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SEO Management

COVID-19 Forces Changes to Google My Business

By March 27, 2020No Comments

Everything is changing quite rapidly with COVID-19 speeding around the globe. Today I want to talk about how Coronavirus is influencing Google My Business.

COVID-19 Forces Changes to Google My Business

So, what exactly is happening with Google My Business while all of this Coronavirus madness going on?

Firstly, more than a few GMB users are having trouble adding a business description or profile short name to their Google My Business profile. The reason for this is that Google has disabled most edits to GMB profiles due to the Coronavirus and the necessary restrictions that are being implemented.

Secondly, many users are reporting that their posts on the Google My Business forum are being rejected even though the posts have no discernable violations. This is an issue that Google is aware of and working to resolve, but it is likely the result of the restrictions mentioned above.

Thirdly, some businesses are reporting that their Google My Business profile is marked as their business being closed when they did not request for that change to be made. This can be remedied by manually setting the business as open in the dashboard area and publishing right away.

Lastly, Businesses on Google My Business are not able to receive new reviews at this time. At the moment, customers are leaving reviews but when submitted, those reviews are not showing up. This has been happening for a full week now but there is no “fix” to date.

Other points of concern include:

  • Business reponses to reviews from customers are not being posted.
  • Google posts for chains have been temporarily permitted.
  • Google My Business chat support and phone support are no longer available so businesses must use e-mail to contact GMB
  • Questions and answers on GMB have been removed completely.
  • Users are unable to post photos to business listings because they are not showing up at all.
  • Edits to Google My Business dashboard edits remain as pending and anything outside of business descriptions, hours, and business attributes are not being prioritized.

COVID-19 Changes to Google My Business Got You Worried?

If you’re worried about Google My Business changes due to COVID-19 and you need someone to help you to get things straightened out for your business, Online Presence Manager can help. To find out how we can help you to better your online presence and master the current changes to Google My Business, just call me today at 727-475-6460 for your free consultation!

OPM John

Author OPM John

I've been digital marketing since the Commodore 64. I specialize in providing fully managed digital marketing and local SEO services for businesses. When I'm not managing a SMB presence, I post reputation, SEO, and social media management tips for business owners.

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