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How to Set up the Blazeo (formerly ApexChat) Google My Business Integration

Google My Business has finally brought back its SMS messaging functionality, allowing Google search users to text businesses through their GMB listings.

The new messaging platform, Business Messages, will offer a new powerful experience that delights customers and drive business results.

Blazeo (formerly ApexChat) is re-introducing it's Google My Business Integration, which enables our chat agents to answer chats started via Business Messages on GMB, which is a mobile conversation channel that combines entry points on Google Maps, Search, and brand websites.

In the coming months, consumers will be able to find Business Messages in even more places on Android, including within apps and during calls.

Before we get started, there are a few key details about Blazeo's Google My Business Integration you should know.

  • GMB is not a host locked feature. This means every host is able to set up their own GMB APIs with our system. 
  • GMB is not a click through process. Our team will need to send verification requests to GMB. Once approved, then our team can only use GMB services.
  • Currently, we do not support images. But any image sent from a visitor's end would reach our agents side in a URL format. Our agents can then open the URL to see the content.
  • Blazeo’s credentials will only be used by Blazeo’s direct accounts. 

Now, let's jump into how to set up the Blazeo (formerly ApexChat) integration for Google My Business.

Steps to setup Google My Business:

Steps for Partner:

1) Before starting the setup process, make sure you have a GSuite account. GMB is not supported on standard GMAIL accounts. 

2) Go to console.cloud.google.com and create a project:

GMB Create a Project

And note this Project Number:

GMB Project Number

3) You need to register as a Partner via this link: https://developers.google.com/business-communications/business-messages/guides/set-up/register#submit_your_information

4) Fill all the information and submit it. Once you are approved, you will get a Partner Information email that contains your Partner ID.

5) After you have received approval email, you need to enable Business Messages API and Business Communication API via the following link:

https://console.developers.google.com/apis/library/businessmessages.googleapis.com
https://console.developers.google.com/apis/library/businesscommunications.googleapis.com

Click the Enable button in each urls. If you are seeing the following error accessing above links, chances are that you are accessing it with the wrong google account. 

GMB Error Access

Switch your account to the account for which you have submitted the partner request:

GMB Partner Request Submission

6) After you have enabled APIs, now it is time to create a service account. Go to console.cloud.google.com again, select the same project which you created in step #2. You can switch between projects from this dropdown.

GMB Switch Project

7) After selecting the project, open credentials:

GMB Credentials Dropdown

8) Create a Service account:

GMB Create a Service Account

9) Enter any name in the service account name and click Create:

GMB Service Account Details

10) In Select a role, select owner and click Continue:

GMB Grant Service Account Access to Project

11) Click DONE.

12) Click on the service account under Service Accounts heading.

GMB Click Service Account Heading

13) Click on Add Key and Select “Create New Key”. Select “JSON” key type > click Create. This would download a file in your browser. Send the file along with the Partner ID you received in email from Google My Business and email address you used for Google My Business Partner Access to the point of contact on Blazeo’s side.

Steps for Blazeo (formerly ApexChat) end:

After the partner has sent us the .json file, we can start the integration process.

Host Setup:

  • Open JSON file, copy the content and paste in the section under Hosts. Hosts > Third Party Integrations > Service Account Credentials.
  • Paste Partner ID and email address in their respective fields.
  • Save it.
  • Open the tab again and click on the Update Webhook button. Make sure the URL is real and it's the same as the Domain field in the General tab of Host.

Company Setup:

  • Open ‘Company’ and enable the flag for Google My Business under General tab. Save Company. 
  • Navigate to Google MB tab, insert all the correct and real information (Information matches with the profile on Google Maps). If you are filling it for testing purposes, you can insert dummy information but make sure you do not send any verification request. (Google will ban us if they get dummy verifications)
  • Once you have filled the Brand Information, save the company. Click On “Create Brand”.
  • After you have created a brand, check its status by clicking on the “Check Status” button. This should say “Brand is live”. If not, make sure you have inserted all information correctly and try again.
  • Now add “Agent”. Agent Name should be the brand name it's representing. Insert the logo URL. See logo guidelines.
  • Once you have filled all information regarding Agent, click on “Create Agent”. Once you verify its status by clicking on “Check Status”.
  • Add a location. Find place ID of your Brand by searching here.

For example: Search Blazeo (formerly ApexChat) and copy its Place ID and paste it in the portal.

GMB Search Place ID

Save Company. Under the Location Place ID field, click on the “Create” button. This will create a location on google my business server. 

Now you should be able to see Test URL. Open this Test URL in your mobile and initiate a test chat. 

GMB Open Test URL

Verification Process: ( DO NOT FOLLOW THIS STEP FOR TESTING)

Once you have filled all the correct information, you can now send a verification request to GMB before you can actually use it. Verification request has to follow this pattern: Verify Agent > Once verified, send Agent’s Location Verification > Once location is verified, Send Agent Launch request.  

  • Beside each agent, you should be able to see the “Verify” button. This would send a request to GMB for verification. Google sends out two emails to the Brand asking if they can allow “Partner” to send messages on behalf of Brand.
GMB Partner Verification

And the other email contains the Security Key. 

GMB Security Key

Brand has to respond to the first email using the template provided there and replace the placeholder with Security Key provided in a separate email.

Additional Information

  • You are required to keep checking the verification status by clicking on the “Check Verify” button besides Agent. 
  • Once the agent is verified, you should be able to see the “Verify” button enabled for the agent's location. Now send a location verification request. You are required to keep checking the status of location verification.
  • After the location has been verified, you are now ready to launch the Agent. Click on “Launch Agent” button. Keep checking the launch status. Once approved, you are now all set.