GMB Messages - Now Forcing Setup Through Google Play or App Store Install on mobile phone?

[Diogo Ordacowski]

I'm curious if everyone's GMB dashboards are now prompting messages setup by diverting you to install GMB's App within Google Play or the App Store (see attached image)?

Is this something that google is now forcing on everyone?

What happened to the "give me your number and I will text you a confirmation code" option?

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Hey @Diogo Ordacowski

I am seeing the same thing across all the accounts I manage as well.

From what I have been able to gather this is working as intended. Seems the messaging feature has been updated so that it's built into the GMB app now.

I am not clear on whether or not the feature will be able to be setup on desktop in the future. I suspect that it will.

One challenge we have encountered so far is that if you have upgraded to the agency dashboard you can't access your listings via the GMB app. So if you need to setup messaging for a client you would need to walk them through how to do it themselves via the app.

 

[Diogo Ordacowski]

Interesting. I appreciate the link to the formal GMB announcement about the GMB app. I wonder if they moved the old messaging set up to "links to app stores" to drive up adoption with this app launch?

I hope they bring the old setup method back. We were really close to developing an "all in one" solution for multiple location businesses to handle GMB text messages within our software.

This new approach to handling GMB messages pretty much put a wrench in that project.

 

[Chaddow]

Hi Everyone

I am seeing this to that you have to use the app for all messaging instead of the phone number like before. I think the old set up will not be coming back since google has sunset Allo this week

The change in functionality is also part of a wider role out as GMB messaging is now on offer in a lot more countries across the middle east ( I would also guess the world) than it was last week

 

[Chaddow]

Hello Everyone

Great write up from Mike on this topic written a few days ago worth a read if you have not already