Businesses affected by COVID-19 should update their Google My Business profile with the new operating information for customers.
This measure is important because this way, businesses can be found more easily by potential customers.
Information such as additional services offered to the community and whether deliveries are made will be displayed on your business profile on Google Search and Maps.
Check out Google's 6 guidelines for updating information and temporary closures
1) Change the opening hours
If your business's opening hours have changed, you need to update this information so that the new hours are displayed when customers visit your profile and know exactly when they can visit your store. Learn how to change your opening hours.
However, if you're still open but not serving the public at the location, you shouldn't mark the location as temporarily closed. We'll talk more about this later.
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2) Add a COVID-19 update post to your profile
This type of COVID-19 post is designed to share more detailed and timely updates about what's happening at your company. You can add information about:
- Opening hours, reduced hours and temporary closures;
- Changes in the way the business operates (e.g., pickup or delivery only, calls to ask for details, etc.);
- Practices regarding safety and hygiene care on site;
- Support requests.
COVID-19 update posts appear prominently on your profile and are more easily visible to customers. Learn how to add a COVID-19 update post.
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3) Interact with your customers
Use your GMB profile to support your customers. You can download the Google My Business app and enable messaging so your customers can contact you.
If your customers can't reach you by phone or your business is out of business hours, they can send you messages through GMB and get the support they need. Learn how to enable messaging in the Google My Business app.
You can also enable notifications so you'll be notified when customers send you messages, helping you keep your response time within the 24-hour requirement.
Tip: Write an automated welcome message to let customers know about your business's status.
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4) Update your company description
Your company description should briefly explain what it offers, what sets it apart from the competition, its history, or other useful information for customers.
Example: Our artisanal cafe is located just a few meters from the city center and welcomes many groups of friends who come for ice cream or pizza. We deliver. We have 35 flavors of homemade ice cream and sorbets, served by hand year-round. We also serve delicious thin-crust, crispy pizza every day starting at noon. We're waiting for you!
If your company has had to change the way it operates, use the company description field to share this information, such as:
- if the company is only working with pickup or delivery;
- extra services she is offering to the community;
- possible delays in the services provided.
Learn more about editing your business description.
5) Use attributes to highlight dining and shopping options
Restaurants and grocery businesses have attributes at the top of their profiles to inform customers about service availability.
Your business category determines the attributes available for your Business Profile, such as accepted payment methods, accessibility options, or LGBT-friendly status. When you edit your business information on Google My Business, you'll see the attributes supported by your location.
This new information will appear prominently on your Business Profile when customers search for it on Maps and Google Search. Available attributes will have a "✓" and unavailable attributes will have an "X." Learn more about editing attributes.
Learn more about specific recommendations for food and beverage businesses.
Learn more about specific recommendations for retail businesses.
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6) Update your business as temporarily closed
Marking your business as temporarily closed won't affect your business's ranking in local search, and it will be treated the same as open businesses.
If your business still offers pickup or delivery, don't use the "Temporarily Closed" status.
Businesses offering pickup or delivery services should not make this status change. If they do, these services will not be displayed on Google.
Our advice is to use the business description field to provide updates on how your business is operating, or to communicate this by adding a Covid-19 update post .
to mark your business as temporarily closed on Google here .
Follow these tips to update your Google My Business profile and help more customers find your business.
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