Google My Business has become a crucial component for many companies when it comes to attracting new customers. Last year the service was extended by a useful function called “Google Posts”. This feature can be used to draw attention to offers, new products and events related to your company.
What Exactly are Google My Business Posts?
Google Posts are small PostIts that appear in the Knowledge graph of Google’s search results when someone is searching for your business. A clickable URL can be assigned to every post. Posts remain active for up to seven days and you can post multiple posts simultaneously (up to 10) – the latest posts are displayed first and only the first two are fully visible without scrolling. Below is an example of what a Google Post looks like when you click on the preview.
How do I Create a Google Post?
You create Google Post by logging into your company’s Google My Business account and navigating to the Posts tab.
When you get to the Posts page, click “Create Post”. Here you can choose between different options such as: Offer, Event or Product. Posts need to have a description of up to 1,500 characters. You also have the option to add an image, set a start and end date, and select a call-to-action.
If you decide to include an image, we recommend a square format of at least 500 x 500 pixels.
You should also make sure that there is no text or important information at the bottom or top of the photo, or it will be truncated in the Knowledge Panel preview. We recommend embedding images where relevant as this will make it easier for you to attract users’ attention.
Another tip? Use bold headings and abbreviations for your text to highlight your posts. The following screenshot shows the most common text formatting commands in Google.
Do you want to remove a Google Post after you have published it? Click on the post and select “Delete”. Your post will automatically disappear from Google Search after seven days, but will still be visible to you in Google My Business under Posts.
How do You Use Google My Business Posts to Your Advantage?
Now that you know the basics, you are probably wondering how you can use Google Posts to your advantage. Google Posts are virtually free ads, that come with some limitations, for example, you cannot target a specific audience. However, Google Posts are particularly good for the following:
- Vouchers or discounts.
- New products and services.
- Upcoming events that your company hosts or participates in.
- Features that distinguish your company from others (24/7 service, free quotes, etc.).
- Everything that potential customers need to know or see when they get to your Google Maps listing.
So the benefits of Google My Business Posts are obvious:
- It is free.
- Most products or services are researched first in the search engines.
- A call-to-action can be used to trigger a conversion.
How Can You Measure the Success of Your Google My Business Post?
Google offers simple reporting possibilities of your Google Posts in the Google My Business account. This reports on both impressions and clicks, unfortunately however, the Google My Business Post reporting cannot be integrated into Google Analytics. As you can see, the integration of Google Posts is a worthwhile task. A complete and verified Google My Business account can not only positively influence your SEO rankings, it also lets you appear more often in local search results. In addition, Google Posts provide the user with more useful information and can therefore influence their decision positively, meaning you may soon be welcoming new customers.
Need help setting up your Google My Business account? Send me an e-mail and I will be happy to assist you.
