Google Business Profile 2024 News Updates: Everything You Need to Know

 Podcast Transcript:

Let’s talk about the three most recent Google Business Profile updates. That includes Google Business Profile call history going away. Google Business Profile chat also going away, which is actually a pretty big one. And the last one was an interesting one. A new accessible little icon in Google Maps that shows users and searchers when a business has an entrance that Wheelchair accessible.

All right, let’s jump in.

Hey, welcome back to local seo unlocked My name is christian hustle pleasure to have you here And that’s right We’re talking about three updates coming from google business profile that I know that if you have a local seo strategy Which I hope you do You’ll want to stay in the known on this one. So let’s start with the first one So beginning july 31st 2024 call history reports will no longer be available This does not mean that customers cannot reach you They can still reach you.

They still can’t convert via clicking website, clicking on call you now, or, or click to call the call history was actually a feature that was logging phone calls. If you had that enabled, not everybody had it, but if you had it enabled, it was logging every incoming call coming from Google maps. and hence call history.

So that is a section that is going to go away. Google is giving you a chance until August 30, 2024 to download your call history in case you need that. But if you’re using call tracking software or you’re, or you were not even using call history, Then there’s not anything to change for you. Number two changes to google business profile chat or profile chat This is a big one.

So the chat is going away is being deprecated Uh, this was an announcement a few days ago out of the blue not a lot of time given by google Now this is impactful because I do see Customers and brands and local businesses using it in a variety of ways one You I mean, as a chat. So if customers wanted to chat with you, sending you messages via Google maps directly, that will no longer be available.

This feature will be deprecated by July 15, 2024. And again, it is a bigger deal because I’ve seen, we work with several automotive shops, auto repairs and things like that, where they are using such chat feature to, or customers are using it to request quotes and request pricing or schedule appointments easily via chat that will no longer be available.

Now, Google is recommending for you to use their Booking now or order now or depending on your products or services It may not even apply so you may be completely out of this and instead leverage your chat on your own website again, all the call to actions the request directions Call you now visit your website.

Everything stays the same. This is just that feature message us feature That is going away If you’re managing your google business profile or somebody in your team is managing it They probably received an email with this notification Google also said that if you have active chats open with customers, they will be notified that the chat is going away So July 15.

So keep that in mind as you start to plan ahead and try to move those conversations or if you work heavily leveraging this chat feature to move it on to your chat on your website. Now let’s talk about the third one which is that wheelchair accessible icon showing on google maps. This was spotted by Anoush Hopefully I’m pronouncing it right.

We’re basically showing that there is a little icon that shows wheelchair accessible entrance. A lot of the times when they’re spotting things like this are it’s Google testing new features and it’s very hard to replicate. So I went on Google maps and I looked at the profile of one of our nail salons and I was able to see that icon right here.

So I said, okay, well maybe that’s, because I’m managing it. So I went on to search in Google maps. And I started to search for car dealers and I started seeing that icon again and again on, I mean, even on sponsored ads search, not all of them have it because if the profile does not have that wheelchair accessible attribute in Google business profile, this will not show.

So if your business has that. Such a feature, make sure that you’re taking advantage of that attribute. Here’s another example looking at restaurants, same similar thing. If you’re, we actually have several restaurants that we do SEO for local SEO in the Austin area. So this is another great one to make sure that you’re taking care of that attribute.

Again, it’s going to depend on the industry. If you have a B2B office where you don’t really get food traffic, It’s not as important versus a restaurant, a car dealership that people are frequently walking through the door. I think this is a great way to stand out, right? As you saw it here on some of the dealerships.

Uh, it looks like a good 70 percent of them have the attribute enabled, which is great. But those that do not is a good reminder to go add that attribute on your google business profile Those are the three updates I have for you regarding google business profile If you like this video give it a like consider subscribe it to the channel as we talk about All things local seo here on this show.

Thank you so much for watching. I will see you on the next episode