WhatsApp Business vs Google My Business: how they work and how are they different

In this article, we show you what the instant messaging platforms of Google My Business and WhatsApp Business consist of, what their differences are and how they can help your business.

How WhatsApp Business works

With the spread of WhatsApp among users around the world, the Facebook company has studied some solutions that allow companies to have a business number they can use to communicate with their customers, in a more professional way.

In particular, companies can create a corporate WhatsApp number in two ways:

1) WhatsApp Business app: is the free solution that allows you to create a company number where you can enter company information, a product catalog, a welcome message and even tag users.

The WhatsApp Business app is designed for small businesses that do not have large volumes of chats and its main function is to allow companies to communicate individually with customers through the famous instant messaging app.

2) The WhatsApp Business API: it’s the solution designed for medium and large companies, that generate numerous chats and that typically have a team dedicated to replying via WhatsApp.

To take advantage of the WhatsApp Business API, you must use an external platform, such as Callbell, which integrates WhatsApp within a CRM that allows you to manage conversations in a structured and organized way.

If you have a business you can use WhatsApp for a multitude of purposes::

1) Sales: WhatsApp is ideal for e-commerce looking for new sales channels. You will simply have to inform your target audience that it is possible to contact you via WhatsApp to attract new leads;

2) Assistance: allow your customers to contact you on WhatsApp to request support and you will create a relationship of greater trust with them. Knowing where to contact you at any time will reassure them and your brand will gain in terms of reputation;

3) Collect feedback or reviews: ask your users what they think about your business, your products/services or about their particular experience with the company throughout the purchase phase;

4) Create polls: create questions for your users and send them out in order to gain useful insights to improve the processes of your business. For this purpose you can use tools like Outside Voice.

How Google my Business works

Google My Business is Google’s free tool that allows you to manage the online presence of your local businesses on Google, including the Search and Maps sections. It is designed for all local businesses that want to serve customers in a specific location or offer their services in a specific area covered by the service.

Google My Business is a solution that helps people find businesses within a geographic region based on particular variables. Businesses verified on Google are twice as likely to be trusted by consumers.

Google is slowing trying to offer answers to users’ questions directly on the search pages, without them necessarily having to visit a particular website.

The aim is to speed up the process of acquiring information from users. It is therefore very important to be well indexed by Google so that you can appear among the top positions, and thus earn valuable leads.

The factors that affect indexing are:

1) Relevance: this falls within the field of interest of the business and how close it is to the user’s request. Relevance is established during registration and account verification and on the basis of SEO data;

2) Distance: the physical distance from the user at the time of the activity in which he/she is searching on Google, in this case the geolocation data will be used;

3)Authority: this parameter includes the number of reviews of the business within Google My Business and their score. It is essential to provide good service to collect good reviews and attract new customers.

For example. Marco is in Turin and needs a mechanic for his bicycle. His Google search query “bicycle mechanic” will first show companies registered as bicycle mechanics in the area where he is located and with a high score.

If you own a local business and want to be found more easily by your target audience, Google My Business allows you to take advantage of three types of benefits:

1) Show accurate information about your business: you can enter all the information necessary to ensure that potential customers can contact you. You will be able to show timetables, website link, telephone number, office address, and service area coverage;

2)Interact with customers: within the Google My Business page, both you and your customers can post photos about your business or the products and services offered, collect and respond to reviews;

3) Attract new customers: with an adequate search engine indexing, users will be the ones to contact you independently. Alternatively, you can also activate Google’s smart campaigns, to be found more quickly.

Google’s new challenge: conquering the instant messaging market for businesses

Given the growing trend of messaging apps in recent years, which have increasingly allowed companies to communicate with their customers, since February 2021 Google has launched its own instant messaging platform: Google Business Messages.

This is a function that allows users to contact the company directly from the Google My Business card, via instant messaging. This radically changes the way we communicate within Google.

Users engaged in a Google search or on Google Maps will be able to contact the business that appears in the results in one click and start a chat to get the information they need.

For example: Marco is looking for a restaurant in Rome on Google Maps and Antonio’s restaurant appears among the first results. Marco seems interested in Antonio’s restaurant, but he wants more information on the type of cuisine. In an instant Marco clicks on the restaurant’s Google My Business tab and clicks on “Send message”, where he will find Antonio ready to answer all his questions.

