Google My Business Messaging in HighLevel

Updated: February 6, 2026  | 
Author: Bill Stilwell

This post covers what Google Business Profile messaging is, why it matters for local businesses, how to connect it to HighLevel, how automated responses work, the 24-hour response requirement, and how GBP messaging fits alongside the broader Google Business Profile integration in HighLevel.

Reading time: about 6 minutes.

What Is Google My Business Messaging in HighLevel?

Google My Business Messaging in HighLevel (the current name for the feature is Google Business Profile messaging, though “Google My Business” or “GMB” is still commonly used) routes chat messages sent to a business through its Google Business Profile listing into the HighLevel Conversations Inbox.

The feature closes a gap that many local businesses have: they receive messages through their Google Business Profile from customers who find them in local search, but those messages sit in Google Business Manager – a separate platform from wherever the business manages its CRM, SMS, and email. Messages get missed or responded to late because they require checking a different system.

With the HighLevel integration, Google Business Profile messages appear in the same unified inbox as SMS, email, and Facebook messages. One place, all channels.

How Google Business Profile Messaging Works

Google Business Profile (GBP) listings appear in Google Search and Google Maps when someone searches for a business by name or performs a local service search. The listing shows the business name, address, phone number, hours, reviews, and photos.

When messaging is enabled on a GBP listing, a Chat or Message button appears on the listing in both Google Search and Google Maps. A customer who clicks that button opens a chat interface within Google – they type their message and send it without leaving Google.

That message is then routed to whatever messaging system the business has connected to their GBP. With the HighLevel integration active, it arrives in the HighLevel Conversations Inbox.

Without the integration, it would only be visible in the Google Business Profile Manager app or web interface.

Why GBP Messaging Leads Are High Intent

Messages from Google Business Profile carry higher purchase intent than many other lead sources.

The person sending the message found the business through a search – typically a local search with a specific service need. “Best dentist near me,” “emergency plumber [city],” “hvac repair tonight” are the searches that surface GBP listings.

A person who searched for a service, found the business’s listing, read the reviews, and chose to message is not passively browsing. They have a specific need and are actively evaluating the business.

They are comparing it to competitors who also appeared in the search results.

Response speed matters significantly for GBP leads. A business that responds within minutes of a GBP message is more likely to win that customer than one that responds the next morning.

The HighLevel integration – combined with automated responses – enables fast, consistent replies to GBP messages regardless of when they arrive.

Connecting GBP Messaging to HighLevel

Two things need to be in place before GBP messages can route to HighLevel. First, messaging must be enabled on the Google Business Profile listing itself – in Google Business Profile Manager.

If messaging is not enabled on the GBP, customers do not see a Chat button on the listing and cannot send messages.

Second, the GBP must be connected to the HighLevel sub-account. In the sub-account, go to Settings, then Integrations.

Find the Google or Google Business Profile option. Connect via OAuth – log in with the Google account that manages the GBP, approve the requested permissions, and select the specific Business Profile to connect.

Once both are in place, new GBP messages from customers begin routing to the HighLevel Conversations Inbox.

GBP Messages in the Conversations Inbox

Google Business Profile messages appear in the Conversations Inbox with a Google or GBP channel indicator. The conversation list shows the customer’s name (from their Google account), the message preview, and the timestamp.

Opening a GBP conversation shows the full message thread. The right panel shows the contact’s CRM data if a match exists, or the basic information from the GBP message if this is a new contact.

The interface is identical to how any other channel appears in the inbox – the channel indicator is the only visible distinction.

Replying From HighLevel

In the compose area at the bottom of a GBP conversation, select Google as the reply channel. Type the response and send.

The reply is delivered to the customer within the Google chat interface they used to send the original message.

The reply appears as a message from the business – the business name, not the individual team member’s personal Google account. The customer remains within the Google chat interface for the entire conversation.

Contact Creation From GBP Messages

When a new GBP message arrives from someone who does not exist as a contact in HighLevel, a contact record is created using the sender’s Google account name. Like Facebook Messenger, Google does not share the user’s phone number or email address through the messaging API.

New contacts from GBP messages often start with just a name and no phone or email. The automated response workflow is the right place to request additional contact information – ask for a phone number or email address in the first message so the contact can be reached through channels that are not restricted by platform-level messaging policies.

