Google My Business App Gains Review Alerts, Ability To Respond To Reviews

As a variation of the old saying, “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” the way to a small business’ (SMB’s) marketing budget may be through its smartphone. Vendors of local marketing services are increasingly realizing the most effective way to reach and retain busy SMBs is by leveraging their mobile devices. Accordingly Google is beefing up its smartphone apps for SMBs: Google My Business and AdWords Express. Chief among the improvements is the ability to receive real-time alerts for Google reviews and the ability to respond through the app:

Starting today, business owners can see reviews from across the web in the Google My Business Android app (iOS update soon). Business users have told us how much customers appreciate a response, so we are also making it possible to respond to Google reviews in the app, along with real-time alerts if you want to keep a pulse on your reputation online . . . When people find you on Google, you can see when they call or from where they get driving directions . .

Google also says it’s expanding the AdWords Express Android app to 20 additional countries, with an iOS app coming soon. It’s cross-pollinating the GMB and AdWords Express apps as a way to emphasize and reinforce their mutual usage:

When you advertise your business through AdWords Express, you can reach potential customers right when they’re searching for the product or service that you sell. Your top stats for the month are displayed in the Google My Business app, and you can switch over to AdWords Express to see more detail or edit the ad to promote your next big event.

Google says these updates and upgrades will happen “over the next few days.”