Google’s Business Messages lets your brand be found across multiple channels and devices and allows interested people to chat directly with your team. People can chat with you on Google search on their mobile devices:<\/p>\n
Customers and potential customers can chat with your local company when they search directly for your business on Google Maps, and your Google Business Profile appears. And if you opt to use a third-party tool (which we’ll explore later in this article), people can even chat with you on your website – desktop and mobile:<\/p>\n
Google’s Business Messages is available in two ways: Google Business Profiles and through third-party apps<\/h2>\n
Google makes its Business Messages chat feature available in two ways: Google Business Profile and Google’s Business Messages API<\/a> used by their partnership with various third-party apps<\/a>. The Google Business Profile Business Messages chat features are limited but provide just enough chat functionality for local businesses to meet potential customers’ demands.<\/p>\n Suppose you’re a national brand (i.e., not a local business or one that doesn’t qualify for a Google Business Profile<\/a>) or want to take your chat capabilities up a notch. In that case, paying for and using one of the third-party partner tools is the way to go! Check out this video from Google that shows just some <\/em>of the ways you can use Google’s Business Messages chat feature to help customers, connect your business with hot leads – and close sales:<\/p>\n The chat capabilities (and pricing) of the third-party tools vary, so be sure to check each of them out and see which third-party app best fits your company’s goals!<\/p>\n First, let’s start with local businesses that already have a Google Business Profile. It’s easy for local businesses to use the chat feature so people can send messages to your company. You have to turn on the chat\/messages feature in your Google Business Profile.<\/p>\n If you have a single location, the easiest way to turn on the chat feature is to do it directly from Google search<\/a>.<\/p>\n While you’re in Google search, search for your business name or enter “my business” in the search field. You’ll see the Google Business Profile management tiles on the left side. Click on the “turn on chat” tile.<\/p>\n You’ll then be prompted to “turn on” chat.<\/p>\n Once you click that button, happy days are here! You’ll see a cheerful message with balloons letting you know that you’ve turned on the chat feature. Customers will now be able to chat with your business.<\/p>\n Suppose you have multiple Google Business Profile locations (i.e., you are a digital marketing agency or manage multiple locations). In that case, the best way to turn on chat is through the Business Manager<\/a>.<\/p>\n Now, you may be confused when you see the word “Messages” instead of “Chat” in your Business Manager dashboard. According to Google, the “Messages” and “Chat” features are the same product.<\/em> Google is currently working on creating more consistency in the naming of these products.<\/p>\n To set up chat, click on Messages and click the Turn on messaging button.<\/p>\n When you set up the chat feature, you’ll receive an email from Google letting you know that the feature is all set up – and you’re ready to go!<\/p>\n Note: <\/strong>After you’ve set up chat, one thing you will probably notice right away is that the Chat feature is not<\/em> available on your company’s Knowledge Panel on desktop computers. To me, this is a huge<\/strong> miss on Google’s part. After all, people still use their desktop computers – especially if they’re doing a lot of research about a product or service.<\/p>\n According to Google, they constantly listen to user feedback and conduct user research to look for ways to improve the product. So if you think Google should add this feature, please let them know!<\/p>\n Get the daily newsletter search marketers rely on.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tGoogle Business Profiles: Local businesses can turn on the chat feature<\/h2>\n
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