Google Maps: Now users can chat with businesses right from the app

Google new feature for Google Maps that would allow users to communicate with verified businesses on the app.

The new feature would let consumers message businesses right from the app. Google Search will soon get a related feature. Verified businesses will get a message button on their business profile that would customers chat with the owners.

Declaring the new feature, Google announced, “Starting today, we’re rolling out the ability for verified businesses to message with customers directly from the Google Maps app. Once you turn messaging on from your Business Profile, you can begin replying to customers on Google Maps from the business messages section in the “Updates” tab. And soon you’ll also be ready to see your messages right from Google Search (via the Customers menu on your Business Profile) and message consumers directly from your computer.”

To communicate with customers, Business profiles are expected to turn on messaging on their profile. After doing this, the account will begin receiving messages from the customers.

Sometimes customers claim specific questions like “Do you make gluten-free cakes?” or “Is there covered parking?”. Now with the rollout of the latest feature, the buyers will get their answers immediately. Customers can chat with businesses under the “Update Tab”.

Google stated in the blog that it had seen an uptick in the number of messages sent to businesses. Due to the pandemic, people need to be twice sure about things before walking out. The company says that users have sent more than twice as numerous messages to merchants right from Business Profiles on Search and Maps.

Google also declared that it is rolling out more additional metrics to let Business profiles know how users find them on search. “Starting this month, we’re rolling out more metrics to give you a deeper knowledge of how customers discover your Business Profile. Soon you’ll see a more detailed list of the search queries customers used to find your business on Google. At the beginning of next year, you’ll see updates to the performance page that show whether customers saw your business via Google Maps or Search and if they saw it from a computer or mobile device. All your performance data will be open for up to six months. Dig into the numbers to recognize how your business is performing over time and how your Business Profile resonates with customers,” the blog read.