Marketing Google Business

GMB Messaging Made Simple: The Definitive 2023 Guide

February 10, 2023
GMB Messaging

Looking for a way to boost your local sales and SEO? Need an easy and efficient way to communicate with potential customers?—Google My Business (GMB) messaging is the perfect solution.

Customers appreciate when businesses make addressing their concerns and feedback convenient. According to a study by Harvard Business Review, customers who receive prompt responses to their queries are more likely to become loyal customers. GMB messaging provides businesses with a direct line of communication, allowing them to respond quickly to customer queries and build relationships.

This comprehensive guide will provide all the information you need about GMB messaging in 2023. We’ll also discuss best practices for using GMB messaging that can help increase your visibility on Google search results.

What is Google My Business (GMB) Messaging?

Google My Business (GMB) Messaging allows businesses to communicate directly with people looking for their products or services. With GMB Messaging, customers can send messages and ask questions directly to a business’s profile, allowing the business to respond quickly and resolve customer queries faster than ever.

This is an effective way for businesses to build relationships with their customers and create a more personalized experience. Businesses can use GMB Messaging to take customer feedback and improve their products or services accordingly.

If you want to know how GMB can help your business and customers, check out our guide: What Is Google My Business?

Google My Business Is Now Google Business Profile

Google My Business is an innovative tool developed by Google that helps businesses reach more potential customers, get discovered in local searches, and be more visible on Google Maps. It’s a powerful way to connect with prospects and customers in the local area.

Google My Business was recently rebranded as Google Business Profile, which makes it easier for businesses to create and customize a profile. With it, you can add pictures of your store or office location, provide information about hours of operation and contact info, list services offered, post updates, and more.

How to Enable GMB Messaging

Local businesses with a single GMB account can easily turn on the messaging feature by searching “My Business” in the search bar. You will find Google Business Profile management tiles on the left side. Once you click the “Turn on chat” tile, Google will show you a prompt to turn on chat. Your messaging feature will be turned on after clicking that.

If you are an agency or manage multiple business accounts, here is how you can enable GMB Messaging:

  1. Sign into your Google My Business Account.
  2. On the left-hand side of your dashboard, you will see a section called “Messages.”
  3. Click the “Messages” option and follow the prompt to turn on messaging for your listing.
  4. Once you’ve enabled messaging, check your inbox regularly for customer inquiries.

Enabling GMB Messaging is one of the crucial steps to optimizing your local SEO strategy.

Google My Business API vs. Google My Business App

GMB messaging API

The Google My Business API is perfect for you if you’re a business with multiple locations. Currently, in closed beta, it’s only available through official Google Business Messages Partners. And each partner can set their pricing for the product. 

If your business is set up at a single location, you should use the free Google My Business App. This type of account is free and easy to use. If you plan to scale your business and open in multiple locations, you can seek help from a Google Partner to help you set up a GMB API account.

6 GMB Messaging Best Practices to Boost Your Local Sales & SEO

As a business owner, you know the importance of staying connected with your customers. That’s why using Google My Business (GMB) messaging is crucial.

Here are six best practices for using GMB Messaging to maximize its effectiveness and get the most out of it.

Create a Welcome Message

Welcome messages are the first point of contact with potential customers and allow you to introduce people to your business, demonstrate why you’re different, and make a good first impression.

When crafting a welcome message, it’s important to keep in mind that you’re introducing people to your brand for the first time. Your message should be informative, friendly, and inviting. You should explain who you are and ask inviting questions so potential customers can clearly understand what you can do for them.

Enable Notifications

Enabling notifications on your GMB page is key to getting the most out of it. Notifications alert businesses of customer messages and keep them informed of the activity on their page. By responding to customer messages quickly and efficiently, businesses can show potential customers that they are dedicated to providing excellent customer service.

Share Images

Images are powerful tools that can help your local business stand out from the crowd. That’s why it’s important to use them strategically in GMB messages. They can grab attention, showcase products, and address various concerns.

You can also use tools like Publer’s GMB image scheduler to reduce hassle and automate your image sharing.

Make Sure to Respond Within 24 Hours

Promptly responding to customers is key for boosting your local sales and SEO. Ensuring that you respond to customers within 24 hours is essential. Doing so will show customers that you take their inquiries seriously and are willing to help them with whatever they need.

gmb-messaging-response

If you continue responding after 24 hours, Google will remove the message button from your profile to protect the reputation of the feature. Don’t worry–you can turn it on again.

Report Spam

When it comes to GMB messaging, spam is a major issue. Businesses often receive spam messages, many of which are sent by bots. Spam messages can affect your response time, shaking your image for customers. Plus, they can hurt your Search Engine Optimization (SEO). You can report spam messages in your GMB profile.

Keep Conversations Relevant & Short

When engaging with customers over GMB messaging, staying on topic and keeping the conversation short is important. If a customer has a question, provide a concise answer that gets straight to the point.

It can be helpful to ask follow-up questions to get more information about the customer’s needs so that you can provide an even more helpful and tailored response. But keeping conversations to the point is key.

Key Takeaways

Google My Business (GMB) messaging is a powerful tool for businesses to connect with customers and boost local sales and SEO. Following the best practices above can help businesses get the most out of GMB messaging. To recap:

  • Google My Business (GMB) Messaging allows businesses to communicate directly with potential customers and build a personalized experience.
  • Google my business App and Google my Business API are two types of GMB accounts.
  • Create a welcome message to introduce potential customers to your business
  • Enable notifications on the GMB page for customer messages so you can answer them promptly
  • Use images strategically to grab attention and showcase products
  • Respond to customers within 24 hours to demonstrate excellent customer service
  • Report spam messages in your GMB profile to protect your response time and customer service reputation.

Experience the power of GMB messaging with Publer. Use our bulk scheduler and other features to make managing your GMB page easier. Try today!

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