How our certification works
Owners buy a profile, not a result. Highlights come from Google reviews, in our words. People who never sell do the visit checks. Certification ends when the profile lapses. Each one has a page that shows if it’s active.
How we pick businesses: How we choose.
Rules we follow throughout: Federal Trade Commission rules on endorsements (16 CFR Part 255) and reviews (16 CFR Part 465), and Virginia consumer protection law (Va. Code 59.1-200).
Silver
Silver reads “Known For” and names one thing. It comes with the $25-a-year profile.
- Our written method picks it. The free listing shows the same one.
- Paying never changes it. We recheck it at renewal.
Gold
Gold reads “Great Experience Verified” with the month and year of the check. It comes only with our in-person Signature Business Feature. Gold isn’t guaranteed. Not every business passes.
- An assessor visits once, unannounced, as a regular customer.
- The business pays a flat Gold check fee upfront. It’s the same pass or fail.
- Before the first check, we’ll publish the checklist and passing score here.
- Gold lasts 12 months. Renewing takes a new check.
Medical spas
About the visit only. We don’t review medical treatments or their results.
- The seal names one part of the visit, such as booking. It reads “Most Mentioned” if reviewers mention it most, treatments included. Otherwise it reads “Often Mentioned”.
- No Gold.
Medical spas also follow Virginia medical advertising law (Va. Code 54.1-2915) and rules (18VAC85-20-30).
Health practice seals
Dentists, physical therapists, chiropractors, optometrists, hearing care and vets get seals, not certification. No Gold. A seal ends when the profile lapses.
Owner and license checked. The owner controls the practice’s Google listing or website. We check that licenses are active (Virginia Health Professions License Lookup; hearing aid specialists: Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation). We recheck every 90 days. We don’t review care or results.
Patients like. The seal can name one part of the visit, such as the front desk. This needs 20 Google reviews in 24 months. At least 1 in 10 mention it, and 9 in 10 of those mentions are positive. Otherwise it reads “Patients often mention.” Vets: “Pet owners.” Hearing aid shops: “Clients.”
Each profession also follows its own rules:
- Dental: Va. Code 54.1-2706, Virginia’s dental advertising rule (18VAC60-21-80)
- Physical therapy: 18VAC112-20-200
- Chiropractic: Va. Code 54.1-2915, 18VAC85-20-30
- Optometry: Va. Code 54.1-3215, 18VAC105-20-40
- Hearing care: 18VAC30-21-160, 18VAC80-20-270
- Vets: 18VAC150-20-140