Observers have noticed that some Google panel listings for businesses are displaying a “confirmed by phone” notice, suggesting that the search giant is contacting businesses to verify certain details.
The below tweet shows an Australian business that, according to the search panel, had its opening hours “confirmed by phone 8 weeks ago”.
Looks like Google Duplex powered verification are getting labels in Location Panels https://t.co/LWwang6Cip
cc: @JoyanneHawkins @mblumenthal @rustybrick pic.twitter.com/rovB399q3z
— tl;dr Marketing (@tldrMarketing) March 3, 2022
It’s certainly not unheard of for Google to get in touch with businesses. Search Engine Land has speculated that it may be doing this with the help of its Google Duplex artificial intelligence technology, which aims to carry out natural conversations. Alternatively, it may be human-led, or a mixture of the two.
What should I do if I get a call from Google?
Google’s Business Profile Help pages have a section about calls from Google Assistant, as well as a list of phone numbers they are made from. Businesses in the UK might be contacted by Google from the number 0207 660 1362. The page confirms that calls might be automated or made by a human operator, and that “checking business information” is one of the reasons why a business might receive a call.
Remember that these calls should only be confirming details already on your listing. If the caller is looking for anything more specific than that, or if the Google comes at an unusual time of day, it’s likely to be a scam and you should end the call.
Can I opt out of Google contacting me?
Yes, as long as you have verified your business (which may also be done by call – you can read more about how Google verifies your business here), this can be done easily by signing into your Business Profile Manager, selecting ‘Info’ from the menu and unticking the Accept Google Assistant calls box.
Google insists it makes these calls to help businesses though, so it may be better to welcome them. If all details are as they appear in your listing, it will be a signal to Google that you keep it up to date and are an authentic business.
For more information on how we can help you with your Google listing and other search engine optimisation practices, speak to Engage Web today.
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