Automation on GBP Inbound Messages

Workflow Builder supports inbound Google Business Profile message triggers. When a new GBP message arrives, a configured workflow fires immediately – sending an automated response, tagging the contact, assigning the conversation, or taking any other workflow action.

An automated response to GBP messages is particularly valuable for local businesses that receive GBP messages outside of business hours. A customer who searches at 8pm and messages the business gets an immediate acknowledgment: “Thanks for reaching out!

We’ll get back to you within one business day. For immediate assistance, here is our emergency line: [phone].” The customer knows their message was received; the business has bought time for a human response.

The automated response also addresses Google’s 24-hour response requirement. A workflow that sends an immediate auto-reply ensures the response time clock is reset by an automated reply even when no human is monitoring the inbox.

The 24-Hour Response Requirement

Google requires businesses to respond to GBP chat messages within 24 hours. Unlike Facebook’s hard 24-hour messaging window (which prevents sending after the window closes), Google’s requirement is about maintaining the messaging feature on the listing.

If a business consistently fails to respond to GBP messages within 24 hours, Google may disable the messaging feature on the listing – removing the Chat button from the GBP profile. This is Google’s quality control mechanism to ensure that customers who send messages actually receive responses.

The HighLevel automated response workflow is the most reliable way to meet this requirement. An automated reply fires within seconds of any new GBP message – well within the 24-hour window.

Even if a human response takes several hours, the automated acknowledgment satisfies the technical response requirement and keeps the messaging feature active.

Conversation AI on GBP Messaging

Conversation AI can be configured for the Google Business Profile messaging channel in HighLevel. The AI handles inbound GBP messages automatically – answering common questions about the business’s services, hours, pricing, availability, and location without requiring a human to respond.

For local businesses that receive repetitive GBP inquiries – “Are you open on Sundays?”, “Do you offer free estimates?”, “What is your service area?” – AI on this channel handles those questions immediately at any time of day. Conversations that require human engagement are handed off from the AI to the team.

GBP Messaging as Part of the Broader GBP Integration

The Google Business Profile integration in HighLevel covers more than messaging. The same GBP connection that enables messaging also supports review requests (sending customers a link to leave a Google review), automated review responses (responding to Google reviews from within HighLevel), and the local SEO audit features that analyze the GBP listing’s performance against local competitors.

All of these GBP-related features – messaging, reviews, audit – are accessed through the same Google Business Profile integration in Settings. The connection is established once and serves all the GBP features that HighLevel supports.

What Can You Do With It?

• Capture and respond to high-intent local search leads from Google: Customers who find the business through a Google search and choose to message are warm leads with a specific need. The integration ensures those messages arrive in the CRM inbox rather than being missed in a separate platform.
• Send automated instant responses to GBP messages at any hour: A workflow triggered by inbound GBP messages sends an immediate acknowledgment – even at 2am – ensuring every lead knows their message was received and setting expectations for when a human will follow up.
• Meet Google’s 24-hour response requirement automatically: The automated response workflow fires within seconds of any GBP message – well within Google’s 24-hour window, keeping the Chat feature active on the listing.
• Manage GBP messages from the same inbox as SMS and email: No separate Google Business Manager session needed – GBP messages are in the HighLevel unified inbox, reducing the number of platforms to monitor and messages to miss.
• Use Conversation AI to handle repetitive GBP inquiries automatically: Common questions about hours, services, and location are answered by AI immediately – freeing the team for conversations that require judgment.

Key Definitions

Use Cases by Industry

Home Services – After-Hours Lead Capture

A HVAC company receives GBP messages from homeowners who search for “AC repair near me” on a hot summer evening. The business is closed, but the automated GBP response workflow fires immediately: “Thanks for reaching out to [Business Name]!

We’ve received your message and will call you back first thing tomorrow morning. For emergency service, call [emergency number].”

The homeowner’s contact is created in HighLevel. By morning, the owner’s workflow has sent an SMS notification to the on-call technician with the lead’s name and message.

The contact is in the pipeline. The homeowner receives a human call before 8am.

Result: After-hours GBP leads are captured, acknowledged immediately, and queued for morning follow-up with full CRM context – without anyone monitoring the inbox overnight.

