Want to provide real-time support to your customers on Google platforms? Google Business Messages is a secure communication ecosystem to do that, win customer trust, and increase conversion.
When customers are able to resolve their queries safely and quickly, their experience is bound to improve, increasing your sales revenue by 2-7%.
To help you achieve this, we have elaborated all about Google Business Messages including its working, benefits, and best practices. Let’s go!
To utilize the full potential of Google Business Messaging, integrate it with your CRM system so you can easily customize messages and provide personalized customer journeys. Also, accelerate conversions over Google Business Messenger by anticipating customer needs and addressing potential issues in advance.
What is Google Business Messages?
Google Business Messages is a mobile-first messaging platform that enables businesses to interact with customers across various Google entry points like Google Maps and Google Search.
Leveraging this channel’s advanced features and accessibility, you can answer customer queries over chat, complete transactions, and offer quick and personalized support.
You can also share high-quality service-related videos, product images, informative carousels, and store locations over Google Business messages. This helps customers to make quick purchase decisions and resolve queries (if any) directly through the platform.
What’s more, its read receipts help customers know you have acknowledged their messages.
How Google Business Messaging Works?
Google Business messaging works like any other chat tool. Let’s take a glance at how it works on Google entry points –
Step 1: Search Business Messages on Google and click on the top Google search result.
Step 2: Tap on the Go to Console icon and create a Business Messages partner account.
Step 3: Now, from the console, set up SMS and calls, add agents, enable chat routing, and build automated messaging.
Step 4: Once done, enable chat. Immediately, a chat feature icon will appear on your Google Business profile.
Note: Finally, customers will be able to see a chat option beside your business name on Maps and SERP. They can then use it to communicate with your business.
To integrate Google Business Messages into your website, follow these steps –
Step 1: Sign up on your website, copy the chat widget code from the Google For Developers page, and insert it into your website.
Step 2: Once done, log into your Google Business portal and get access to chat data and administrative tools.
Step 3: Next, customize the chat page, activate chatbots, set up agents, and define proactive chat rules.
Step 4: After your account is fully set up, your chat window will show up on your website!
Note: The chat window goes live on your website once the account is set up.
Why Should You Use Google Business Messages?
79% of customers prefer live chat channels (given their immediate support) to any other legacy customer support channel. That’s one of the reasons why you must use Google Business Messaging to fulfill customer preferences.
Here are some other compelling benefits of using Google Business Messages.
1. Better response times
Google Business Messages enables agents to manage multiple asynchronous interactions simultaneously, which significantly reduces hold and handle time. It also allows you to integrate and leverage AI chatbots to send auto-responses for frequently asked questions or basic issues, improving response times.
2. Connect with customers on their desired platform
Customers often expect businesses to resolve their queries wherever they drop one.
As Google is the most preferred channel to search for a product or service (with around 92% of the search engine market share), customers are likelier to ask questions over Google Business messages. Using this platform to connect with your customers will thus help you enhance customer satisfaction and experience.
3. Improve customer engagement
Media like image carousels, high-resolution videos, and suggested replies make messages visually appealing, engaging customers better. Google Business messages support all these media options so you can conveniently showcase your products to your customers, let them swipe through the options, and make them learn more about the product.
4. Better conversions
Google Business Messages is a highly convenient and low-barrier entry point from maps, websites, and Google searches for high-intent customers. It helps you convert leads better by letting them complete the entire purchase process and transactions without leaving the chat.
5 Best Practices for Using Google Business Messaging
Google Business Messaging offers a lot of features that you can only leverage if you use them in the right way. Here are thus the best practices for using Google Business messages.
1. Remain highly responsive
Customers expect quick responses from businesses, so when using Google Business Messaging, you must ensure quick replies via bots. Now, if customers want to speak to a live agent, your agents must respond to the existing chat conversations with a solution or update within 24 hours.
Following this practice will help you enhance customer engagement, win customer trust, and avoid losing customers to competitors.
2. Don’t ask customers for sensitive information
On Google Business Messages, never ask your customers to share passwords or credit card numbers to ensure these details are off the record, enhancing data security. Instead, rely on OTPs to access the required information in a secure and encrypted manner.
Alert customers to never share such information over chat. How? Get the conversation started with an automated welcome message so they are aware of any fake interactions moving forward.
3. Monitor interaction quality
Conversations over Google Business Messages are often the initial interactions that define your brand image in front of your customers. To ensure it’s great, consistently evaluate and improve the quality of conversations using metrics like average chat duration, CSAT scores, and the chat-to-lead ratio of the existing chat conversations.
4. Train agents
You must train live agents who interact with customers over Google Business Messages so they speak a positive and relatable language. For instance, agents must use we instead of I while talking to the customer and state the best possible solution when customers ask a question.
With this language, your agents will be able to make customers feel valued and trust them better. Don’t forget to personalize your conversations so customers feel deeply seen and understood.
5. Provide value to customers
Customers have lots of brand options to buy a particular product, so why would they choose you? Of course, only if you genuinely engage and provide value during their interaction with your business. So, make sure to send media-rich messages loaded with product images, videos, links, and website blogs on your Google Business chat.
Such messages will educate customers about your product and convince them to make a purchase decision.
Wrapping Up
Now that we have reached the end of this guide, we hope you understand what is Google Messages better. Adopting this communication channel offers customers the convenience of reaching out to you in case of queries while exploring your brand on Google.
So, you must quickly set it up following our step-by-step process. To leverage its 360-degree benefits, consider working with a helpful partner like ControlHippo. You can then leverage rich features to create meaningful connections with customers and provide the best experience. So, wait no further and sign up for a free ControlHippo trial now!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can get to Google Messaging for Business by accessing your Google Business profile.
You can see and enable messaging for Google Messages on your Google Business profile.
Google My Business messaging feature is a messaging channel that enables businesses to connect with their customers over Google Cloud through main entry points like Maps, Search, and Ads.
To stop Google Business Messages, open the Google Maps app, navigate to the bottom right, and click on Business Messages Google. Now, tap on More and click on Message Settings. Finally, toggle off the chat.
Yes, you can turn off Google Messages by toggling off the chat in the Business message settings under Maps. Google remains as it is just the messages will be disabled.
Updated : July 22, 2024
Naina Khare is a full-time writer who fiercely believes in the power of storytelling and primarily holds expertise in creating content for B2B SaaS brands. She’s infinitely curious and happiest when reading, writing, or exploring spirituality and self-growth. Over the years, Naina has written content for various SaaS and B2B companies.
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