Google now showing ‘request quotes’ button above local pack on mobile

Google is either testing or has introduced a “request quotes” button in local results. This was discovered by Tom Waddington; however I have not been able to reproduce it on mobile or the desktop.

Part of Google Guaranteed. The functionality appears to be available to businesses participating in the Local Services Ads (LSAs) program. Currently LSAs deliver phone leads to local businesses and require businesses to be “Google Guaranteed” and pass licensing, insurance and background checks.

However Google separated Google Guaranteed and LSAs, when it started using only Guaranteed (or otherwise certified) local businesses in Google Assistant search results — partly to avoid FTC ad disclosure/deception rules. So, as a technical matter, this may be available to any Google Guaranteed business regardless of whether they’re part of LSAs.

‘Request Quotes’ button above 3-pack. Lets users request quotes from multiple businesses using messaging. The Google Guaranteed badge shows for businesses participating in Local Services ads pic.twitter.com/PiYo07I6d1

— Tom Waddington (@tomwaddington8) December 17, 2019

Uses GMB Messaging. This move, if it’s more than a test, represents another option for both businesses and consumers to connect and transact. There’s a relatively brief form — that probably doesn’t capture enough detail for many businesses to deliver a reliable price quote — that consumers complete before submission. It’s not clear how many businesses can be contacted; the image above shows three. (We’ve asked Google for comment and more information.)

The quote is delivered to the business via Google My Business (GMB) messaging. That requires business owners to download the GMB app, which might be part of Google’s motivation here. There have been complaints about GMB’s messaging functionality, following Google’s abandonment of traditional SMS-based messaging.

Why we care. The request quotes functionality is consistent with Google’s broader effort to make GMB an “engagement” and transactions platform. LSAs deliver unmistakable leads directly to the business and this is a logical extension of that mission.

As mentioned, the presentation above is potentially problematic because many businesses will need more information to deliver a meaningful price quote, which will require a home/site visit or call or an email exchange with pictures. (This was the original challenge for RedBeacon, acquired in 2012 by HomeDepot.)

Yelp has had a somewhat more developed request for quote feature since 2016.