WebPT Local Covid-19 Resource

This article contains some important developments in Google My Business (GMB) related to Covid-19. Additionally, we’ve listed some important steps you could take in WebPT Local to inform searchers of closed vs. open locations, your response to the current situation, and any available services you have during this time.

Google My Business Updates

Google Posts

Within the Google My Business dashboard for each location, you can add a Google Post with information from the business with opening/closure information.

Google Posts will appear on the knowledge panel of a google search for a business. Posts do have to be input individually for each location within the GMB dashboard. Here's a GMB help article that can help you with this process.

Temporary Closures on GMB:

Google has allowed businesses to list themselves as “Temporarily Closed”. Please use the instructions from this GMB help article.

There are reports of businesses being marked temporarily closed that did not request it. If this happens to your listing, try to un-mark the listing as closed in the GMB dashboard, but if it doesn’t publish, contact GMB support.
Questions & Answers have been temporarily removed, as well as the ability to ask a question for users and business owners.

Covid-19 updates you can make within WebPT Local

Set Special Hours

Within WebPT Local, either set “Special Hours” or adjust the Opening and Closing times to reflect your current situation.

For single clinics, visit your Profile to make the changes (outlined below).

For multiple clinics, go to the Locations menu to adjust each location (outlined below).

Covid-19 Updates in Your Business Description

Update the “Long Description” field to let customers know if each location is open or closed, as well as any other important changes. This field displays in the "From the Owner {business}..." section of Google Maps results and distributes to other partner directories (put the most important details in the first 250 characters).

You can find the Long Description, in the Basic Data section of a location’s “Profile”.

Online Resources

As Google My Business and Google Search update to address Covid-19 concerns, you can check out this post on Google changes/reports.

This WhiteSpark article has some additional details on some of the topics and ideas above. It is also regularly updated.