Switching off delivery providers yourself
On 28 October Lisa Landsman of Google announced a change for restaurants on LinkedIn. Ordering providers can now be switched off directly in the profile, separately for pickup and delivery. Until now a business had to ask each provider to remove its link. In the comments someone asked which countries this covers. According to Search Engine Journal, a Google product manager replied “all”.
Google's rules for ordering partners say that every integration starts out switched on and that a business may switch it off at any time. A provider therefore stays visible until you switch it off.
On 5 November Google's help page still describes the old route. You open “Food ordering” in the profile, pick the provider and then “Remove link”. The provider then has five business days. The switch “Accept orders on your profile” hides all ordering options at once. Where the new per-provider switch sits, the help page does not say yet.
Chat links that Google adds itself
On 28 October Search Engine Roundtable reported on emails in which Google tells businesses it is adding a link to Facebook Messenger. These are m.me short links that open a conversation with the business's Facebook page. Google adds them to the profile itself. Darcy Burk shared the emails. The report does not name any countries.
As early as 7 October Search Engine Roundtable showed a WhatsApp button in the profile next to the search results. It sat next to the buttons for calling, directions and the website. Sachin Patel had spotted it. In June Google had given many profiles a WhatsApp number on its own. Some of those numbers were wrong, one practice got its landline, for example. A product expert in Google's help forum called it a bug at the time.
AI messaging for more businesses
On 29 October Search Engine Roundtable reported that Google is opening its AI-powered messaging in the profile to more businesses. Guests then write from Search or Maps through the messaging app on their phone. An AI answers simple questions and passes the rest on to you. You can take over the conversation at any time, and all messages show up in the profile.
The AI only answers when the guest's phone supports RCS, the successor to SMS. For all other guests the message goes straight to your phone. Here too the countries remain open. Claudia Tomina reported the rollout on LinkedIn. Tomina advises bringing the menu, opening hours and services in the profile up to date first.
What this means for a local business
Guests can now order from or message you through your profile in more ways, and Google adds some of them itself. So open the profile editor once and look at which ordering and chat options are listed. Remove the ones you do not use.
Every one of these channels needs someone who answers. We recommend the channels someone in the business already keeps an eye on. If you run a restaurant or café, go through the list under “Food ordering”. How to make your menu readable on your own website as well is covered in SEO for cafés and restaurants in Lüneburg.