Article Written by Katina Jaye Beveridge, ASBAS Advisor, Western Sydney Business Centre.
Are you taking advantage of the recently released Google My Business features to improve your local search presence?
Every business, big and small, should have a Google My Business or GMB profile. If you’re a local business, it’s all the more crucial.
Google recently rolled out new features and attributes for GMB since the Coronavirus began. If you’re running a local business, you have to know about those changes so you can get the most out of these features.
Change #1: Health and Safety Attributes
GMB has rolled out new attributes so users know the health standards at the businesses they want to visit. These include:
- Appointment required
- Mask required
- Staff wear masks
- Staff get temperature checks
- Temperature check required
Google also rolled out COVID-related attributes for businesses in the foodservice industry:
- Curbside pickup
- No-contact delivery
- Dine-in
Change #2: New Attributes for Online Services
During the pandemic, most businesses switched to digital. Google saw the trend and released new attributes to cater to the online-only crowd:
- Online Care
- Online Appointment
- Online Estimates
- Online Classes
You can take advantage of these to promote your business to people who want to do everything online.
Change #3: Call Logging
This feature is still in test mode, but it’s something to look forward to. This feature will allow you to view recent customer calls made via search. So when a user clicks on the Call button on your GMB profile, Google will log the call and you can quickly get back to your customers. This will be available only on the app, though.
Change #4: Messaging
Google rolled out GMB messaging recently on its desktop app, though it had been available via the mobile app before. It follows the standard chat screen layout so you can see the back-and-forth communication between you and your customers. Remember to respond to messages within 24hours or Google will revoke your messaging rights.
Change #5: Appointments and Quotes
Now, businesses can add an appointment link under their listing to direct potential customers to their website to make an appointment. They can quickly book your services without navigating through your website. Customers can also directly request a quote or ask questions on the search results page.
Summary
Google My Business is a critical tool for local business owners because it’s another way to get noticed by Google. The changes recently rolled out can boost your search rankings and allow customers contact you directly and book services seamlessly via search.