Google Business Profile Chat Feature Scrapped

Google Business Profile’s chat and call feature has been consigned to Google’s digital scrapheap. From July 15, 2024, customers will no longer be able to contact businesses via GBP, and from July 31, this feature will be removed entirely—along with customer call history.  

The news will come as a shock to many business-owners who rely on the chat feature to generate new leads and sales. It is the next surprising loss in a long line of handy features and services that Google have axed over the many years. In this article, we’ll advise on what businesses can do to help prepare themselves for this update, and how they can keep their digital marketing campaigns at the top of their game. 

What is Google Business Profile?

Google Business Profile (GBP), formerly known as Google My Business, is a tool that allows businesses to better advertise and market themselves on Search Engine Results pages (SERP’s). Introduced in 2014, the feature works to enhance businesses’ visibility online, instantly centralising all of its essential information in one place. This includes the business’ services, location, reviews, and ways customers can get in touch.  

The Google Business Profile Chat Feature

At present, one of the ways customers can contact a business using GBP is via the ‘chat’ button. This feature allows customers to communicate with businesses in real time; customers can open a chat box to ask questions, receive quotes, or place orders, creating a direct channel of communication between customers and businesses. This conversational-style chat option allows businesses to instantly supply customers with answers to their queries, information about their services, and even lets them share photos helping them to generate more leads and sales.  

Google’s Update

However, this feature – along with GBP call history – is set to be disabled on July 15 and scrapped altogether on July 31.  Google announced: “Beginning from 31 July 2024, the chat and call history features in Google Business Profile will no longer be available. You won’t be able to interact with customers through chat or find customer call history from your Business Profile.” 

Google are aware of the consequences this change might have on businesses and are committed to helping them through the phase-out to minimise potential negative impacts. Google will be letting customers know that the feature is being deactivated in advance and are also offering business-owners the chance to download past GBP chats or call history via Google Takeout. 

What Businesses Can Do

The news might come as quite the body-blow to business-owners who rely on the chat feature to acquire customers on a regular basis. Thankfully however, here at Chameleon, we’re big on adapting. Having been in the digital marketing game for over 23 years, we’re used to helping businesses navigate the turbulence that can often follow essential Google updates and announcements. Here’s a list of ways you can ensure your business respond effectively to the news:   

• As businesses can still be contacted through Google search and Google Maps, we recommend optimising your existing Google Pin information and schema data so customers can still easily find your business contact information, helping you to continue to pull in those all-essential leads. 
• We also recommend that you add your phone number to your GBP if your profile doesn’t have one yet, or if the number is hidden. Adding a phone number to your profile by July 31 will ensure that customers can still contact you directly even after the loss of the chat feature. 
• You might also want to consider inviting your customers to use alternative chat channels, perhaps integrating a ‘chat box’ feature to your website, so they can continue to communicate with you directly. 
• You should also keep your eyes peeled for the latest Google announcements and updates; Google are likely scrapping the chat feature to better streamline their features and services in the future. This could eventually see the re-introduction of the chat feature in a different form. Preparing yourself to take advantage of these new updates and features will be crucial for ensuring you stay ahead of the competition. 

A History of Scrapped Features 

This isn’t the only significant change that Chameleon has helped businesses to navigate; our many years of industry experience has allowed us to become the go-to guide for businesses looking to adapt to the changing digital marketing landscape.

Just last year, we helped businesses adapt to the discontinuation of Google Optimise, a web analytics and testing tool that ran for nine years. In 2019, we also overcame the loss of Google Correlate by upping our keyword research game.

As Google continues to look for ways to evolve and streamline its services, more features will inevitably follow and take their place in Google’s digital scrapheap. That’s why it’s vital for business-owners to anticipate and respond effectively to essential Google updates to ensure there’s no disruption to the functioning of their business.

Leave the Marketing to the Pros!

If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of keeping up to date with Google’s latest updates, or the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing in general, don’t fret—Chameleon is here to help! 

Our team of seasoned marketing professionals can help ensure that your marketing strategies are always current and optimised for success. From leveraging the power of AI to crafting compelling campaigns, we have the expertise to deliver outstanding results, just ask one of our many clients! 

If you want to elevate your business with cutting-edge digital marketing, or simply leave the complexities to the experts, contact Chameleon today.