Getting on Google My Business and maintaining your listing can get hairy. There are dozens of common challenges business owners face, such as problems accessing your account, verifying your business, and dealing with duplicate listings.
This post covers the different ways you can reach Google My Business as well as communicate directly with experts and fellow Google My Business members. We’ll also close off with some FAQs about Google My Business in case you are just getting acquainted.
How Do I Get Google My Business Help?
There are four ways you can contact Google for your business: via phone, Twitter, Facebook, and email. Let’s cover the details for each method so you can get the support you need.
1. Call Google My Business Support Directly
Trying to find the Google My Business contact number is a lot harder than it should be. So, to make your life easier, we’ve provided the number below, along with some helpful tips.
To contact GMB via phone and speak with a live person, call 1-844-491-9665
Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. EST.
Tips When Calling Google:
Expect to wait! As an international company with tens of millions of Google business listings, it’s unrealistic to think you’re the only one calling in.
Put your phone on speaker (or use headphones) so you can stay productive while waiting. Take this time to learn about getting listed in other directories, compile high-quality photos you want to upload to your listing, brainstorm effective Google My Business posts, and come up with a list of valued customers that you can ask to leave a review. You may also want to review and respond to your reviews, as this sends signals to Google that you are active with your listing, and also increases the chances of getting even more reviews.
Also, make sure you’re logged into the account you need help with. More often than not, people are logged into their personal account rather than their business account, which can cause some last-minute scrambling when you finally get someone on the phone.
2. Contact Google My Business on Twitter
If you find the wait times unbearably long when trying to call Google My Business directly, another viable option that most are surprised to learn is contacting Google My Business through Twitter.
To contact GMB on Twitter, simply send them a Tweet at @GoogleMyBiz.
Because this secret has been out for a little while now, a lot more businesses are aware of it and taking full advantage. As a result, you can expect to wait around 30 minutes on average for a personalized response from one of Google’s team members.
That’s right, no generic, automated responses here! You’ll get your very own Google employee to help you resolve whatever issue you’re facing via direct messaging on Twitter.
While you’re waiting for a response, you may want to browse the GMB Twitter feed for updates and information. Learn how to turn your Business Profile into a video, mark your business as Black-owned, post promotions, and complete other tasks.
3. Contact Google My Business via Facebook Message
Google has also made it fairly easy to get in touch with the GMB team via Facebook. Simply click the link below to be redirected to the Google My Business Facebook page and send them a direct message.
To get in touch with Google My Business on Facebook, click here.
Similar to Twitter, you can expect a short wait before someone responds. Regardless of the issue, you’ll receive personalized help to get it resolved as quickly as possible.
4. Fill out Google’s Email Support Form
When faced with a problem that doesn’t require immediate attention, you always have the option of filling out an email support form. Though it can take up to 24 hours for Google to get back to you, they’ll typically provide multiple solutions in a single email so you don’t have to keep going back and forth.
To get in touch with GMB via email, click here. Select the option that best describes your problem and follow the support form instructions.
Where Else Can I Get Google My Business Support?
Now that we’ve covered the four primary ways of getting in touch with Google My Business, in this section, we’re going to cover a few additional resources you can take advantage of.
1. Google My Business Support Center
You can reach out to Google directly through the Google My Business Support Center, but this place also has a vast library of how-tos and FAQs. If you don’t feel like waiting for a team member to get back to you, this is a great place to find solutions to some of the most common problems GMB members face.
2. Google My Business Community Forum
The Google My Business Community Forum is a gathering place where product experts and Google My Business members just like yourself can communicate directly. Here you’ll find thousands of posts, updates, and detailed guides so you can resolve a myriad of problems on your own.
3. Our Help Articles
From getting set up on Google to responding to reviews, we have some resources you can refer to with regard to Google My Business.
4. LocaliQ’s Listings Grader
Looking for a quick and easy way to improve your listings? LocaliQ’s Business Listings Grader assesses your listings fast and helps you identify what you’re missing. This is a great option if you’re struggling to maintain visibility in local searches but aren’t sure where to start.
Google My Business FAQs
In addition to the above ways to contact Google My Busines support, we thought it might be useful to also share some frequently asked questions in case you’re getting familiar with the platform.
What Exactly Is Google My Business?
Google My Business is a free account you set up to manage your business listing on Google. By proactively managing your listing, you can get found in online searches, rank higher than competitors, show up at the top of results, and get chosen by more customers. A free and easy way to gain visibility on Google? Yes, actually. It’s a win-win. The better your listing is, the better Google is able to help its users find what they’re looking for. This aids in Google’s efforts to bring the physical world online.
How Do I Edit My Google Business Profile?
To edit your Google Business Profile, you need to first understand the difference between a Business Profile and a Google My Business account. Your Business Profile is your free listing on Google, which you (or anyone) can add via Google Maps. Your Google My Business account is the platform through which you add more information about your business.
That being said, to edit your listing, you first verify ownership over your listing through your Google My Business account. In other words, you are telling Google which location on Google Maps your Google My Business account has control over. You can do this via postcard, phone call, or email, depending on your industry.
Does Google Charge For Business Listings?
Google does not charge for business listings. You can have multiple listings under one account at no charge. The important thing to focus on is the accuracy and value of your listing. Google’s goal with Google My Business is to equip consumers to more easily discover and compare businesses relevant to their needs, and make educated decisions on the products and services they are seeking.
So, while your listing is free, you are not exactly free to publish whatever you please on your profile. Google does regulate the type of content you include in your listing and Google posts to ensure you are in line with their mission.
Can I Advertise My Listing?
There are two options for paying to play with regard to your Google Business Profile. The first is through the Google Guarantee badge. This badge was originally only for Local Services Ads but is now available for Business Profiles as well — for $50/month. The way it works is, your business must pass a screening and qualification process through Google. Once you have the badge on your profile, this means customers who chose your business through this badge can be reimbursed by Google for your services if they aren’t satisfied with your work. Of course, Google will contact you to identify what went wrong in the situation to make sure it falls under qualifying events for reimbursement.
The other way you can pay to have your listing show is through Google Ads. If you don’t have a website, you can verify your business through Google My Business and advertise with Smart campaigns.
With the right settings, your listing can appear in local results as with the example below:
You now have eight ways to get support for Google My Business:
- Call 1-844-491-9665
- Tweet @GoogleMyBiz
- Message @GoogleMyBusiness on Facebook
- Submit a form via email
- Visit the Google My Business Support Center
- Browse through the Google My Business Community Forum
- Browse our help articles
- Run your profile through WordStream’s Google My Business Grader
Good luck!