Restaurant – Hours and Reservation Inquiries

A popular restaurant receives frequent GBP messages asking about hours, whether reservations are required, and whether they accommodate large groups. Previously, the host managed these from the Google Business Profile app on their personal phone – with responses happening sporadically when they remembered to check.

With Conversation AI configured for the GBP channel, common questions are answered immediately without any human involvement. The AI handles “What are your hours?” and “Do you take reservations?” automatically.

The host only sees GBP conversations in the HighLevel inbox that required escalation beyond the AI’s configured responses.

Result: Common GBP inquiries are handled by AI around the clock. The host manages only the conversations that require human judgment – reducing GBP inbox monitoring from multiple times per day to a brief review once per morning.

Dental Practice – Appointment Request Capture

A dental practice connects their GBP to HighLevel. New patients increasingly find the practice through Google Maps and use the Chat button to ask about availability and whether the practice accepts their insurance.

The practice manager previously missed some of these messages – the Google app notifications were easy to overlook.

Now GBP messages appear in the same HighLevel inbox as patient SMS messages and form submissions. The practice manager sees all inbound communication in one view.

Each GBP message triggers an automated response asking for the patient’s phone number – converting the GBP-only contact into a patient with a phone number for follow-up calls and appointment reminders.

Result: GBP inquiries from new patients are captured and converted to contactable leads with phone numbers. No new patient inquiry is lost to a missed notification in a secondary app.

Real Estate Agency – Local Search Inquiries

A real estate agency has a strong GBP presence and receives messages from buyers and sellers who find the agency in local search. The GBP integration routes these to the HighLevel inbox, where the agent can see the inquiry alongside the agency’s existing contacts.

When a GBP message matches an existing contact (by name lookup or if a phone number is collected during the conversation), the Messenger history is added to their contact record. The agent has full context for a returning lead without needing to search multiple platforms.

Result: Google local search leads are captured in the same CRM system as all other leads. The agent’s workday is managed from HighLevel rather than from HighLevel plus the Google Business Profile app.

Who Is This For?

How to Connect GBP Messaging to HighLevel

Step 1: Enable messaging on the GBP listing

Log into Google Business Profile Manager (business.google.com). Find the messaging settings for the listing.

Enable messaging if it is not already active. This makes the Chat button visible to customers on the GBP listing in Google Search and Maps.

Step 2: Go to Integrations in Settings

In the sub-account, navigate to Settings, then Integrations. Find the Google or Google Business Profile integration option.

Step 3: Connect via Google OAuth

Click to connect. Log in with the Google account that manages the Business Profile.

Approve all requested permissions for the Business Profile, including messaging access.

Step 4: Select the Business Profile

After authorizing, select the specific Google Business Profile to connect. Confirm the correct location if multiple locations are under the account.

Step 5: Enable messaging in the integration settings

Confirm messaging is enabled within the HighLevel integration configuration for the connected GBP. Save.

Step 6: Test the connection

Search for the business on Google Maps from a personal Google account. Find the listing and click the Chat button.

Send a test message. Verify it appears in the HighLevel Conversations Inbox.

Step 7: Reply and verify

Open the test GBP conversation in HighLevel. Select Google as the reply channel.

Send a reply. Verify the response appears in the Google chat interface on the test account.

Step 8: Set up an automated response workflow

In Workflow Builder, create a workflow triggered by inbound GBP messages. Add an automated reply that acknowledges the message and asks for phone or email to enable non-GBP follow-up.

Activate the workflow.

Step 9: Configure Conversation AI if applicable

For businesses with high GBP inquiry volume or repetitive question patterns, configure Conversation AI for the Google channel to handle initial responses automatically.

How Does It Connect to HighLevel?

• Conversations Inbox: GBP messages are one of the channels in the Conversations Inbox. The unified inbox is what makes the GBP integration operationally useful – messages appear alongside SMS and email rather than requiring a separate platform to monitor.
• Google Business Profile Integration: GBP messaging is one feature within the broader Google Business Profile integration in HighLevel. The same connection enables review requests, review responses, and local SEO audit – the GBP integration covers the full scope of GBP management features.
• Conversation AI: Conversation AI handles GBP messages automatically when configured for that channel. High-intent local search leads receive immediate AI responses to common questions – keeping the conversation active while reducing manual workload.
• Contact Management: New GBP chat conversations create contact records in Contact Management. GBP message history appears in the contact’s activity timeline. The integration feeds the CRM’s contact communication record across channels.
• Workflow Builder: The inbound GBP message trigger in Workflow Builder enables automated responses, contact tagging, and follow-up – making the GBP integration active rather than passive.

