A day after Google Maps expanded its social features with the rollout of a new ‘Community Feed’ that aggregates all the latest reviews, photos and posts submitted to the app by local experts, it is now set to get a new direct messaging feature that enables verified businesses to communicate with customers directly within the app.
According to Google, business owners can now update their Business Profile directly from Maps or Search to better engage with their customers. “Once you turn messaging on from your Business Profile, you can start replying to customers on Google Maps from the business messages section in the ‘Updates’ tab”, said the company. Soon, businesses will also be able to see their messages right from Google Search via the ‘Customers’ menu on their Business Profile and message customers directly from their account.
Google is also making it easier for customers to get the information they want from businesses. As part of the plan, users can now start a conversation from any post created by a business in addition to initiating a direct chat with a company by clicking or tapping on the ‘Message’ button on their business profile. They will also be prompted to send a message if they try to call a business but don’t get a response.
Direct Messaging is the latest feature being added by Google Maps as part of the company’s plans to make the service more feature-filled for both customers and business-owners. It comes just a day after the app added a new section called ‘Community Feed’ which shows the latest information about local eateries and watering holes, personalized for each user’s selected interests.
Featured Screenshots Courtesy: Google
