Google Maps is rolling out the ability for verified businesses to message customers directly from the app. Google Search will also be getting a similar feature soon. In an effort to make it easier for businesses to connect with potential customers and vice versa, Google Maps is improving messaging capabilities and customer insights. Besides clicking on the Message button on the business profile, customers will be able to converse with businesses owners from posts they create. Google Maps will soon have more metrics to give business owners a ‘deeper understanding’ over how customers discover their business profiles.
Google announced the new features for businesses on Google Maps and Google Search through a blog post. The tech giant said that when people look for information online, they want quick answers to their questions, that are sometimes niche.
After turning messages on from the Business Profile, verified businesses will be able to reply to customers on Google Maps from the business messages section located in the Updates tab. Furthermore, if customers try calling businesses and the call isn’t answered, they will be prompted to send a message.
According to Google, people have initiated more than twice as many messages to businesses right from Business Profiles on Search and Maps, from the start of this year.
Soon, businesses will be able to see their messages right from Google Search and message customers directly from their computers as well.
Starting sometime this month, Google will show businesses a detailed list of the search queries customers use to find their businesses on Google. Starting early next year, updates to the performance page that shows if customers saw your business via Maps or Search will also be visible, along with information about whether they saw it from a computer or a mobile device. The performance data will be available to see for up to six months.
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