Google posted an update for business owners to adjust Google My Business
Google is a common search engine available to people across multiple countries. It is widely used by billions of people and business owners to search for various things throughout the day. Today, a common search team is “Coronavirus”. Coronavirus (COVID-19) has greatly affected businesses and industries, and Google has come up with advice for business owners to avoid any negative impact on their business.
Google posted a new help document informing businesses about what steps it can take to avoid any business loss due COVID-19. It is advised by Google to update business hours, phone numbers, business descriptions and/or use Google Posts to share more information to help protect their business.
On March 9, 2020, Google posted an update from its official twitter handle @GoogleMyBiz and shared this information with business owners. According to the official update, it stated that “if your business is affected by COVID-19, update your Google My Business profile to provide the most accurate information to your customers.”
The following Google Help Document has all the information you need to know more about the steps business owners can take to update customers during this outbreak. Follow the link to the Google My Business Help Document and find out what steps should be considered. Below is a screenshot of the document.
Change in Business Hours
If business owners have updated their business hours due to COVID-19, then they must update their business timings on the Google My Business Page to keep customers informed of the changes. Business hours may change because businesses are offering staff work-from-home flexible options to ensure their employees are protected. This will affect opening and closing times because normal operating hours are adjusted as a precaution. It is good for customers to have this information handy in advance so that they can make an informed decision about whether to contact the business or not. If business owners need any help adjusting their business hours on the Google My Business Page, they can learn how to change your hours.
Manage your information
Business owners may share information about whether their business is affected by Coronavirus or not. They can also add or remove services according to their circumstances. For example, if any business deals in travel or tourism then they should update customers about what kind of precautions are being taken in relation to passenger safety. Depending on the nature of the business, timely, accurate and complete updates should be provided to avoid loss to business reputation.
Create a Post
Businesses should inform their customers regularly to let them know about the latest updates related to their business services. Business owners are advised to keep their customers updated about any service changes to maintain the quality of their services.
Update Contact Details
If businesses have updated their contact details or provided any additional emergency contact information, this information should also be shared on Google My Business. This will ensure that customers can continue to be served without any delay or confusion.
Additional Tip
Follow advice from the Australian Government and World Health Organisation Advisory Line while implementing changes to business services, and remember to keep customers informed.
Coronavirus Alert! Google My Business Update