Why is Google Business Profile so powerful? It’s simple:
- Customers see your profile when they’re actively searching for a businesses like yours.
- Customers can quickly get a feel for your business from reviews, and updates.
- Keeping your profile updated is a small investment with a big payoff: More customers.
What is a Google Business Profile post?
A Google Business Profile post is an update that can be added to a business’s Google Business Profile. It can include text (up to 1,500 characters), photos, videos, offers, ecommerce listings, and more. Google My Business posts show up alongside all the other profile information and reviews in search results on Google search and maps.
There are 6 types of posts available to all businesses:
- Updates
- Photos
- Reviews
- Offers
- Events
- FAQ
Three additional post types are available for specific types of businesses:
- Menu, for restaurants
- Services
- Products, for ecommerce
Create a Google Business Profile Post
Step 1: Decide your post type
Will you share an update, a video, change your menu, add a service, or launch an offer? To see available options, log in to your Google Business Profile dashboard and click Posts in the navigation.
Some post types, such as menus, are limited to specific categories of businesses.
Decide the objective and purpose of your post and where it fits in your social content strategy before you start writing. Answer these questions:
- Is this post promoting a new product or service?
- Are you trying to bring back old or current customers, or find new ones?
- How will you capture your ideal customer’s attention?
Still not sure what to post? Use Google’s marketing kit to create a graphic from a review and share it. You can get creative with these, too: Print out a bunch and make a review wall in your shop, or display them in your window.
Step 2: Write your post
Simple enough, right? It’s true that creating social media content isn’t as tough as neurosurgery, but there are ways to make it even easier.
These tips are specifically for Google Business Profile posts and not other social media platforms:
Do:
- Keep your post short. You have a 1,500 character limit but there’s no need to max it out. Customers are looking for quick answers or info on Google, not an in-depth piece.
- Include a visual. Stick to photos or videos of your location or products. Leave the infographics for your other social platforms.
Don’t:
- Use hashtags. They don’t help you rank higher. They just clutter up your post.
- Run afoul of Google’s strict content policies. While taking a stand on social issues or featuring your customers’ faces may work well on other social platforms, Google wants to keep their profiles 100% business activity focused. Google will remove any content they determine to be “off topic.” Be sure to review Google Business Profile content policies.
Step 3: Publish it
Alright, hit Publish and your post is live! GMB posts stay visible for 7 days. After that, they are automatically removed from your profile.
Step 4: Engage and respond to your customers
A post on your profile might prompt a customer or prospect to leave you a review or ask a question. It’s crucial to respond to these interactions.
This is true for all platforms, but especially Google My Business, since your reviews show up front and center in local searches and can drastically influence someone’s decision to visit your business.
5 examples of smart Google Business Profile posts
1. Offers are always a good idea
Having an active offer on your Business Profile increases the chance someone will choose you over the competition. For example: I’m hungry and searching for a sandwich shop near me in Google Maps. Sweets & Beans (great name) caught my eye because they have a special offer, and it shows up right in the listing.
2. Show off your space
Clothing boutique West of Woodward has lots of professional photos showing what they sell and giving searchers a taste of their industrial-chic vibe. Potential customers can easily tell if the store matches their style.
3. Deliver important updates with gratitude
Instead of making it about them, the post thanks their staff and customers for their hard work. Showing appreciation for your employees and customers is always in style.
4. Feature an upcoming event
Hosting a special event, conference, or seminar? Create an event in your Google Business Profile dashboard with the Event post type. Events show up on your profile and in Google event listings.
If you use an external service to manage events, like Eventbrite, you can integrate it with Google My Business to automatically list new events for you. This is great for recurring events.
5. Promote new products or services, paired with a great photo
Publish images with short description for new products or services available. People love imagery so this is an ideal place to show it off and get business at the same time.
