Google Business Profile Chat Is Gone — What Replaced It for Getting Leads?
Smart Text Back Team
Lead Recovery Specialist
For years, small businesses relied on the "Chat" button on their Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) to talk to customers directly. However, Google officially retired this feature in July 2024 (source: Google support), leaving many business owners wondering how to capture those high-intent leads.
Why Google Retired Chat
Google's strategy often shifts toward features that they can scale or that integrate better with their broader ecosystem. While native chat was useful, it was often siloed and difficult for business owners to manage alongside their other communication channels. Google is moving toward more universal communication standards.
The Better Alternative: Text-Enabling Your Profile
While the native "Chat" button is gone, the "Call" button is more prominent than ever. This is where the opportunity lies. By combining your Google Business Profile with a missed call text back service, you create a superior experience that you actually own:
- Step 1: The customer clicks "Call" from Google Maps on their mobile device.
- Step 2: If you can't answer (which happens 62% of the time per 411 Locals' study), they get an instant text.
- Step 3: The conversation moves to SMS—a platform they already use, trust, and check constantly.
The Problem with Google Chat
Google Chat required both parties to stay in the Google app ecosystem. Notifications were often delayed, and once the user left the app, the connection was often lost.
The Power of SMS
SMS has a roughly 98% open rate (Validity/Infobip) and doesn't require any special apps. It creates a permanent thread in the customer's native messaging app that they will see every time they check their phone.
Advantages of SMS over Google Chat
- No App Required: Customers don't need to stay in the Google Maps app to talk to you. The conversation is in their native texting app.
- Permanent Thread: You have their phone number and a permanent history of the conversation.
- Higher Engagement: People check their texts far more often than they check for notifications from Google.
- Data Ownership: You own the lead data and the communication channel, rather than being at the mercy of Google's feature changes.
Conclusion
Don't mourn the loss of Google Chat. Instead, use it as an excuse to upgrade to a more robust, professional SMS-based system. By text-enabling your business number, you ensure that every "Call" from Google turns into a lead, even when you can't pick up the phone.