Having a Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) can be a great way for businesses of all sizes to increase brand visibility and get more customers.
This free marketing tool from Google can be used to improve your SEO while providing customers with basic information about your business. However, Google My Business can also be used to communicate directly with customers.
Google Business Profile has a messaging feature very similar to Facebook Messenger – making it easy for customers to reach out to your brand and ask a question or raise a concern. And as the data shows, having the option to easily connect with a business makes customers trust the brand more.
In this article we will consider:
- How Google My Business Messaging works — on desktop and mobile.
- The purpose of the Google Business Profile Messaging feature.
- GMB Messaging best practices.
- Google Business Profile welcome message examples.
What is Google My Business Messaging?
In a nutshell, Google My Business Messaging is a free messaging tool that helps customers contact you in real time directly from your Google Business Profile listing.
This means customers can reach your business directly from search results, without the hassle of clicking on your website and searching for an email address or phone number.
How does Google My Business messaging work?
Think of GMB Messaging as a form of instant messaging.
When you enable the messaging feature, customers Message button in your GMB list. This button appears when your profile is viewed on both Google Search and Google Maps.
Customers can interact directly with your business using Google My Business Messaging and send you a message any time of the day.
If you haven’t yet created a GMB profile and verified your business, follow our Google Business Profile getting started guide.
When you’re ready, read on to learn how to enable Messaging and manage messages on desktop and mobile.
Google My Business Messaging on Desktop
Google My Business launched Messaging in 2017, but at the time it was only available on mobile devices. Business owners had to respond to customers’ messages using the GMB app on their smartphones. But that changed in February 2021.
Now Google My Business Messaging is also available on desktop. For business owners who prefer to manage their brand’s communications this way, this update makes it easier to manage their online customer service.
Here’s how to get started with Google My Business messaging on desktop.
Step 1: Sign in to your Google My Business profile
Go to Google My Business, click the Sign In button in the upper right corner and follow the prompts.
Step 2: Go to Messages
click Messages, later Settings (gear icon).
Step 3: Open Messages
That’s it – customers can now send your business messages directly from your GMB list.
Step 4: Customize
Use customizations to make the messaging experience as easy and enjoyable as possible for customers.
Add a welcome message and make sure your notifications are turned on so you know when a customer is expecting a response from you.
Google My Business messaging on mobile devices
Here’s how to get started with Messaging on mobile for both Android and Apple devices.
Step 1: Download the app from Google Play or App Store
Step 2: Open Messages
After signing in, go to: customerslater Messagesselect , then Hungry. Enables this feature and Message button appears in your list.
Step 3: Customize
Make sure to add a welcome message and turn on your notifications.
Do you know?
Brands can now add GMB profiles to Moyens I/O. This means you can manage and reply to Google My Business messages in real time, along with all your other social media interactions.
Source: Moyens I/O
You can learn more about this latest update here:
How to use Google My Business Messaging feature?
Why would you enable Google My Business Messaging? There are several reasons why this is beneficial for both your business and your customers.
A great way to elevate customer service
Customers await answers in the digital age quickly.
If a brand doesn’t respond to a message within 24 hours, Google hides the Message button, encouraging brands to prioritize customer service and respond to queries quickly.
A new way to introduce customers to your brand
Google My Business Messaging gives you a chance to get personal with your customers. Write a welcome message that reflects your brand’s personality; customers will see this message when they click the Message button, before they even type their questions.
Also, one-on-one contact with customers is a good way to provide them with an unforgettable brand experience.
It can be an effective way to grow your business
Google My Business is experimenting with two new messaging buttons. For certain businesses in certain categories, there is a Request an offer button or a Request a reservation button.
With this button type, you can direct your customers to a form where they can request a quote or make a reservation.
This functionality helps businesses move customers down the sales funnel with a fast and seamless experience.
8 Google My Business messaging best practices
Set up a welcome message
The welcome message is the first thing a customer sees when they click the Message button on your GMB profile.
Use this as an opportunity to thank them for reaching out and ask how you can help. You can also use your welcome message to tell customers how to reach you outside of business hours.
Try to respond within 24 hours
Try to respond to messages as quickly as possible, within 24 hours if possible. If you don’t, Google will likely remove the Message button from your listing.
This is because Google wants to make sure customers don’t associate this feature with an unpleasant customer experience. (But know that if you lose the button, you can re-enable it by turning it back on.)
Remember, when customers search for your business and find your GMB listing, they’ll see how responsive you are. Your profile will display one of several response time options:
- Usually responds within minutes
- Usually responds within a few hours
- Usually responds within a day
- Usually responds within a few days
Open notifications
Make sure you see the new messages you receive! Knowing when a customer expects a response from you is the first step to meeting the 24-hour response time requirement and keeping the GMB message button active on your profile.
ignore spam
Yes, it does. Your business may receive messages that are spammy or sent openly by bots.
But don’t ignore them. Instead, be sure to mark them as spam or block the senders to avoid getting more spam in the future.
To do this:
- go Messages When you log into your GMB profile.
- Click on the message you want to report.
- choose Block/report spam and choose the option that makes sense.
If you don’t report spam messages, they will affect the response time displayed on your list. In short, ignoring any message (even spam) will negatively impact your response time.
Keep the conversation relevant
When a customer reaches out to ask a question, they want an answer. Make sure you address the customer’s question or comment directly – they don’t want to hear about your new products if they ask for a refund!
keep it short
On a similar note, no one wants a long, rambling message from a business owner when they want to know if their favorite flavored soda is back in stock. When a customer asks you a question using the GMB messaging feature, keep the answer as short and clear as possible.
It’s okay if the customer has some follow-up questions. With GMB Messaging you can go back and forth—messaging is unlimited!
Share photos
You can do more than just exchange text messages using Google My Business Messaging. You can also share photos with customers. Remember that sharing images can be an effective and efficient way to help a customer and answer their query.
Remove the conversation from GMB if needed
If your answer to a question requires you to receive sensitive information from the customer, do not ask the customer to share it through Google My Business.
Requesting personal information such as a credit card number, password or address can affect a customer’s trust in your business. But it’s also considered a violation of GMB’s messaging guidelines.
Bonus: Google My Business Messaging welcome message examples
Here are a few real examples of Google My Business Messaging welcome messages.
Example 1: Google Product Store
Why this works: This welcome message gets to the point. After greeting the customer, he invites them to ask their questions. This example demonstrates that messaging is a way for customers to get answers to inquiries easily and quickly.
Example 2: Phone Repair Philly
Why this works: This welcome message sincerely thanks customers for reaching out. It also lets customers know that if they call the store, they will get a quicker response to their questions. This sets customer expectations around response time.
Example 3: Momentum Digital
Why this works: This business’s welcome note is short and sweet. In addition to welcoming the customer, he asks how they can help. It also highlights the area of expertise of the business!
When writing your own Google My Business welcome message, remember:
- Keep it short. It doesn’t need to be more than a few sentences!
- Say hello, greet the customer, or thank them for connecting with you. You build a relationship and you personalize it.
- Ask a direct question. This helps the customer focus on their question so you can write a short response that specifically answers their query. It also shows that you want to help!
You are now ready to interact with customers via Google My Business messaging. Remember: This is another tool for directly interacting with people who are interested in your product or service. Keep communication simple, direct and friendly and try to respond as quickly as possible. You can’t go wrong!
Use Moyens I/O to communicate with your customers through Google My Business and all your other social channels. Create, schedule and publish posts on any network. Get demographic data, performance reports and more. Try it for free today.
