• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, June 28, 2016

Call it a symbol of trust or an emoji of honor. Google partners can now claim their expertise and display a Google Partner badge on their Web site as a way to differentiate themselves from the pack when it comes to search and video.

Agencies and other companies with a specialty in search and video can earn the badges by having at least one certified affiliate user in an AdWords product area, demonstrating product expertise in the specialization area, and managers for clients' AdWords campaigns of at least $10,000 in 90 days in that area.

Google also will consider how the agency implements the AdWords product for clients, grows use in the product area, and retains clients in that product area, along with other related factors.

Premier Google Partners also has a new red badge -- a red "Premier" tag along the left edge rather than a blue strip, calling attention to the Premier status.

Google began offering the badges about three years ago. The specialization icons range from search advertising to mobile to video to display and shopping. Partners also can display the badges on business cards.

Agencies can see their progress by signing into their Partners accounts and clicking the status button. If the company has earned a product specialization, they will see a green button next to the product icon.