One of the ways for your business to appear on top of local search results is by creating a Google My Business (GMB) listing. GMB is a free yet powerful advertising tool that can give you an edge over your competitors that don’t have it.
Google designed GMB to have many special features that can be used to advertise your business. One of the best ones is a feature that allows you to post on Google My Business.
What Are Google My Business Posts?
In 2016, Google launched the GMB post feature and made it available to businesses in 2017. Google My Business post is a feature that allows you to share essential information about your business and establish a connection with your audiences.
Google My Business social posts contain photos, a link to your website, a link to a specific landing page, and a call-to-action button. To effectively use this GMB feature, it is essential to know that it has five different types. Here they are:
1. What’s New
This type of GMB post is great when you want to update your audiences about new things in your business. Whether you have new products, services, blogs, or changes in operating hours, this is the best type to use.
“What’s New” posts can also be used to emphasize things that make your business the best one among all the other competitors. You can highlight comments, feedback, and reviews that come from your clients or customers to show your audience why they should choose your business. This type of post will be visible on your GMB listing’s knowledge panel for seven days.
2. Event
As the name implies, “Event” posts are best used to promote any event that involves your business — may it be an event you organized, an event you are invited to, an event you are attending, or an event you are supporting.
For the audience to be informed about all the important details, Google requires “Event” posts to contain details for the venue, time, and start and end dates before being published. Adding a title to the post is recommended, so it gets highlighted more.
3. Offer
The third type of GMB post is the “Offer.” This allows you to plug your business’s upcoming and ongoing sales, promos, and discounts. “Offer” posts can contain coupon codes, informational descriptions, or links to where your customers or clients will be able to redeem your special offers.
For your audience to be informed about the duration of your special offers, “Offer” posts require start and end dates and times. To promote your offers effectively, you have the option of using photos or videos.
4. Product
“Product” posts appear like a catalog. It is not the same with “What’s New” and “Offer” posts. Here, you can post a collection of products that can be seen in the Products Section — each one of these should have a title and a photo.
For your prospective customers to learn more about your products, you have the option of adding a description and price to your “Product” posts. Each product collection automatically has Call-To-Action buttons, so there is no need for you to add one.
5. Welcome Offer
Google also added another type of GMB post for businesses to have a way of attracting people to try their services or products. This type of Google My Business post is used to promote discounts and promos available for first-time clients or customers.
“Welcome Offer” posts are pretty much the same as “Offer” posts, but this type can only be seen by those who follow your business on the Google Map app. Note that creating “Welcome Offer” posts can only be done using the GMB mobile application.
Google My Business Post Tips
There are lots of great Google My Business post examples you can look up on the internet, and here are some tips for you to consider to effectively create one:
- Choose the Proper Type – Before creating a GMB post, you should have a clear goal in mind. If you want to promote your products, choose the “Product” posts. Otherwise, use the other types appropriately. Don’t confuse your audience by posting products using “Event” posts.
- Utilize the Length Wisely – Google only allows a maximum of 1500 characters for all types of GMB posts, so you have to make sure that you utilize that well. The ideal length is 150 characters, but only the first 100 characters are visible on search results. This means that you have to include, if possible, the essential information in the first 100 characters.
- Use High-Quality Photos and Videos – Using high-resolution photos and videos gives a sense of professionalism. Besides, you are only allowed 1500 characters for the content, so make sure that the photos and videos you use will help you achieve the goal of your post.
- Come Up With Strong CTAs – GMB posts with clear and strong CTAs tend to attract more prospective customers. If you want to increase traffic on your website, you can add CTA buttons such as “Learn More” or “Schedule Now” to redirect people to your business website. You can use “Buy Now” or “Schedule Today” if your goal is to increase sales.
Does Posting on Google My Business Help SEO?
As mentioned above, GMB posts contain CTA buttons, which can help increase organic clicks — generating more of this can help build up your website ranking on search results. Plus, the use of such tools can increase your conversion rates. These things just prove that GMB posts indeed help improve businesses’ SEO strategy.
GMB is being updated from time to time, which results in a change in the ranking of listings. Hiring a digital marketing company with knowledge about GMB optimization is the best option for your listing to stay on top of your competitors. Look no further because Advanced Digital Media Services is here to help you! Contact us for more details about GMB optimization services.
