Google Chat will soon let you create Spaces meant only for announcements, not chatter

Google Chat has been a great tool for organizations to collaborate and communicate with each other. However, with the increasing number of users in Spaces, it can sometimes be difficult for important announcements to be seen among all the chatter. Google is addressing this by introducing a new feature that will allow you to create Spaces that are meant exclusively for one-way communication.

Starting on April 17, 2023, for Rapid Release domains (May 5, 2023, for Scheduled Release domains), you’ll be able to create Spaces that are designed for announcements only. These Spaces will act more as a bulletin board, allowing you to present updates, and less as a space for collaboration where feedback is sought. To configure this setting, you’ll need to click “only Space Managers can post” option during the initial set-up of the Space. As with previous external user settings, this can not be changed after the fact, so be certain about how you’re setting this up ahead of time!

Existing Space Managers will also have the ability to assign that role to another member, allowing them to post messages and perform other tasks as noted. They’ll also have complete control over these announcements, including the ability to post directly, reply in threads, add files, and modify the space’s settings.

This feature will only be available to those with a Workspace subscription or legacy G Suite Basic and Business licenses. Personal Google Accounts will not get the update, which makes sense as an individual user isn’t typically managing a team where they would need to make announcements.

While designed for organizational use, it’ll be interesting to see if Google expands it in the future to include personal use cases. In the past, I’ve talked about how I use Google Chat to manage family goals and activities, and this could be a great way to keep everyone informed.