The whole process will be:

1. connect Google account

2. create agent, build flow & test

3. verify agent

4. launch chatbot

5. go live

Connect Google Account

Follow steps 1, 2 and 3 to connect to your Google account.

Note - Please note that this Google account must have access to the business (either owner or manager). For agency, you will need to be invited to be the manager of your client's business.

After the connection, in the above screenshot:

1. click "Sync Locations" to pull all the businesses that associate with this Google account, whether they are verified or not.

2. create agent then create flow

3. scan the QR code or visit the URL link to test the bot in Google Map

Create Agent

Click "Create Agent", fill in the profile information including:

1. phone number

2. website address (same as your business website address)

3. privacy policy URL

4. timezone

5. logo

6. entry points (local, non-local, both local and non-local)

7. welcome message

8. offline message
   

TIP - If you get an error saying that fails to create an agent because the location is not verified, try to click cancel and refresh the page. The "Create Flow" button will show.

Local or Non-Local

Build Flow & Test the Bot

When your agent is created, click "Create Flow" to start building your bot. Check "Flow Builder" documentation for how-tos.

Verify Agent

IMPORTANT - Build and test everything before you request an agent verification. Because once verified, it's very difficult to change the agent information. You will need to contact Google yourself.

Before you send the request, check this:

1. Did I choose what suit my business best, local or non-local?

2. Am I happy with all agent information like logo, contact phone, etc?

3. Do I have a contact email that shares the same domain as my website?

Click the button next to the "Open Flow" button, then click "Verify Agent".

Provide a business website, contact person name and a contact email that share the same domain as the brand website.

For a local business, if your business is already a verified business, your agent can be verified automatically and immediately. You will see the green "Verified" label. Thereafter, you can launch your chatbot.

While for a non-local business, after submitting the request, you will receive 2 emails from Google. One email asks you to reply for approving OCP to help with the bot automation in a specified format (security key needed). Another email will give you the security key. It will take you a few days (up to 7 days) to get your agent verified.

Launch Agent

When your agent gets verified, click "Launch Agent" and a chat button will show with your business after 4-6 hours. You will see the green "Launched" label.

Unlaunch Agent

If you wanted to stop the bot automation, click the green "Active" button under status. And to stop showing the bot with your business, you need to unlaunch your agent.

Click "Unlaunch Agent" and again, you will need to wait for 4-6 hours to see the "Chat" button disappear. By then the labels will look like this:

To launch it again, just click on "Launch Agent" again.

Talk to Google Bot

Before you launch your bot, goto *Google section on your OCP dashboard. Visit the Test Url or scan the QR code to talk to the bot.

After your bot launched, Google your business name in a webpage. Click on the CHAT button to start the conversation:

Or search your business name in Google Map. Click on the Message button to start the conversation: