Google appears to be testing a new Text Message button in the mobile Local Pack, giving users another way to contact local businesses directly from search results. The update was recently highlighted by Darren Shaw on LinkedIn, who shared that Joy Hawkins first spotted the feature.
This test is especially interesting because it comes at a time when many people in local SEO have been talking about missing phone numbers on Google Business Profiles. Because of that, the new message option could be Google’s way of making customer-business communication easier on mobile devices.
At the same time, the feature raises bigger questions. Some local SEO professionals are wondering if Google is simply experimenting with a more convenient contact method, while others believe it could be part of a bigger shift toward chat-based interactions inside Google’s local results. That possibility becomes even more interesting as Google keeps adding more AI-driven features across search and business listings.
The discussion around this test also connects to a wider trend in local search. Darren Shaw’s post points to recent industry conversations about AI in mobile local packs, changing phone call behavior, and the growing role of messaging in how customers connect with businesses online.
For local businesses, this is worth watching closely. If Google expands the Text Message button more broadly, businesses may need to think beyond calls and prepare for faster, message-based customer communication from Google search results.
