What Options Are Available To Manage A Google Business Profile?
If you own or manage a business that appears on Google Search, you may be informed that you need to finish the verification process, claim ownership of the Business Profile or resolve the issues with the Business Profile being suspended or disabled.
Eligibility
Important: If your Business Profile is suspended or disabled, to make edits for reinstatement, use Google My Business in a Web browser or click Edit Info on Search.
If your business is verified, the Business Profile is publicly available and visible to you and other users. You can manage your business on Search and Maps. If your business is not verified, the Business Profile may or may not be publicly available:
- If your business isn’t verified and your Business Profile is publicly available: You can manage your business on Search.
- If your business isn’t verified and your Business Profile isn’t publicly available: You can manage your business on Google My Business Web. Your profile might not be publicly available if you created a new business on Search or Maps and never completed verification.
Tip: You may notice that Google My Business Web indicates a different status from Search or Maps. For example, Google My Business indicates verified, but Search indicates not verified. In these cases, Google My Business Web displays the most current data. It may take up to 24 hours for Search or Maps to update.
Why do I get options to manage a Business Profile?
There are a few reasons that you may be prompted to manage your Business Profile on Search:
- You tried to claim a Business on Search or Maps and never completed verification in Google My Business: The profile suggests you finish the verification. Follow the instructions you see on the profile to start or complete verification.
- You own or manage a duplicate Business Profile for an existing business that is already live on Search and Maps: The profile suggests you claim ownership of the business. Follow the instructions you see on the profile to start or complete claiming ownership.
- You own or manage a Business Profile that is Suspended or Disabled: When you request reinstatement for your Business Profile, you may have to provide your Business Profile URL on Google My Business. To provide this URL, you must sign in to Google My Business.
I don’t want to manage the Business Profile
You can add or remove other owners and managers from a profile, or remove a business from your Google My Business account.
Transfer profile management
To fully manage the business, new owners and managers need to complete the verification, claim ownership, or fix suspension and profile disablement.
Remove a business from your Google Account
Important: The business is only removed from your account, not from Google Maps or Search. It will still be visible to the public.
If you remove the Business Profile from your account, you will no longer get options to manage it on Search and Maps. It may take up to 24 hours for the options to manage the profile to disappear after you remove the Business Profile.
To remove the Business from Search or Maps and stop public visibility, you need to follow the instructions on the profile to complete the verification, claim ownership or fix suspended or disabled profiles before you can mark the business as permanently closed.
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Further Information
If you’d like to speak to us regarding any of our services, including our online marketing services, please give us a call on 01883 372488 or contact us via Facebook and we’ll be happy to talk you through your options.
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Did You Know That You Can Read & Reply To Messages On Google?
Did you know that your customers can get in touch with you in real-time from your Business Profile on Google? You can answer questions, tell your story, and attract more customers to your business. Chat works best as a conversation between your business and your customers. To ensure the best experience for your customers, follow the chat guidelines.
How it works
Once you turn on chat, customers will find a “Chat” button on your Business Profile and will be able to message you at any time.
- Messages will appear in your Business Profile on Google. You’ll receive notifications for incoming messages.
- You can customize the automated welcome message that customers will get when they message you.
- You can share photos with your customers in the chat.
- If multiple people own or manage your Business Profile, each one can chat with customers.
- Customers may find your name and profile photo from your About me page.
If you’re interested in the chat API, please visit the Business Messages developer site.
Stored messages
Businesses who turn on chat have their messages saved to the account they use to manage their Business Profile:
- If you delete a message from one device, it’s permanently removed from all linked devices. You can no longer access them.
- Important: The message is deleted from only your devices. The recipient can still find the conversation on their devices.
- You can export and download messages to keep for your records or use in other Google products.
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Further Information
If you’d like to speak to us regarding any of our services, including our online marketing services, please give us a call on 01883 372488 or contact us via Facebook and we’ll be happy to talk you through your options.
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Is Google’s Call History Coming To The UK?
It has recently been announced that Google will be allowing certain accounts based in the US and Canada to keep track of phone calls from your customers on Google Search and Maps with call history. To help you respond to missed calls and stay engaged with your customers, call history keeps your calls all in one place.
These calls may make it easier for you to connect with customers who found your business through Google. Any calls you get from your Business Profile will start with a short message that lets you know they’re from Google.
How Does Call History Work?
When a customer uses the “Call” button on your Business Profile, their calls show up in the “Calls” tab in Google My Business. From this tab you can find recent calls, missed calls, and more.
Once call history is on, customers connect to you through a forwarding number instead of through the number on your profile. At the start of a call, you’ll get an automated message that says, “Call from Google.”
Turn on call history
- On your computer, sign in to the Google Account you used to sign up for Google My Business.
- To find your Business Profile, search on Google for your exact business name. You can also search for “my business.”
- If needed, to open your Business Profile, select View profile.
- On the “See call history” card, click Get started
Turn on.
Turn on.Turn off call history
- On your computer, sign in to the Google Account you used to sign up for Google My Business.
- To find your Business Profile, search on Google for your exact business name. You can also search for “my business.”
- If needed, to open your Business Profile, select View profile.
- Click Customers Calls.
- Click the 3-dot menu Calls settings.
- Turn off Turn on call history.
About Google forwarding number
On your Business Profile, customers can find your business number. When they use the “Call” button on your profile, their call is forwarded to a unique number to reach you. This number is different from the one on your profile.
The Google forwarding number varies based on the location in which it’s dialed, which includes its area code or prefix number. When possible, the forwarding number shares the same area code or prefix number as your business. Otherwise, a local number in your geographic region is used. If these numbers aren’t available, a toll-free Google forwarding number is used.
Tip: It’s rare that the toll-free number is needed.
Additional information
- Calls are kept for 45 days in the “Calls” tab.
- If you opted in to call history, you can’t turn off the automated message you receive when a customer calls you.
- You can’t track texts in call history. Call history only tracks phone calls. You can text customers with the Messaging feature in the GMB app.
- If a customer call reaches your voicemail, it is categorized as “Answered Calls” in the Calls tab.
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Further Information
If you’d like to speak to us regarding any of our services, including our online marketing services, please give us a call on 01883 372488 or contact us via Facebook and we’ll be happy to talk you through your options.
