Google My Business (GMB) has traditionally been set up and focused on in-person business customers, with attributes such as Wifi, outdoor seating and other features of an in-person experience. While many businesses have increased their online presence over the past several years, the COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly increased the need for online and virtual interactions. 
GMB attributes are used to capture the attention of online searchers by focusing on services offerings from businesses. The updated attributes come at a time when the demand for online services has increased exponentially.
The 4 new GMB attributes now available are:
- Online care
- Online appointments
- Online estimates
- Online classes
In addition, businesses can add existing attributes to their GMB profile so they’ll appear in relevant search results. Attributes available to a business depend on the business category they’re in.
It’s anticipated that future GMB attribute updates will include safety measures, such as mandatory face masks or maximum in-person capacity to be used with in-store traffic estimates to plan the optimal time to visit the business.