Google Business Profile Features to Turn On
The Google Business Profile features worth turning on are the ones that let a customer act straight from your listing: chat, booking or ordering links, accurate hours, attributes, photos and review replies. Conqueror Capital's rule is simple: turn a feature on only when someone is ready to keep it current, because an unanswered message or a broken link costs more than a missing button.
AT A GLANCE
By Conqueror Capital · Published
The short answer: Check six things: a chat option (WhatsApp or text) someone actually answers, booking or ordering links with one set as preferred, complete hours including special hours, attributes such as accessibility and payments, current photos, and replies to reviews. Give each feature an owner and a weekly check.
1. CHAT: WHATSAPP OR TEXT
Google says businesses with a claimed and verified Business Profile can add a WhatsApp or text messaging option to their contact info, under Edit profile, then Contact, then Chat.1 It is available in select regions, so it may not appear for every profile. If you add both options, Google shows only the text message option to customers.1
When chat is on, customers can message a question before they ever call. That only helps if the phone or WhatsApp account behind it is watched. Our guide on how to answer Google Maps messages covers owners, starter replies and after-hours handling.
2. BOOKING AND ORDERING LINKS
A profile can carry a single link for a menu or a list of services, plus up to 10 links per category for actions such as booking an appointment, making a reservation or placing an order.2 If you have more than one, you can mark one as "Business preferred" so it sits at the top.2
Check the links you did not add, too. Google notes that some booking, reservation and food ordering links appear automatically through third-party partners, and explains how to hide or remove them.2 Our guide on making your online booking link easy to find pairs well with this step.
3. HOURS AND SPECIAL HOURS
Google's tips for local ranking include keeping business hours current, including special hours for holidays and events, and say that businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to show up in local results.4 Set holiday hours ahead of time rather than on the day.
4. ATTRIBUTES
Attributes describe things like Wi-Fi, outdoor seating, payment options and accessibility features such as a wheelchair-accessible entrance. Google says that if you add certain attributes, your business might show up in searches for places with those attributes.3 Some attributes come from customer input, some are limited by country or category, and a review of edits usually takes about 10 minutes but can take up to 30 days.3 Only mark what is true.
5. PHOTOS AND 6. REVIEW REPLIES
Google's tips list adding photos and videos and responding to reviews, noting that positive reviews and helpful replies can help a business stand out.4 Replace photos when the space, team or products change, and reply to new reviews on a set day each week. Our note on Business Profile photos lists what to add first.
WHO OWNS EACH FEATURE
- Small business: the owner or one trusted staff member checks messages daily and runs the rest of this list once a week.
- Mid-size business: route chat to the same team that answers phones and bookings, and keep a shared list of every link on the profile.
- Multi-location and enterprise: decide which features are set centrally (categories, links, attributes) and which each location owns (chat, photos, review replies, special hours). Note that Google says local business links are not available through the Business Profile API or spreadsheet upload, so plan time to set them in each profile.
FAQ
How do I turn on messaging on my Google Business Profile?
If your profile is verified and chat is available in your region, go to Edit profile, then Contact, then Chat, choose WhatsApp or Text message, and add the link or phone number. If you add both, only the text option is shown.
Which Google Business Profile features should a small business turn on first?
Accurate hours with special hours, a booking or contact link, attributes that are true for your business, current photos and replies to reviews. Add chat when someone can answer it during business hours.
Can I add more than one booking link to my profile?
Yes. Google allows up to 10 links per category, such as bookings or orders, and lets you mark one as Business preferred so it appears at the top.
Do attributes help my business show up in search?
Google says that if you add certain attributes, your business might show up in searches for places with those attributes. Only mark the ones that are true.
What changes for businesses with many locations?
Set shared items such as categories, links and attributes centrally, and give each location an owner for chat, photos, review replies and special hours. Local business links cannot be added through the Business Profile API or spreadsheet upload.
SOURCES
- Google Business Profile Help, Chat with customers from your Business Profile.
- Google Business Profile Help, Manage your local business links.
- Google Business Profile Help, Manage your business attributes.
- Google Business Profile Help, Tips to improve your local ranking on Google.
Platforms change often. Check the sources for the current version before acting.
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