The handy Google tool has had some changes in the last few years. Here’s a rundown.
The Name
To start, Google My Business is undergoing a name change. It will be known as Google Business Profile. The platform has undergone multiple name changes over the years, including Google Local and Google+. Even with the name change, it’s likely that you’ll still see Google My Business, GMB, and even some of the earlier names show up occasionally in Google’s wording.
Dashboard Additions
Google added several insights to its dashboard. For businesses, this translates to untapped potential, especially when there are new clients and when they want to get a closer look at the statistics before working on improvement.
Changes to Business Support
Google’s announcement post also included that the current GMB web portal would “transition to primarily support larger businesses with multiple locations.” Some speculate that Google is moving away from supporting small and medium-sized businesses, while others suggest that the impact on most small businesses will be minimal. Since Google has offered only “more details on these changes in the months ahead,” we’ll all have to wait a bit longer to see the result.
Accessibility
One of the most important changes includes Google’s decision to eliminate the Google My Business app. Instead, Google is encouraging business owners and customers to access their profiles via Google searches or Google Maps.
Call History
Now you can keep track of phone calls from your customers on Google Search and Maps with call history. Currently, this feature is only available for a select number of businesses in Canada and the US. Note that Google changes the phone number to a tracking number, so your actual phone number won’t be displayed.
Google Posts
If you’re wondering what on earth is Google Posts, it’s a new feature that allows you to publish your products, services as well as events directly in Google Search’s Knowledge Graph and Maps. When there are multiple posts, the newest ones will automatically feature first while the older ones will get showcased in a carousel. Posting often is a good idea as these will stay live only for seven days except for events, which will stay live until they are over. https://www.brightlocal.com/learn/google-business-profile/optimization/google-posts/
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