Google's Advice To Businesses Affected By COVID-19: Provide Customers With Updated Info

Google published a list of simple ways in which businesses affected by the Coronavirus outbreak can keep their customers up-to-date.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, businesses must make sure they are conveying the most accurate and up-to-date information to their customers. As it’s not “business as usual,” any number of things – i.e., opening or closing times – may change, so businesses need to be prepared to use Google My Business to let people know.

If your business is affected by what’s happening right now (or not), here are a few things you can do to help keep customers updated.

Change your business hours

Make sure you update your business opening and closing hours so that customers know when to visit. This helps avoid unnecessary movements. Customers can find your business hours on your Business Profile in Google Maps.

Update your business description

Google suggests that you update your business description to explain to your customers whether your business is affected by COVID-19 and what you are doing about it. To reassure your customers who might be concerned about this, you could also share any information about the precautions you are taking.

Create a post

If you are a local business, defined as “one that serves customers at a particular location or within a designated service area,” you can publish offers, events, products, and services directly to Google Search and Maps through Google My Business.

Posts will allow you to share more timely and detailed information about what is happening with your business.

For example, as Google explains, you could “add information about what products and services you have available, and link to other resources. You can continue to use Posts to directly communicate with your customers on a regular basis as your business changes.”

.@Google: Businesses affected by COVID-19 should use Google My Business to provide customers with updated info.

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Update your phone number

How often do you run into a business on Google that has the wrong phone number? You would be surprised to know how much of a problem this is, actually. Do the right thing, and make sure your customers can contact you easily on the phone if they need to. Here’s how you can update your phone number on Google My Business.