{"id":2812,"date":"2020-09-24T16:49:44","date_gmt":"2020-09-24T16:49:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beyondbluemedia.com\/?p=2812"},"modified":"2020-09-24T16:49:44","modified_gmt":"2020-09-24T16:49:44","slug":"what-are-google-business-profile-posts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.beyondbluemedia.com\/index.php\/2020\/09\/24\/what-are-google-business-profile-posts\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Google Business Profile Posts?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Google Business Profile is a powerful platform every business should take advantage of. Along with increased online visibility, it also allows for ease of communication between business owner and their customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re a local business owner dreaming of gaining more traction, this is a vital tool you can benefit from. Google Business Profile posts,<\/strong> in particular, are an avenue to improve local SEO<\/a>,  better local engagement, and higher brand awareness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a Google Business Profile?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before we jump into what a Google Business Profile post is, let\u2019s further discuss the platform itself. Google Business Profile<\/a> (or GBP) is a listing platform aimed at helping potential customers get to know a given business at a glance. Your listing will include information such as your address, website, and contact information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can create a GBP listing<\/a> free of charge. After you verify your account, you can connect with potential customers on Google Search and Google Maps with ease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why You Should Post on Google Business Profile<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you search for a specific business on Google, you might notice what\u2019s called a knowledge panel<\/a> on the top of a mobile SERP (search engine results page) and to the right of a desktop SERP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s an at-a-glance outline that users can use to get the information they need on a given business quickly and conveniently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is where a GBP account can benefit business owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Although some large, established businesses can get away with securing a business knowledge panel without a GBP, small to medium-sized businesses need an account in order to have one propagate. However, Google will sometimes automatically create a listing without your consent to \u201chelp the user experience\u201d. You can still claim your listing if Google creates it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you have one established, you can quickly connect with potential customers with GBP posts. Not only will you gain a line of communication with your clientele, but this is also key in climbing the ranks of local SEO as posts show engagement<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your GBP post will display directly on your knowledge panel. This gives you an avenue to showcase your unique brand\u2019s personality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When potential customers search for you or your services\/products they\u2019ll get a bite-sized taste of who you are and how your product or service can benefit them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On top of all this, customers who want to keep up to date with your business\u2019s information on GBP have the option to follow GBP post updates<\/strong>! As a follower, this will bring them back to your page each time they get an email ping from Google about your recent post update.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Should You Post on Google Business Profile<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you first dabble with GBP posts you may notice their similarities with social media. But there are some key differences to be mindful of; such as hashtags will do you no good<\/strong>. These posts aren\u2019t visually permanent as Google archives them once they\u2019ve run their course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This isn\u2019t the place to post evergreen content. GBP posts are meant to provide the customer with a real-time update on what\u2019s currently happening with your business. These are NOT blog<\/strong> posts<\/strong> either, so be mindful of your messaging as you\u2019ll have limitations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you craft a post, the first few words are the most valuable. Only the first 100 characters<\/strong> or so are displayed before someone clicks the post. Be sure to capture their attention so they feel compelled to learn more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The content itself is largely visual. All the post types give you the option to display a photo along with your text. Overall, these posts are meant to be captivating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use this to catch your audience\u2019s gaze. Don\u2019t feel the need to get too wordy and never<\/strong> use hashtags. Those aren\u2019t useful on GBP as GBP is related to search queries, not social media platforms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

GBP posts are quite intuitive once you get down to it. Each post type guides the content seamlessly. Here are the different GBP posts you have to choose from: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types of GBP Posts <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are a variety of posts you can publish in GBP. Think of each as a sort of mini advertisement for your business, except, you don\u2019t have to pay. Depending on what you want to display, you might choose a different type of GBP post. You have four different options to choose from, each with its own advantage:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What’s New<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Just as the name suggests, this is a post option to inform your customers about business updates. Use What\u2019s New to showcase all the good stuff that makes your business stand out from the rest. This is a channel to connect with your clientele and show them the personality behind the business. Keep in mind these posts will expire in 7 days from your business knowledge panel and will be kept in the archived section until you decide to delete them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Event<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This type of post allows you to promote upcoming events to your audience. You can display the happenings at your business conveniently on the knowledge panel to pique the interest of a potential searcher. You can set the duration of an event post to a day, weeks, or longer. This post type permits a heading, so make it captivating!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Offer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

If you want to share a limited-time deal or promotion you can use this post type to advertise it. The Offer post allows you to add an image, create a title (heading), and set a start and end date for your promo. You can also include additional information such as coupon codes and other terms and conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our recommendation is to delete this post once it\u2019s run its course since you don\u2019t want customers going through your archived posts to find a deal that is no longer valid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Product<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This post type gives you a great opportunity to display what products or services you have to offer. Show off some stunning images and let the customer get a better understanding of what you sell. Similarly to the What\u2019s New post, this will automatically expire in 7 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New Post Type: COVID-19 Update<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

With COVID at the forefront of all our minds, Google created a temporary post type to update your customers on any virus-related updates. You can inform searchers about any changes to your business due to COVID-19 including new hours of operation, protocols you\u2019re following, and more. This post will be active until you take it down or change it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calls to Action<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Each post type gives you the option to include a button. This allows you to direct the audience back to your website with a relevant link, redirect them to a booking platform, or click to call. Here are all the call-to-action buttons in 2020 you can select when crafting your GBP post: <\/p>\n\n\n\n