag offers real insights into ad performance to optimize campaigns and reduce wasted ad spend.
Microsoft Monetize Gets A Major AI Upgrade
Microsoft revamps Monetize with AI-powered Copilot, new performance tools, and improved navigation to boost publisher productivity and ad revenue.
HubSpot Announces 200+ Features At Spring Spotlight 2025
HubSpot unveils AI agents, new Workspaces, and key upgrades to Marketing Hub Enterprise in its Spring 2025 release, focused on speed and scale.
Reddit Introduces Faster Ad Setup and Pixel Integration
Reddit launches new campaign import, GTM integration, and QA tools to make Reddit Ads setup and optimization faster and simpler for small businesses.
Google Updates Unfair Advantage Policy, Advertisers React
Google updates its Unfair Advantage Policy, clarifying ad slot dominance rules. Here’s what it means for advertisers and how the PPC community is reacting.
Navigating Time Zone Differences: Scheduling Ads For Maximum Impact
Get better ad results by adjusting PPC schedules across time zones using automation, segmentation, and data-driven bidding in Google Ads and Microsoft Ads.