After rolling out an update that enables Google My Business users to use Google Posts, Google is again updating My Business with a messaging feature.
Exclusively to some users in the U.S., they can use a messaging feature built into My Business by accessing a section called 'Messaging' located on the left. Accessing that will show an option in the middle that says :"Message with customers."
Clicking on it for the first time, users need to configure the mobile number of the device they wish to connect to. And after verifying the number, the feature will allow users to set up an auto-reply message to customers that contact them using the 'message' icon after seeing the business' local panel in mobile search.
My Business users can use Google's Allo messaging app, or the native messaging app installed on their mobile devices.
Google began testing the messaging feature back in November 2016 when the company posted an update to its help documents, which said about a new pilot program that allows some businesses to chat with their customers directly via the local knowledge graph panel.
This was when Google first added the 'message' icon that will initiate a chat between the searcher and the business they wish to speak to.
At that time, Google said that "Google My Business allows you to chat directly with customers who find your business listing on Google Search."