Google adds label to highlight Black-owned businesses on Shopping tab

Google is updating its shopping search results with a new Black-owned business label. Due to this new feature, finding products of Back-owned businesses in Google's Shopping Search is easier than ever.

Google’s Black-owned business label

Right on the first day of Black History Month, Google announced an update to the shopping search results that makes it much easier to find and support Black-owned businesses. According to the company, black-owned businesses can now show a special label named "Black-owned business label" in their product and shopping results in Google Search. 

A GIF from Google showing what this label looks like on the Google Shopping tab (Image Source: blog. google) 

Google says that search interest in Black-owned businesses has increased 600% in the past 12 months, reaching record highs. Interest in related search terms like "black-owned restaurants," "black-owned beauty supply," or "black-owned bookstores," has been increased as well. However, reports found that 41% of Black-owned businesses (about 440,000 businesses) have been closed due to COVID-19.

Now, with the new label, Google is helping searchers find and support these businesses more easily. Although this feature is introduced in celebration of Black History Month, it’s not something that will be visible for just a month and then disappear after February. This label is an update added permanently to the Google Shopping tab. 

How to get the label?

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to add the Black-owned attribute:

Step 1: Sign in to the Merchant Center account.

Step 2: Click the Tools and settings menu.

Step 3: Navigate to the "Business information" page.

Step 4: On the tab named "About your business", scroll down to the "Business identity attributes" section.

Step 5: Click the toggle button next to "Identifies as Black-owned" to turn it on or off.

In addition, if you want your products and business to potentially appear on pages that feature Back-owned business, you need to check the box at the side of "Include my business in promotions for Black-owned businesses."

See also: How to test internet speed on Google Fiber Speed Test?

Sources: 

blog.google/outreach-initiatives/small-business/black-history-month-2021

searchengineland.com/google-adds-black-owned-business-label-to-product-results-345780