1. ๐ Free AI receptionist inside your Google listing
Google is opening its AI-powered messaging to more Google Business Profiles. Customers who find you on Search or Maps can text you from their phone's own messaging app, and a Google AI agent answers the routine stuff right away: hours, services, specials, "can I book Saturday?"
If it can't answer, it hands the chat to you, and you can jump in any time.
๐ฒ Free (Google: "at no cost")
โ ๏ธ The AI only works for customers on RCS phones. Everyone else's texts go straight to your phone
๐ How: open your Business Profile, look for the red dot on Messages, turn it on. Update your hours/services first, because it answers from your profile
Source: Search Engine Roundtable, Oct 29 + X posts from Mike Blumenthal & Bodhi (Local SEO)
Google Business Profiles AI-Powered Messaging
Google seems to be rolling out access to the Google Business Profile AI-powered messaging feature to more businesses. I believe we covered this in June of this year, but since then, Google made some updates to the feature.
This AI-powered messaging lets you "connect with customers from Search and Maps and let them message your business on their phone's native messaging app," Google wrote. It uses an Al agent who "will answer routine questions from customers, instantly and at no cost." If the AI agent doesn't know, it will then hand off questions it can't answer and you can take over conversations at any time. And all the messages are available in the Business Profile.
This was spotted by Claudia Tomina who posted more details on LinkedIn who shared a GIF of it in action:
She said, "Look for the red dot on Messages in your profile. Google is rolling out AI-powered messaging, so customers can message your business from Search and Maps right in their phone's own texting app."
Here is the welcome screen to turn it on:
An AI agent answers the routine questions instantly, like "what are today's specials?" or "can I book for Saturday?" In Google's example, the agent pulls up menu items with photos and prices, then offers open reservation times. When it can't answer something, it hands the conversation off to you, and you can jump in whenever you want.
And it's free. You'll just want to read the fine print first. The AI agent only works for customers on networks and phones that support RCS. Everyone else's texts go straight to your phone, and standard text rates may apply.
My advice: before you turn it on, make sure your menu, hours, and services are up to date. The agent can only answer as well as your profile does.
Mike Blumenthal shared on X an email he got about this rolling out, so I guess Google is letting more in to this feature. It says, "get early access to the AI-powered messaging pilot on your Business Profile on Search and Maps at no cost. You can allow an agent to handle common customer questions and help with reservations, allowing your team to dedicate more time to running the restaurant*. Your agent will redirect complex questions to you."
I do not see it yet myself but maybe you do?
