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On November 15th, the Google My Business (GMB) messaging feature will move from SMS (texts) to the free GMB App. This means that you will no longer receive an SMS when customers reach out to you via your GMB listing. Instead, you will now need to download the free GMB app to continue getting messages.
Back in July 2017, Google officially announced the messaging feature within the Google My Business platform for users based in the United States. This feature serves as an extra channel for users to connect with businesses. Once this feature is enabled for a Google My Business listing, a “Message” button is added, and prospective clients can use it to communicate with the business at any time. Initially, businesses only had the option to receive these messages via text messages (SMS) to their designated cell phone number or via Google Allo service, which was subsequently shut down. In 2018, Google added the ability to receive and reply to these messages by using the Google My Business app, which is available for iOS and Android platforms.
Google recently announced that the option to receive and reply by text messages (SMS) is going away on November 15th of this year, affecting businesses that still rely on that method. So the question is, what will happen once the old SMS-based way is gone?
Make the most of the new app-based way. Based on the recent announcement, it looks like Google wants you to spend more time on your profile with its free app. Google is trying to provide more valuable things to see and do within the app. According to Google, now you will only be able to manage the messages via the Google My Business mobile app. We expect this change to bring an easier way to get to all your clients’ chats, rather than needing to look through tons of text messages.
To keep getting messages from customers, complete the following steps:
- Download the free Google My Business app.
- Open the Google My Business app and log in with your Google account.
- Tap the ‘Customers’ tab, select ‘Messages,’ and tap ‘Turn on messaging.’
- Start receiving and responding to messages from your clients.
A Google My Business listing offers a vital tool to help grow a business’ online local presence. For businesses that decide to enable this messaging feature, it is extremely important to reply to clients’ messages promptly to address their questions.
