For any small businesses around the Collinsville, IL area it is crucial to have access to your business’ Google Business Profile (GMB) and have it fully optimized. Your profile is one of the biggest things Google will use to show your business on searches. If you are familiar with the platform already, you may be aware that it features chat and call history features to allow more interactions with potential customers. Google has begun sending out emails to all owners of Google Business Profiles that these features will begin to be phased out. In this blog we would like to discuss what you need to know about these features being removed and how to adapt.
The Chat Feature
The chat feature available on GMB profiles allowed potential customers to send your business a message on Google. Customers could use this as a way to get more information on your products or services, get an estimate, or anything else that could help them decide whether to become a customer or not. As of July 15th, 2024, Google will no longer allow any new conversations using this feature to be created as they begin the process of removing the chat option. All functionality of the chat feature with previously existing conversations will come to an end July 31st, 2024. We urge anyone with ongoing conversations to find a way to move on going conversations off the platform.
The Call History Feature
A helpful tool for business owners in the Collinsville, IL area has been the call history feature offered on GMB. This feature allowed you to track the call history of people calling you from your Google Business Profile. You could see missed calls as well as other helpful information about the calls you were receiving. Google has announced that this feature will be completely removed from the platform on July 31st, 2024. If you would like to stay updated on your call history there are many other options out there with some phone companies having platforms or features to give you detailed information. There are also some tools available online, however, for the security of your company and customers we suggest doing your own research to ensure you go with a secure & trustworthy platform.
If you operate a small business in Collinsville, IL or the surrounding areas and are looking for a company who can help you manage your Google Business Profile & other online listings, give Hometown Marketing Group a call today.
