Over the last year, Google has rolled out several new features and attributes in Google My Business (GMB).

If you’re a client of ours – you know we take local search pretty seriously. One way to excel with local search listings is by taking advantage of Google My Business. In this article, we will discuss some of the newest changes within this platform. 

Reporting Metrics

We really love data. Monthly reporting, weekly insights, digging in deep for information – this is where we thrive. So we were thrilled when Google announced enhanced GMB performance reports.

Now you can log into Google My Business and see:

  • Where customers found you on Google
  • How many people have reached out to you after a visit to your profile page
  • How many times your business profile surfaced in search results
  • The most common actions that customers take on your listing
  • Photo views
  • Phone call tracking

All of this information provides you with valuable insights. In addition, the information motivates you to keep your profile up to date! 

Health & Safety Attributes

As a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, GMB rolled out new attributes so that searchers can make informed decisions about the health standards at businesses they may visit.

These new GMB attributes are:

  • Appointment required
  • Mask required
  • Staff wear masks
  • Staff get temperature checks
  • Temperature check required

The guidelines allow searchers to be prepared for their visit to your location – both by being prepared with the right safety protocol but also by setting expectations. While this is not mandatory, we feel it is important to advertise the guidelines when it makes sense. 

Messaging

Google recently rolled out Google My Business messaging! Now, when you log into GMB, you might see a Messages button on the left-hand sidebar. If you click on it, you’ll go to the Messages interface.You do have to opt in for this service, so log in and get started! 

Once up and running, the messaging follows the standard pattern. You’ll see the back-and-forth between you and the users you are messaging with. We recommend responding to messages within 12-24 hours to avoid being penalized by Google. If you cannot commit to this turnaround time, we do not recommend taking advantage of this feature. 

Black Owned Business

Launched in response to user interest, Google updated shopping search results to make it easier for people to find Black-owned businesses.

Log into your GMB account and scroll down to the square that says: Celebrating Black-owned businesses. From here you can click “add Attributes”. We have noticed that in some cases, it does take some time for the change to go into effect.

These are some of our favorite “lesser known” Google My Business features. If you are interested in taking advantage or learning more, give us a call to talk about how we can improve your local search profile!