Google has begun automatically adding a prominent “Request a Quote” button to eligible business listings in search results.
Joy Hawkins was the first to spot this feature and shared a screenshot on Twitter:
> Whoa…the “Request a Quote” button is now showing on branded searches on desktop and it’s HUGE.
> — Joy Hawkins (@JoyanneHawkins) July 24, 2019
This button is also appearing in mobile search results when the business name is searched.
I, along with others, can confirm this feature, which means it’s more than just a test. However, it is limited to specific business listings.
Businesses that have opted into the Google My Business messaging feature will see the “Request a Quote” button added to their listing.
To turn on messaging for your business listing, follow these steps:
– Open the Google My Business app.
– Open the location you’d like to manage.
– Tap Customers.
– Tap Messages.
– Tap Turn on.
Messages received from customers can be viewed and responded to through the Google My Business app. Users will receive messages on their Google Maps app.
This feature has the potential to generate more leads for businesses. However, it also perpetuates a common criticism of Google—keeping people within the Google ecosystem.
Searchers can now request quotes from businesses without ever visiting the business’s website. Everything can be handled within Google’s services.
While this isn’t ideal for website traffic, the primary aim of most business websites is to generate leads.
So, is it necessarily bad if Google generates leads without the traffic? That’s for individual business owners to decide. It’s one of the more interesting aspects of this update that hasn’t been widely discussed.
