New profile setup stalls at phone/website step

[Yeep]

Has anyone experienced this today?
I'm setting up a new GBP and I get to the step where I enter the phone number and/or website URL and hit Next and ...nothing... happens. The Skip button doesn't do anything and the back arrow does nothing.
I'm on an Apple computer. I've tried 2 separate browsers and also dumped my cache & history. It's like the buttons were turned off or deactivated.
I guess I'm calling it a day and will give it a go tomorrow.

 

[Brian - TGL]

I go into auto pilot mode with forms so I can't tell you 100% if this is the case, but sometimes you have to "crack the code" for the phone number syntax . . . in the case that you select the US flag the country code of "1" is usually implied and you enter the 10 digits no spaces, no dashes, no parentheses. If you copy and paste sometimes a leading or trailing space ends up in the field (especially if you were pasting from the same clipboard in both browsers).

The other thing that I have had interfere with forms are browser extensions/plugins.

 

[Yeep]

Thanks, Brian! I never input the phone number because of our phone tree, and I can't get a Google Code there to verify the business. I always input the website and get a code emailed to someone@thedomain.com.
After my post above ^ I thought I should try Incognito mode. No go!
I will ensure there are no extra spaces before or after the URL though.. Cheers.

 

[Yeep]

Circling back on this... there were no extra spaces before or after my URL. When I click Next, nothing happens.

This is very odd - because even if I had errors in those two fields, the Skip button or the Back arrow to return to the previous screen should still function. The Skip button lights up when I click it, but alas, nothing happens.

 

[Brian - TGL]

It doesn't look like the phone number is optional on the form. You could always proceed with a personal cell phone number and then update the phone number after the approval (you risk the need to re-verify at that point changing core info).

Depending on your IVR, some have the ability to forward an incoming SMS to a destination mobile device.

I have seen a few replies in the Google forums over the years from @keyserholiday about this also.

You could also reach out to GBP support at: https://support.google.com/business/gethelp

 

[keyserholiday]

Has anyone experienced this today?
I'm setting up a new GBP and I get to the step where I enter the phone number and/or website URL and hit Next and ...nothing... happens. The Skip button doesn't do anything and the back arrow does nothing.
I'm on an Apple computer. I've tried 2 separate browsers and also dumped my cache & history. It's like the buttons were turned off or deactivated.
I guess I'm calling it a day and will give it a go tomorrow.

Google doesn’t like phone trees. Use a tracking number and port it to the main number. I doubt Google will allow you to verify via phone. A lot has change over the past year.

 

[keyserholiday]

It doesn't look like the phone number is optional on the form. You could always proceed with a personal cell phone number and then update the phone number after the approval (you risk the need to re-verify at that point changing core info).

Depending on your IVR, some have the ability to forward an incoming SMS to a destination mobile device.

I have seen a few replies in the Google forums over the years from @keyserholiday about this also.

You could also reach out to GBP support at: https://support.google.com/business/gethelp

Thank you for tagging me. I have a lot going on at the moment so the email alert helps.

 

[Yeep]

@Brian - TGL so is this new as of today? I entered a new profile on Friday and omitted the phone number at this step.
I've been working in this space for 5 years, and I have never entered a phone number at this setup step. I always enter the URL and click Next.
Can someone confirm you are now forced to enter the phone number at this step?
Sheesh, Google! What the hell?

 

[Yeep]

@Brian - TGL it seems to me both fields at this step are optional, otherwise why would there be a Skip button?

 

[Brian - TGL]

@Brian - TGL so is this new as of today? I entered a new profile on Friday and omitted the phone number at this step.
I've been working in this space for 5 years, and I have never entered a phone number at this setup step. I always enter the URL and click Next.
Can someone confirm you are now forced to enter the phone number at this step?
Sheesh, Google! What the hell?

I was just commenting on the visual aspect of the form where it states the website is optional but doesn't state that for the phone number. I have never set up a GBP with no phone number myself so I have no direct experience with that aspect.

 

[Brian - TGL]

@Brian - TGL it seems to me both fields at this step are optional, otherwise why would there be a Skip button?

I agree with that, record a Loom and submit that to GBP support with some random example data.

 

[Yeep]

Google doesn’t like phone trees. Use a tracking number and port it to the main number. I doubt Google will allow you to verify via phone. A lot has change over the past year.

I agree. Google doesn't like phone trees - you can't verify by phone when you have a phone tree. I stated this in my follow-up post earlier. This is precisely why I don't enter a phone number at this set-up step because if I enter a phone at this step and I'm served up a phone call or text option to verify, I'm screwed. I can't verify this way.
I'm not going to enter a phony number just to try and trick Google into letting me verify with a personal cell phone number. No, thanks, that seems like a bad idea.
I enter the URL at this step, and am typically given email verification or business video. Email is optimal, but I've been able to verify by video too.
This still doesn't get me past this screen to set up the new GBP. If both fields were mandatory (phone & URL), then why is there a Skip button?
I'm leaning toward my first best guess... this step in the setup is broken.

 

[Stefan Somborac]

You must have a phone number and/or website; one but not both. To quote the guidelines, "Provide a phone number that connects to your individual business location, or provide a website that represents your individual business location."

I have a friend who runs a coffee shop. She doesn't want calls so she doesn't publish her phone number. Not publishing a phone number obviously isn't that common but I've seen it on some night club profiles.

As for profiles without a website, just look up plumbers and electricians in really small towns. A lot of those businesses don't have a website. (They get what they need from a Facebook Page.)

The problem being discussed here is in fact a bug!

 

[Giovanni Rosso]

Good morning, I was also doing the same operation of creating a new Business Profile yesterday evening, Central European time, and I was unable to proceed at the same point.

We have to wait

 

[fisicx]

This may be part of Google's efforts to try and combat fraud: having a phone number they can use to directly verify who you are and then by default allow customers to contact you via your GBP.

So not sure it is a bug. If you want a GBP you need to enter a direct telephone number (not a tree). If you can't do this Google doesn't care. There are plenty of other businesses who can comply.

 

[Nicolae Juravschi]

Hello. Hope you all are ok! Could someone say why last time its imposible to make new location in Google Business, it's stop on the last step of creation. We have bulk verified account - but still cant make new locations. Thanks!

 

[JoyHawkins]

What is the error you're getting?

 

[Nicolae Juravschi]

What is the error you're getting?

We have bulk verified profile. And there is no problem usualy to creat a new location. But from yesterday in anu profiles for any client - we cant do it. Its like a bug! Finel buttom - for creation is not activ!

 

[JoyHawkins]

Yep - I'm hearing a lot of reports about this today. It looks like a bug. I'll update this thread if I hear anything from Google on when it will be fixed.

 

[Yeep]

I have to agree with @Giovanni Rosso and @Stefan Somborac – this is a bug!
I have submitted this issue with the Google Help Community here, so I'm hopeful this will be solved immediately.