The Complete Guide to Google My Business Support in 2024

Managing your business information across Google can be hugely impactful – but it can also come with challenges. From verifying your business to updating listings, posting, and more, questions and issues inevitably come up.

That’s where Google My Business customer support comes in.

But what exactly are your options when you need help with Google My Business? Who can you contact? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover all the Google My Business support channels available in 2024.

Overview of Google My Business Support

Google My Business support refers to the various ways you can get in touch with Google’s customer service team for help with your GMB account.

This includes options like:

Live chat with GMB support specialists
Email ticketing for support inquiries
Phone support via Google’s small business phone number
The Google My Business Forum for crowdsourced help
Official Google My Business Help Center

Google understands that local business owners need assistance managing and optimizing their listings. Their GMB support team is dedicated to helping with a wide range of questions and issues.

While Google doesn’t offer full phone support for all products, GMB is one where they do have dedicated phone assistance. This makes it more beginner-friendly compared to other Google products.

Now let’s go through each Google My Business support channel one by one.

Also Read – The Complete Guide to Google My Business Posts in 2024

Live Chat for Google My Business Support

The fastest way to connect one-on-one with the Google My Business support team is through live chat.

Here’s how to access live chat:

Go to google.com/business and click “Manage now” on your listing. Log in to your Google My Business account.
Look for the blue “Chat with support” box on the right side.
Click the text bubble icon to open the chat widget.
You’ll be connected with the next available agent who can help troubleshoot GMB issues.

The benefit of live chat is you get real-time back-and-forth communication with a support rep. You can screen share to show specific problems you’re encountering.

Live chat is available 24/7, so it’s a reliable way to get timely help whenever you need it for your Google My Business account.

Email Support for Google My Business

If live chat isn’t available or if you don’t need an immediate response, you can also email the Google My Business support team:

Go to google.com/business and click the “Help” link at the bottom.
Select your issue category and follow the steps to send a direct email to GMB support.
Clearly explain your issue or question in detail in your email.
Attach screenshots as needed to illustrate the problem.
A GMB specialist will respond to your inquiry via email, typically within 1-2 business days.

While email isn’t an instant solution, it can be convenient for issues that require longer explanations or if you want to provide additional documentation.

Phone Support for Google My Business

For quick help over the phone, Google does provide dedicated phone support for Google My Business users:

US GMB Support Number: 1-844-245-7759
UK GMB Support Number: 0800 358 4923
When prompted on the phone menu, say “Google My Business” to be connected directly with the GMB support team.

Some of the key benefits of phone support include:

Instant answers – Speak directly with a knowledgeable agent.
Technical troubleshooting – Walk through issues together on a call.
Account verification – Phone may help expedite the verification process.
Documentation – Have your account information and questions ready.

So keep the GMB phone number handy when you need urgent phone assistance with your Google My Business account.

Google My Business Forum

In addition to Google’s official support channels, the Google My Business Forum serves as a community for local business owners to crowdsource advice.

Some key things to know:

forums.google.com/business – This is where the GMB forum lives.
Anyone can join, participate, ask questions, and answer other users’ questions.
While not directly run by Google, verified contributors often provide high-quality advice.
Use it to discuss best practices and to learn from other local businesses.

While not an official support channel, the Google My Business Forum can provide supplementary help from other users. The community often has valuable insights to share!

Google My Business Help Center

Lastly, the Google My Business Help Center is your one-stop hub for help articles, guides, and resources on all things GMB:

support.google.com/business

The Help Center features:

A searchable database of help articles on GMB features.
Step-by-step guides for common tasks.
Announcements, updates, and tutorials from Google.
Options to contact GMB support team.
Answers to frequently asked questions.

Think of the Help Center as your self-service knowledge base for Google My Business. It’s full of official documentation from Google on how to manage your account.

Between the Help Center and reaching out to GMB support, you have various channels to get assistance with any Google My Business issue.

Getting Help with Specific Google My Business Issues

Now that you’re familiar with the main Google My Business support options, let’s go over how to get help with some specific common issues:

Verifying Your Google My Business Account

If you’re unable to verify your GMB account, there are a few options:

Live chat – Instant help troubleshooting verification.
Phone support – Speak directly to support for the fastest resolution.
Email – Reach out to support with specific verification issues.
Forum – Connect with others who’ve had similar verification problems.
Help Center – Consult Google’s guides on the verification process.

Editing and Updating Your Business Information

To edit your business name, address, hours, and other listing details, try:

Live chat – Get real-time guidance editing your GMB profile.
Email support – Explain needed listing edits in detail.
Help Center – Follow Google’s step-by-step editing instructions.
Phone – Call for quick assistance making updates.

Reporting Profile Issues and Violations

If you need to report listing inaccuracies, impersonation accounts, or other issues, you can:

Use the “Suggest an edit” and “Report a problem” links on your GMB profile.
Reach out to support via live chat or email to report listing violations.
Submit feedback through the Google My Business app.

Managing Google Reviews

To handle issues like duplicate reviews, unwanted reviews, and review violations:

Use the review management tools on your GMB dashboard.
Connect with support by phone, email, or chat for help with reviews.
Consult the Help Center for Google’s review policies.

Google My Business Posts

If you have questions about creating, managing, and optimizing your Google My Business posts:

Turn to the Help Center for best practices with posting.
Chat with support for real-time post-troubleshooting.
Phone support can also advise on posts.

Also Read – how to use LinkedIn for thought leadership

Google My Business Insights

For help understanding your GMB analytics and reports:

Review the Help Center insights guides.
Use live chat to ask the experts your metrics questions.
Email support with insights attachment examples.

So in summary, here are the best GMB support channels for some of the most common issues:

Account verification: Phone, live chat, email
Listing edits: Live chat, Help Center
Reporting issues: In-profile reporting, live chat
Reviews: Built-in tools, phone, email
Posts: Live chat, Help Center
Insights: Help Center, live chat

Tips for Successfully Connecting with Google My Business Support

Source – Popup Media Production

Reaching Google My Business (GMB) support can be tricky, but it’s not impossible! Here are some tips to connect successfully:

Choose the right channel:

Phone: Fastest for urgent issues, but can be challenging to get through due to high call volume.
Email: Preferred for detailed inquiries or non-urgent matters. Expect a longer response time (up to 48 hours).
GMB Help Center: Search for your specific issue and browse articles, FAQs, and community forums.
GMB Community: Post your question to the community and get help from other business owners.
Social Media: Google My Business sometimes responds to inquiries on Twitter and Facebook.

Before contacting:

Gather information: Prepare details like your business name, domain, issue description, and screenshots if relevant.
Check eligibility: Some GMB features or support options might be unavailable depending on your location or account type.
Review resources: Look through the GMB Help Center for answers before contacting support.

Connecting tips:

Be clear and concise: Explain your issue clearly and directly in your message or call.
Be polite and professional: Treat the support team with respect, even if you’re frustrated.
Provide relevant details: Include all the necessary information to help them understand your issue.
If you don’t receive a response within a reasonable timeframe, politely follow up.

Additional resources:

GMB Help Center: https://support.google.com/business/?hl=en
GMB Community: https://support.google.com/business/?hl=en
GMB Twitter: https://twitter.com/googlemybiz?lang=en
GMB Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoogleBusinessProfile/

Bonus tip: Consider using third-party GMB management tools, which often offer support capabilities and direct communication channels with Google.

Remember, patience and persistence are key when dealing with GMB support. By following these tips and utilizing the available resources, you’ll have a better chance of successfully connecting and getting your issue resolved.

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.