Are you utilizing Google Posts? Know when and how to use them
With the all-new Google Posts, you can now make your existence on Google more up to date. If you have fresh content, you can now share it with your target audience by directly posting it to Google.
This new feature by Google allows you to share products, events, and services directly to Google Maps and Google Search. All you need to do, to utilize the benefits offered by Google Posts, is to signup with Google My Business. So, if you already have your own Google My Business Profile you can post your content to the result pages of Google Search in just a few clicks.
If you are still not sure how to use this new feature here is your complete guide to what are Google Posts and how to use them:
What is Google Posts all about?
Google Posts was first introduced in January 2016 and was mostly used by presidential candidates of the US. Later, by March it was extended to businesses and became a part of Google My Business.
With time Google has made this feature available to everyone who has a valid profile on Google My Business. Which made it even easier for small and medium business to reach their potential customers.
As discussed earlier, It allows you to share messages about your products and services directly to the local panel of Google Maps and Google search. You can create the message you want to share on Google My Business dashboard and see it instantly in the results of branded keyword searches.
Every post you share is limited to a word count of 300 words and a photo. If you want, you can additionally showcase a CTA button and dates for your events to the post.
How does it work?
If an individual search Google with brand terms related to your business, Google Posts will trigger your shared message to the top. You can add up to 10 posts to appear in the knowledge graph of the business. In short, it will be visible on the right side of Google search results, both in desktop and mobile. Google Posts will make them visible to the visitor through a scroll-through space. It also allows your post to be available on the on the local Google business map list.
The best part of using Google Posts is that it costs you absolutely NOTHING. Which means your product or services is getting featured in organic search results, without spending a single penny. The only thing you need is a little bit of creativity and fresh content.
How to set up Google Posts and use it?
Setting up your Google Posts is as simple as creating a Gmail account. You just need to sign up for Google My business and you will get the access to Google Posts. If you already have a Google My Business account, sign in and click “Posts” on the left menu bar.
You will now see the “Create Post” window. It will give you multiple options like write text, upload an image, add event title, add start and end date, and add button (CTA). Click on the fields respectively and fill in all the relevant information.
Once you are ready for the post, click “Preview”. If you are satisfied with how your post looks, click “Publish”. The publish button appears on the right top corner. This procedure is same for both mobile and desktop users.
Some points to remember
- Your post may contain up to 300 words, but only the first 80 characters are visible on the knowledge graph or knowledge panel.
- Your post stays live on Google for 7 days from the start date and then Google automatically deletes it.
- The order of your posts in the carousel start with newest first.
How to create posts that encourage clicks?
Before creating your first post go through some of the most popular pieces of Google Posts. Note down the common points and you will have a framework on what audiences like the most.
Some easy to use tips to create amazing posts are:
- Use HD photographs
- Use actionable words in headlines
- Keep the post short, crisp and to the point.
- Never use any commercial slang
- Excessive use of all caps and exclamation marks is a big NO.
- Use a uniform theme for the post.
When we search Google we all look for one common thing and that is quality, timely and relevant information. When creating a post for your business, do not forget who is your target audience and what are they looking for. When you focus on your customers, they focus on your product. To drive traffic to your site you can also include a custom URL in your post.
