Good Bye GBM, Welcome RBM!

Earlier this year, at Conversive, we were really excited about onboarding GBM (Google Business Messages) to our multi-channel messaging solution stack… until, like Maxwell with his silver hammer, Google hit us with the announcement about GBM phaseout by end of July 2024.?So we have to follow suit!

For local businesses across the world, Google is a major source of traffic, leads, and revenue—and GBM was the super channel that gave all of those businesses a convenient, integrated platform to connect and converse with their customers. As icing on the cake, GBM came free with Google Workspace (formerly, Google Apps suite) and needed minimal setup: a few clicks here and there were enough to enable it for any entity with a Google Business Profile. It was easy to use, although a little difficult for OEM players like us to add to a multichannel business messaging solution like Conversive.?

If you don't know GBM, check it out here

Oh well. Like Spain’s Golden Generation, it was nice while it lasted.?

It’s not the first time Google has sent one of their apps or services to the graveyard. But for this one, there might actually be a good cause: I think GBM had to go to make way for Google’s RCS for Business Messaging (RBM). Having two competing messaging services would only create confusion for its users, and Google wouldn’t want to lose steam with RCS, especially now that Apple has hopped on the bandwagon.??

If you don't know RBM, here you go

When one door closes, a window opens, and RCS is a wormhole that will take business messaging experience to a new frontier, one that combines the reliability of SMS and the rich interactivity of WhatsApp. Since we already support RCS, Conversive can be your interstellar spaceship, helping you navigate the GBM phaseout and replace it with powerful, personalized messaging across RCS (and other) channels.?

Many success tales are already in the making for RCS, yours can be next.

So Good Bye GBM (with teary eyes). Hello RCS! (with Happy hearts)