A huge difference compared to the old use of text messages (SMS) by Google since 2017, since it makes the interaction between company and users much faster, ensuring a much more satisfying experience within the Google platform.

Google My Business messages: here’s how to activate them

Method 1

1) In Google Search, search for my business.

2) Tap Customers  –> Messages.

Tip: On your computer, using Google Search, select Messages.

3) Tap Menu –> Message settings.

4) Turn on or off Chat.

Method 2

1) On your iPhone or iPad, open the Google Maps app

2) Tap Updates –> Messages –> Business.

Tip: On your computer, using Google Search, select Messages.

3) Tap More –> Settings.

4) Turn on or off Messages.

WhatsApp Business and Google My Business compared

The battle between the two giants of the digital world is officially open, and both are trying to gain market shares with messages.

On the one hand, we have an already consolidated giant like WhatsApp which has more than 2 billion active users on the platform and which is already used every day by companies to communicate with their customers.

On the other hand, we have a fierce competitor like Google that is trying not to let users leave its platform to contact companies, and thus speed up the acquisition of information by users.

The use of the two platforms differs mainly in the geographical location of the companies to which the conversations are intended: Google My Business is designed to communicate instantly with local businesses, while WhatsApp Business for companies without any geographical limit.

The way to start a conversation is also different, for Google messaging the user must open the Google My Business tab on the search page or on Maps. Alternatively, it can be redirected to the chat through a QR code or a link such as g.page/companyname. Starting a chat on WhatsApp typically takes place through social pages where the number is shared, or a chat widget on the website or via a link such as wa.me/companynumber.

Although the two messaging channels differ, their purpose remains the same: to make users interact quickly and rapidly with companies, helping them generate new customers and increase their revenue.

Moreover, the two channels are not mutually exclusive: using them both can be an excellent strategy to not to miss any business opportunity. It is also possible to connect WhatsApp to the Google My Business card so that the user can contact you via his favorite channel, find out how in this article.

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How to connect WhatsApp to Google My Business step by step?

First of all you will need to create a digital catalog for WhatsApp on Callbell Shop, the new Callbell tool for creating a real digital shop that will allow visitors to your Google My Business profile to place orders for your products or services directly on WhatsApp.

You can create a digital store on WhatsApp completely free and in just a few minutes, you can customize it with your brand’s colors and logo, add products, categories, delivery methods and much more.

This will allow you to be able to sell your products or services directly via WhatsApp without needing a website. Once your digital catalog has been created, you will have a shareable link that refers to your digital catalog (e.g. v2project.callbell.shop).

At this point, you can go and edit the contact card in your Google My Business account (on the Google search page or in the Google Maps app) and insert the Callbell Shop link on the website or additional info string.

Visit the Callbell Shop website for more information.

Google My Business 2023 updates

One of the most important updates of Google My Business is that it is no longer possible to manage the Google My Business profile from its dedicated dashboard, but only through the Google search page or through the Google Maps app.

add multiple locations to a single tab has also been added . This makes it easier for companies with multiple locations to manage their listings and keep the information for all locations up to date. Additionally, businesses can now add more detailed information to their listings, such as the types of services they offer and hours of operation.

Another big update to Google My Business is the ability to add images and videos to listings. This allows businesses to showcase their products and services in a visually appealing way, which can help attract more customers. Additionally, businesses can now add posts to their listings, which can be used to promote special offers or events.

Google has also enhanced the Google My Business Insights feature , which provides businesses with detailed analytics about their listings. Insights can help businesses understand how customers are interacting with their ads, such as how often they see the ad and the type of actions they take, especially in the context of Google ads for SaaS. This information can be used to optimize adverts for maximum exposure and engagement.

Finally, Google recently added a new dashboard to Google My Business that makes it easier to manage multiple listings. The dashboard gives businesses access to all their listings in one place, making it easier to track all of their locations and make changes quickly.

Overall, the updates to Google My Business have made it easier than ever to manage and optimize your business’ online presence. With new features and improved analytics, businesses can ensure their listings stand out and reach the right customers.