A Masterclass in GMB Attributes During Covid-19 | Vicinus.ai

Covid-19 has brought up many different problems in its wake, including issues regarding businesses and search. This means that GMB attributes have never been more important.

GMB (Google My Business) experts had to act quickly during this time. This was in order to help businesses react to these changes efficiently.

Attributes were one of the first areas of Google search to change as a result of Covid-19. 

What are GMB Attributes?

These are simply areas of information that provide key details on a business. These allow customers to make faster decisions regarding their purchases. These types of attributes can change depending on which GMB category your business is associated with.

Some of these attributes are permanent, yet some are still temporary.

Below is a list of a few different attributes created since the outbreak of Covid-19:

• ‘Black-owned’ is only available in the US
• ‘Temporarily Closed’ means that other GMB attributes will not be displayed.
• Supported attributes have a tick and unsupported attributes have a cross.

What Types of GMB Attributes are there?

Factual Attributes

These types of attributes are simply objective facts regarding the business which can be easily verified. 

Subjective Attributes

These are subjective opinions that are usually sourced by locals or any customers who have an opinion on your business. This is usually shared via the ‘Know this place? Share the latest info’ section when browsing business profiles.

For example, ‘fast service’ is NOT a factual attribute as it is a subjective opinion, but ‘outdoor seating’ is.

Are GMB Attributes Important?

Google suggests that:

“Attributes in a Google My Business profile let customers know what a place has to offer so they can make informed decisions about where to visit.”

This is very important, especially during these uncertain times. Businesses need to show whether they are still operating to Covid restrictions/safety measures in the business. This means that attributes have become more and more important as Covid sweeps the world. 

How do I Set a GMB Attribute?

If you are on a desktop, follow the step-by-step guide below:

1. Find your business profile
2. Click the ‘info’ tab
3. Scroll down to ‘services’
4. Click ‘attributes’
5. Select the attributes
6. Click ‘apply’

If you’re using an Android phone (Apple users can’t edit GMB attributes):

1. Open GMB app
2. Tap ‘profile’
3. Scroll down to ‘view all’
4. Find highlights
5. Tap the ‘edit’ pencil
6. Choose attributes
7. Click ‘apply’

What Areas of GMB Attributes have Changed Since Covid-19?

Healthcare Attributes:

• Practitioner Gender: Female, Male, Non-binary
• Online Care 

New Attributes for Food Businesses (Restaurants):

• Dine-in
• Takeout
• Delivery
• No-contact delivery
• Curbside pickup

New Attributes for Retail:

• Pickup
• Delivery
• Curbside pickup
• In-Store shopping
• In-Store pickup

New Attributes for Online Services:

• Online classes
• Onsite services
• Online estimates
• Online appointments