Google Business Profiles (GBPs) are a critical tool for businesses of all sizes to connect with customers online. Google made a number of updates to GBPs, listed below:

New messaging features

Businesses can now access and manage messages directly from the desktop version of GBPs. This makes it easier to stay connected with customers and provide them with timely support.

Using this feature, you can respond to messages quickly and efficiently to provide great customer service for your business. Explore more on how to get started with these messaging features here.

"Away Mode"

Businesses can now set their GBPs to "Away Mode" when they are closed or unavailable. This will help to prevent customers from trying to contact the business when it is not open.

Read more about how your business can leverage this new feature at the Google Business Profile Help Center.

New "Pets" attribute

This new structured data attribute is part of a much larger feature of Google Business Profiles that allows potential customers to narrow their business search. The addition of the "Pets" attribute allows pet-friendly businesses to make this apparent to prospective customers.

If your business allows pets inside or outside, updating this attribute may be a good option. For more information on how your business can employ this structured data, read our overview here.

Removed call tracking feature

Google has removed the call tracking feature from GBPs. This seems to come quietly after this feature has persistently caused problems for businesses trying to use it. 

These are just a few of the changes that Google made to GBPs in July 2023. Businesses should keep an eye on the GBPs Help Center for more information about these changes and other updates.

These changes provide the opportunity for businesses to continue to improve their visibility and expand their customer base. To stay up-to-date with the latest changes across all of your businesses' advertising platforms, subscribe to our newsletter to