Source: Search Engine Roundtable by barry@rustybrick.com (Barry Schwartz). Read the original article
TL;DR Summary of Google Automatically Adds WhatsApp Numbers to Business Profiles
Google has recently automatically added WhatsApp phone numbers to many Google Business Profiles, causing confusion due to incorrect or unreachable numbers. Affected businesses received email notifications, but currently cannot delete these WhatsApp numbers if they are wrong. Google has acknowledged the issue as a bug and is actively working on a fix, with recent updates allowing some users to remove the numbers.
Optimixed’s Overview: Understanding the WhatsApp Number Bug Impacting Google Business Profiles
What Happened?
Over the past week, Google has automatically appended WhatsApp chat links with phone numbers to many Google Business Profiles. This change was done without prior consent, and in numerous cases, the numbers added were either incorrect or landline numbers that do not support WhatsApp messaging.
Business Owner Concerns
- Many businesses received email notifications alerting them to the new WhatsApp number addition.
- Some of the numbers correspond to the businesses’ main phone lines but are landlines, making WhatsApp functionality impossible.
- Initially, there was no option to remove these WhatsApp numbers from the profiles, leading to frustration.
Google’s Response and Current Status
- Google product experts have confirmed this is a bug and are actively working to resolve it.
- Recent updates suggest users may now have the ability to delete incorrect WhatsApp numbers from their profiles and save changes.
- Business owners are encouraged to check their Google Business Profiles for any unauthorized WhatsApp numbers and review related email notifications.
This issue highlights the importance of monitoring your online business presence and promptly addressing unexpected changes that can affect customer communication.
