Google Business Profile Adds Text Messaging and WhatsApp

Google Business Profile (GBP) has expanded its customer communication options by adding text messaging and WhatsApp.

Text messaging is the #1 communication channel for U.S. consumers and now Google Business Profiles (GBP) is adding texting and WhatsApp to its contact options when your profile is displayed in mobile search results.

Will SMS be the messaging channel that sticks for Google Business Profile?

⚠️ This new feature is still rolling out for Google and may not be available for all GBPs just yet.

GBP and texting, a needed connection

The popularity of text messaging in every aspect of our daily lives, especially accelerating for business the last five years, has been absent until recently from Google’s contact options.

Google’s Local Service Ads (LSAs) have recently led the charge by incorporating a ‘Message’ call to action.

Google Business Profiles (and its preceding names over the years) has offered the CTAs of website, call, directions, and for a few years ‘chat’. The chat feature was powered by Google Business Messages, the latest of many messaging solution attempts from Google, but killed off abruptly in the summer of 2024.

How to enable text messaging in your Google Business Profile

Enabling this new messaging option in your GBP is easy. When logged into Google and accessing your GBP click on Edit profile and then Contact tab. Go to the Chat section and then you can select “Text Messaging” (or WhatsApp) and enter your texting number. Hit save and your ready to text with your prospects and customers.

It will now display a “text message” CTA in your GBP listing.

Why use a business text messaging app to manage texting

Using a business text messaging solution like Leadferno has a ton of benefits. Add managing your Google Business Profile texts to that list.

Here are the top reasons why this makes so much sense for a business over plugging in your personal phone number or just one of your work phones.

1- Empower the team

When you use a business texting app, you can unlock your texting options from just one person to many on your team. A unified inbox keeps all business messages in one place, accessible to your entire team in one app.

2- Provide instant auto-replies

New leads and messages can receive an instant auto-reply text message when they reach out. This allows the business to confirm the message, set reply expectations, ask for needed information and more. It’s simple, but a big impact on quality communication.

3- Work smarter not harder

Business texting apps offer features like message templates, AI features, the ability to transfer conversations to other staff members, reminders, scheduled messages and more. An app like Leadferno gives you 10x the features of your personal texting app.

4- Centralize your messaging

With an app you can have one place for your website leads (Leadbox widget and Leadform), Facebook messages, Google LSA leads, direct text messages, and now texts from GBP. This also gives your business the data security it needs, instead of customer information and conversations being spread over personal phones. It brings all of your SMS communication in to one secure app you control.

5- Track success with reporting

Know what’s working and what is taking place with your texting conversations. Business texting apps offer you reporting on lead sources, reply times, message volumes and more.

WhatsApp option in GBP

Outside of the United States where SMS is tops by a mile, WhatsApp is the dominant messaging app of choice. It boasts over two billion active monthly users, which is double that of Facebook Messenger. It’s easy to see that Google offered the choices of SMS and WhatsApp to satisfy the vast majority of those that prefer messaging globally.

Time to text with Google Business Profile

None of the features above are available when you use a number attached just a smartphone. Texting is a powerful and popular communication channel for your customers and an efficiency win for your team.

This rollout makes it clearer than ever that Google sees messaging as an important communication channel.

Even if this next attempt for Google to offer texting isn’t one to last, offering text messaging to contact your business is a must today. Managing those text leads and conversations for your business can be a huge win when you use the right business texting app.

With Google Business Profile now supporting SMS and WhatsApp, businesses have more ways than ever to connect with customers. Whether you choose to manage conversations directly or through a business texting app, the key is to stay responsive, accessible, and ready to engage.