Common Questions

What is Google My Business Messaging in HighLevel?

The integration that routes Google Business Profile chat messages to the HighLevel Conversations Inbox – so GBP messages are managed from the same inbox as SMS, email, and other channels.

Where do I set up Google My Business Messaging in HighLevel?

Settings, then Integrations. Connect via OAuth with the Google account managing the Business Profile.

Select the Profile. Ensure messaging is also enabled directly on the GBP listing in Google Business Profile Manager.

How does a customer send a message through Google Business Profile?

They find the business listing in Google Search or Google Maps and click the Chat or Message button. The button is only visible when messaging is enabled on the listing.

The customer types and sends from within Google.

Can I reply to Google Business Profile messages from within HighLevel?

Yes. Select Google as the reply channel in the compose area. The reply is delivered to the customer within the Google chat interface.

Can GBP messages trigger automations in HighLevel?

Yes. The inbound GBP message trigger in Workflow Builder enables automated replies, contact creation, tagging, and conversation assignment.

Why is Google Business Profile messaging valuable for local businesses?

GBP leads come from local intent searches – people actively looking for a specific service. These are high-intent leads who deserve fast responses.

The integration ensures they arrive in the CRM inbox rather than being missed in a separate platform.

Does HighLevel’s Google Business Profile integration include messaging and reviews?

Yes. The same GBP connection enables messaging, review requests, review responses, and local SEO audit features – all through the single Google Business Profile integration in Settings.

Is there a messaging window restriction for Google Business Profile messages?

Google requires businesses to respond within 24 hours to maintain the messaging feature on the listing. This is a response time requirement – different from Facebook’s hard technical sending restriction.

Automated responses via HighLevel workflow satisfy this requirement.

What happens if GBP messaging is not enabled on the listing?

Customers do not see a Chat button and cannot send messages. Enable messaging in Google Business Profile Manager before connecting HighLevel.

Can Conversation AI handle Google Business Profile messages in HighLevel?

Yes. Configure Conversation AI for the Google channel to handle common inquiries automatically – hours, services, pricing, location – without human involvement.

To Wrap It Up

Google Business Profile messaging sits at the intersection of local SEO and customer communication – it is the point where someone’s search intent converts into a direct conversation. A person who searched for a service, evaluated multiple businesses in the local pack, and chose to message is as close to a qualified lead as any channel produces.

The operational challenge has always been that those messages live in a separate system from everything else. The HighLevel integration removes that separation.

GBP messages arrive in the same place as every other customer communication. Automated responses ensure immediate acknowledgment.

The 24-hour Google requirement is met automatically. The contact is created in the CRM.

For local businesses – home services, medical practices, restaurants, real estate, any business that depends on local search visibility – GBP messaging is an underutilized channel. Many businesses have messaging turned on in Google but respond slowly or inconsistently because the inbox is not part of their daily workflow.

The HighLevel integration makes it part of the daily workflow by putting it where the team is already working.

Here is how to get started:

1. Log into Google Business Profile Manager and confirm messaging is enabled on the listing
2. Go to Settings, then Integrations in the sub-account and find the Google Business Profile option
3. Connect via OAuth and select the correct Business Profile
4. Test with a message from a personal Google account and verify it appears in HighLevel
5. Reply from HighLevel and verify the response arrives in Google chat
6. Build an automated response workflow for inbound GBP messages
7. Include a request for phone number or email in the automated response
8. Configure Conversation AI for the GBP channel if inquiry volume warrants it

If the GBP listing has a good volume of local traffic and the Chat button is visible, set up the automated response workflow before telling anyone the integration is live. The first GBP message after the connection is made will test the automation – better to discover any workflow issues with a test message than with the first real lead.

Check the workflow fires, the response sends, and the contact is created correctly before considering the setup complete.