Please read about the changes regarding Google no longer support Business Messages. We're sad to see this change. Please let us know if you have any questions. We recommend asking for mobile numbers for any leads coming through Google.
Business Messages appears as a mobile chat feature on Google Maps and Search. The basic steps to get started with Business Messages during our beta include:
Go to the Integrations screen under the upper-right menu > Integrations.
When getting started, authorize Google. While the permission allows read, edit, and delete access, Leadferno only reads accounts and listings, but there is no permission available to ask for read only. See Google's API documentation for the available scopes.
Select your account (or location group) and location.
Select the default greeting, verify the agent name (displayed on responses), and logo (must be < 50 kB and 1024 x 1024 px).
Note: please contact support for service area businesses (SABs), since Google doesn't fully support the end-to-end sign up flow for SABs that hide their address.
Verify with Google
Once submitted, it will go into the pending state and then Google will need to verify the agent and location submitted. In order to verify, please let us know you've started the integration. We'll send you some test links and then start verification. For verification - see below for details:
You receive two emails from Google to enable Leadferno to manage messaging.
Respond to the verification email from Google.
Google verifies the agent. Then, Google will verify the location.
This process can take 1 to 2 days.
Note some terms specific to Google's Business Messages:
Agent: the conversational entity users interact with on Google. For now, beyond auto-responses, all Leadferno agents are connected directly to a profile so that your team can message directly with users.
Brand: A Leadferno customer is the brand with Google. Typically represented by a single website, and possibly many locations.
Google Business Profile (GBP): the location or listing for a business that appears on Google Search and Maps. See Leadferno's business profile as an example.
You'll respond to one with a special verification key sent in the other. The verification key is generally a six digit number. When Google gets your reply, then your agent will be verified. It may take a day or two.
Launch with Leadferno
Now that your agent is verified, Leadferno will connect the agent to your profile on Leadferno. Then, Leadferno will launch the agent. New messages will come through the Chat button on a local search result. Example below.
Note: if you have enabled Google's Business Messages through Google Business Profiles manager, you must disable it. Otherwise you may continue to receive messages through that channel too.
Terminology
Note some terms specific to Google's Business Messages:
Agent: the conversational entity users interact with on Google. For now, beyond auto-responses, all Leadferno agents are connected directly to a profile so that your team can message directly with users.
Brand: A Leadferno customer is the brand with Google. Typically represented by a single website, and possibly many locations.
Google Business Profile (GBP): the location or listing for a business that appears on Google Search and Maps. See Leadferno's business profile as an example.