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June 4, 2023

Why You Should Be Using Google Posts

Google Business Profile posts are surprisingly effective – yet they’re also surprisingly underutilised and underrated.

Whilst most businesses claim their Google Business Profiles – that’s often where it ends.  The real value lies in optimising your GBP profile, and part of this includes uploading regular GBP posts which will enhance the visibility of your business when it appears on Google Maps, especially when Google choose a snippet of text from your Google Post, and this appears within your Google Maps result, giving your business extra prominence.

Not taking advantage of your GBP profile is like ignoring a free cake that’s delivered to your door every week.  And according to some research done by Moz, over 40% of businesses that they surveyed had NEVER created a post, despite the fact that these posts can enhance your listing on Google Maps!

Why And How To Use Google Posts

So let’s look at how you can have your cake – and eat it.

Google Business Profile posts are surprisingly effective, whilst most businesses claim their Google Business Profiles – that’s often where it ends.  Adding regular Google Posts is a great way to communicate with your audience directly on the Google Search Results page. posts are a bit like social media posts on Instagram and Facebook.  Quick and easy to do and very effective for local SEO optimisation.  

When someone searches for your business, these posts feature prominently on the front page of Google and provide valuable information and exposure – without requiring the searcher to make the effort to visit your website! See the blue arrow below!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Virtually anything can be included in these posts from a special offer, new product launch, special event, call to action (eg bookings, online ordering, ‘learn more’ buttons) and business updates (like revised business hours) to customer reviews, photos and videos.   You can even include links to blog posts or specific landing pages on your website.   It’s all about grabbing the attention of an online searcher and engaging them with fresh, relevant and useful information.

When To Use Google Posts

Google Posts are a great marketing tool for websites to increase traffic, boost sales and engage with their target audience.   The only prerequisite is a Google Business Profile listing – which is an absolute must anyway for businesses that want to show up on Google search and Google Maps.

When used to their full advantage, Google Posts help put your business information right in front of customers and potential customers before they’ve even reached your actual website, either through snippets of your Google post on the Google Maps section (see below) or on the front page of Google when someone is searching for the business name. Google Posts are especially prominent on mobiles and they’re free – which is a great plus in anyone’s language!

Among many things, Google Posts can:

  • Highlight seasonal offers
  • Advertise flash sales
  • Launch new products
  • Highlight special promotions
  • Provide an emergency update
  • Promote new arrivals
  • Advertise a new store opening
  • Showcase top products
  • Highlight a positive review or testimonial

What’s not to love?

It’s important that online marketers keep a close eye on their Google Posts to ensure that they remain relevant and current.  Consumers can become irritated and consequently disengaged by information that’s outdated or incorrect, so it’s vital that the posts are updated regularly with fresh and accurate content.

When preparing your Posts, you should always make the most of the available space and put the most compelling content in the first 100 characters as that’s what is displayed on the GBP listing.  You want to capture the user’s attention at first glance and draw them in so that they click to discover more information.

Types of Google Posts

Offer Posts

An offer post appears on a Google Business Profile listing on desktop and mobile as well as on the Google Maps app.  These posts allow you to promote any specials that your business is currently offering and even makes provision for an exclusive GBP offer.

The title can be up to 58 characters long and you can add up to 10 images or videos (maximum upload size is 100mb) or a GIF to make the offer even more compelling.  The post (which can be a max of 1500 characters) will appear for the duration of the promotion – you just need to remember to put in the timeframe for the offer (start and end dates).  Adding a CTA such a voucher code or link to redeem the special offer will make it even more enticing and exclusive.  Remember that your CTA must be linked to the most appropriate landing page for your post.

Event Posts

As with a standard Offer post, an Event post title is limited to 58 characters and the body to 1500 characters.  These posts have to do with special events so you should use them for things like a new store opening, a book signing function, open day or an event or charity that your business supports.   You need a title, the event information including its timing and duration and ideally a photo, video and CTA button (eg ‘book now’)

What’s New Posts

These are like traditional social media posts providing an update on what’s happening in the business eg. news, blog posts, new products, additions to the team, special deals etc.   They can also be used to showcase a new customer review or testimonial. These posts can also include a photo or link to a video, a CTA button (such as ‘order online’, ‘learn more’, ‘book’ etc).

Each type of Google Post offers value to a business and can help attract attention to listings and make your branded search results stand out.   They help you promote your brand, your services, your products, events and special offers – and are an excellent way of showing off what your business has to offer and setting yourself apart from your competitors.  So go on, get posting!

Why Not Get Started Now?

To create Google Posts, you need to have a verified Google Business Profile listing. Once your listing is verified, you can search for your business on Google and navigate to the “Add update” at the top of the page. From there, you can create and publish your posts.

Related Blog Posts You Might Be Interested In

You might also be interested in “Best Practices for Google Business Profile

Learn More About SEO

If you would love to stop being the best-kept secret in your industry and want to learn how to get your business found online, join The SEO School SEO Course today. The SEO School is a self-paced comprehensive 8 module course, taking you from zero to hero in your online presence on the front page of Google. Each module of the course has videos, workbooks, worksheets along with templates and spreadsheets to use where relevant. The course is fully supported by a Facebook group where you can ask a question anytime. Find out more about The SEO School here.

FAQ's About Google Posts

How often should I add a Google Post?

I would recommend adding content to your Google Business Profile every 7 days

Can I add the same content that I use on my other social media profiles?

Yes 100% you can use the same content, although you might want to tweak it to add some keywords for your Google Post (not a ranking factor but if someone is searching for something and sees the same keyword on your post then it may help conversions

How can I create Google Posts?

To create Google Posts, you need to have a verified Google Business Profile listing. Once your listing is verified, you can search for your business on Google and navigate to the "Add update" at the top of the page. From there, you can create and publish your posts.

What can I use Google Posts for?

Google Posts can be used for various purposes, such as promoting events, announcing product launches, sharing news and updates, offering special deals or discounts, showcasing new content, and engaging with your audience directly on the search results page.

Can I schedule Google Posts in advance?

Yes, you can schedule Google Posts in advance. When creating a post, you have the option to select the date and time for it to be published. This allows you to plan your content ahead of time and have it automatically published at a later date.

Can I edit or delete Google Posts?

Yes, you can edit or delete your Google Posts at any time. To edit a post, simply access your GMB account, navigate to the "Posts" section, find the post you want to edit, and make the desired changes. To delete a post, follow a similar process and choose the delete option.

How do Google Posts appear in search results?

Google Posts appear as a card-like format within the Google Knowledge Panel on the right-hand side of the search results page. The posts can include a title, image or video thumbnail, brief description, and a call-to-action button.

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