If you’re managing a Google Business Profile, listen up—there are some changes on the horizon. Google recently announced that they’re waving goodbye to chat and call history within Business Profiles. But what does this mean for you? Let’s break it down.
What Is Changing?
Starting on July 15, 2024, Google will begin winding down the chat feature in Business Profiles. By July 31, 2024, the curtain will fall, and chat functionality will be gone for good.
- No More New Chats:
- After July 15, you won’t be able to initiate new chat conversations directly through your Business Profile.
- But don’t panic! Customers can still find you via Google Search and Maps, accessing essential info like your website link, business description, and photos.
- After July 15, you won’t be able to initiate new chat conversations directly through your Business Profile.
- Existing Chats Get Notified:
- If you’ve been chatting away with customers, they’ll receive notifications about the chat phase-out.
- If you’ve been chatting away with customers, they’ll receive notifications about the chat phase-out.
Impact On Your Business
If your business heavily relies on Google Business Profile chat and call history for your customer communication, the recent changes might raise concerns for you. But fear not! While chat and call history features are being phased out, customers won’t be left hanging. They can still find and contact your business via Google Search and Google Maps.
Your business profile will continue to showcase the essential information such as website links, descriptions, photos, and more. Plus, you’ll retain the ability to receive calls and track engagement metrics, like web traffic and direction requests through the analytics.
Remember that convenient communication channels matter! According to a Forrester study commissioned by Google, 68% of people are more likely to buy from a business that offers seamless interactions. To fall inline with this, Google’s latest approach is signaling a shift in shaping the future of business interactions on its platform.
What You Can Do
With Google Business Profile Chat and Call features ending, to prepare for this we recommend the following:
- Download you Chat and Call History
If you need a record of those chats and calls, download the history with Google Takeout - Make sure your Google Business Profile is up to date.
This is a good time to review your Google My Business Profile to make sure all your details are up to date. This is also a great time to spruce up your desciption, update photos, etc. - Look for alternative communication channels
Encourage customers to contact you via other channels such as Phone Calls, Emails, Microsoft Teams, Social media or a 3rd party chat function on your website.
Need Help Transitioning From Google Chat
Are you looking for help to save those Chat & Call histories & evaluating tools to keep communicating with customers? Our team is able to help you impliment these changes for your business.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.
