Thanks to our Partners, Shop Boss and AppFueled

Meta Verified isn’t just for celebrities anymore, and no, it’s not just about that little blue checkmark either. In this episode, Hallie Wasinger and Caroline LeGrand from Shop Marketing Pros dig into five solid reasons why your auto repair shop might want to seriously consider Meta Verification. We’re talking real-world protection from impersonators, better access to Meta support when something goes sideways (because it will), and even perks that can boost your SEO and visibility in the algorithm. Caroline breaks down the entire process, what it actually gets you, and how to know if it’s right for your shop.

If you’ve ever asked, “Should my business be Meta Verified?”—this episode is your answer. Give it a listen, and decide if it’s time to level up your digital presence

Show Notes with Timestamps

Introduction and Sponsor Messages (00:00:00) Podcast and hosts introduced; sponsors Shop Boss and App Fueled are mentioned.

Background on Meta Verification (00:01:06) Hallie and Caroline discuss their initial skepticism and early research on Meta verification.

Meta Verification for Public Figures vs. Businesses (00:02:13) Explains how verification started for celebrities and public figures, and the shift to broader availability.

Real-World Example: Meta Verification Benefits (00:02:29) Hallie shares a story from Macon about another agency benefiting from Meta verification during a Facebook ads hack.

Updated Research and Agency Perspective (00:03:51) Caroline describes her new research and conversations with another agency about Meta verification.

Meta Verification vs. Business Certification (00:04:45) Distinguishes between verifying a business page and business portfolio certification.

Impersonation Protection and Security (00:05:17) Discusses impersonation protection, security, and limitations for agencies managing multiple pages.

Enhanced Support and Limitations (00:06:08) Explains the scope of enhanced support and its limitations for business portfolios and client pages.

Five Main Benefits of Meta Verification (00:07:21) Caroline outlines the five main benefits: enhanced support, improved security, impersonation protection, links/content, and search optimization.

Levels of Meta Verification (00:11:35) Describes the four levels of verification (Standard, Plus, Premium, Max) and their differences.

Sponsor Messages (00:13:06) Additional sponsor messages for Shop Boss and App Fueled.

The Meta Verification Process (00:15:09) Caroline explains the step-by-step process to get Meta verified and why it was quick for them.

Importance of Facebook Hygiene (00:17:12) Discusses the importance of good Facebook practices for successful verification.

Personal Profiles and Business Pages (00:17:55) Explains the relationship between personal profiles and business pages, and the impact of personal behavior.

Consequences of Poor Facebook Hygiene (00:19:05) Shares an example of how a business owner’s personal profile in “Facebook jail” affected their business page and ads.

Meta Verification vs. Business Certification for Multi-location Businesses (00:20:56) Clarifies when to use verification versus certification, especially for multi-location businesses.

SEO and Search Optimization Benefits (00:23:02) Explains how Meta verification helps with links in posts, SEO, and algorithm prioritization.

Algorithm Prioritization and Featured Profiles (00:25:11) Describes how verified pages are prioritized in Facebook’s algorithm and featured more...

Thanks to our Partners, Shop Boss and AppFueled

December 16th, Shop Marketing Pros’ Google Ads MCC was hacked — and what should’ve been a quick fix turned into an eight-day nightmare of lost access, fraudulent campaigns, and even attempted $500,000 account “preload” charges. Brian Walker and Hallie Wasinger lay out the full timeline (warts and all): what the hackers changed, why leaving them “view-only” mattered, how Google support handled it, and what it took to restore and stabilize dozens of client accounts. If you run Google Ads (or hire someone who does), listen all the way through for the hard-earned security upgrades and practical steps to protect your MCC and your shop’s payment methods.

Show Notes with Timestamps

1. Podcast Introduction (00:00:00) Brief intro to the podcast, hosts, and episode topic.
2. The Google Ads Hack Begins (00:02:20) Timeline and discovery of the hack on December 16th, 2024, at around 2:30 AM.
3. Immediate Response and MCC Explanation (00:03:11) How the hack was discovered, initial response, and what a Google Ads MCC is.
4. How the Hack Happened (00:05:39) Discussion of phishing, weak Google 2FA, and how hackers gained access.
5. Scope of the Breach (00:06:47) Number of affected accounts, types of accounts, and initial impact.
6. Contacting Google and Early Damage (00:07:29) Brian contacts Google by 4:50 AM; minimal damage at this stage.
7. How Hackers Maintained Access (00:10:15) Hackers downgrade admin access to view-only, allowing continued monitoring.
8. Timeline to Regain Access (00:11:16) Hack occurred December 16th; access restored December 23rd after eight days.
9. Tracking the Hackers’ Actions (00:12:15) Team tracks every change made by hackers during the eight days.
10. Hackers’ Motives and Ad Spend (00:14:48) Hackers run fake medical device ads, spend about $15,000, and attempt large charges.
11. Massive Unauthorized Charges (00:17:16) Multiple $500,000 and $50,000 charges attempted; client reactions and reversals.
12. Client Communication and Stress (00:20:04) Notifying clients, handling overdrawn accounts, and emotional impact.
13. Controlling What They Could (00:22:02) Accepting limited control, focusing on communication and tracking.
14. Escalating to Authorities and Senators (00:22:48) Filing complaints with FBI, DHS, and contacting senators for help.
15. Disconnecting LSA Accounts (00:24:35) Quickly disconnecting Local Services Ads to limit further damage.
16. Impact on Client Businesses...