One of the greatest benefits of adding messaging to your Google My Business profile is that your listing stands out from the competition. Depending on your category, potential customers may see “Message,” “Get Quote,” or “Request a Booking” prompts that wouldn’t be visible otherwise.

Below are a few examples of messaging prompts on Google Search and Google Maps:

On the search results, customers will generally only see a messaging option when your profile is visible. This can happen when customers are searching for a generic type of local business, but your profile shows appears reliably when they are searching for your company by name.

When a customer messages you through their Google Maps app or a web browser, you will receive a notification in your Google My Business dashboard. They can send you text and even photos.

Below is what someone sees when they send a message through Google Maps:

It’s incredibly easy to enable messaging on your Google My Business profile. Just go to the “messaging” tab in your owner dashboard and click to enable messaging. Make sure you also download the Google My Business app (iOS) (Android) to make it easier to quickly respond to messages.

Note: Make sure you enable notifications in your app. After you opt into messaging, it can take a few days for the messaging prompts to appear on your Google My Business listings. Be prepared to respond in a timely manner once your customers start reaching out!

If you have successfully set up messaging, you should see a confirmation screen like the one below:

When messaging has been activated for your profile, you will receive a confirmation notification in your inbox. You don’t need to reply to this message, but Google expects you to respond to actual customer messages within 24 hours or they may revoke this feature from your listing.

Google sees messaging as a privilege. If business owners abuse or neglect this feature, it will be removed from their Google My Business listings.

Below are guidelines for properly using messaging so you can keep this powerful tool active:

• Reply quickly when you get a message. You’re more likely to convert leads into customers, and Google publicly displays how quickly you respond based on your last 10 messages.
• Be professional. Be polite and use proper grammar and punctuation.
• Block a conversation if you are being harassed. If someone is harassing you through the messaging feature on Google My Business, you can disable their messaging permissions. This should be considered a last resort and should not be taken lightly.
• Don’t ask for sensitive information. Avoid taking credit card numbers or other sensitive customer data like Social Security numbers through your Google My Business listing.
• Don’t be too friendly. Writing long messages, using slang terms or profanity, and including lots of emoji should be avoided.
• Don’t send spam. You should not use messages to talk to customers about unrelated products or services. Google does not want you to treat messaging as an outbound sales channel.

Messages are a great way to convert potential customers into big fans of your brand. By meeting people where they are—on their screens—and using this feature responsibly, you can participate in meaningful, profitable conversations.