Google My Business (GMB) is increasingly becoming the most important tool a local business can use to improve its customer engagement and ranking on Google.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic has caused third-party review sites like Yelp to falter,[1] there’s a huge opportunity to take advantage of the power of Google and GMB optimization. An ideal way to make the feature work harder for you is to create GMB posts. What exactly are GMB posts and how often should you use them?
A Quick Refresher on GMB and Why It’s So Beneficial
If you have a GMB account, any customer or potential patron who searches your name on Google will find a good deal of real estate devoted to your business. Besides showing up in the Local Pack (the block of listings that appear underneath the map), your business will also show in the Knowledge Panel on the right-hand side of a desktop screen and in the top position of Google search results on a mobile screen.
In order to set up GMB for your company, you must have a standard Google account for your business and a business profile. Then, you’ll need to take an additional step to claim your business, verify that you own it, and fill in pertinent details. Some of the benefits of having a GMB account include:
- It’s the first impression people will get of your business
- It appears at the exact time a person is searching for you, which likely means they are in buying mode
- It has map integration, which makes it easier for customers to find you
- You have complete control over what shows up in your listing
- Customer reviews are displayed prominently and can provide instant credibility. Your customers do not have to navigate to a third-party site.
- Customers can send messages directly to your business using the GMB interface
- An optimized GMB listing can greatly improve your local SEO
What are GMB Posts?
GMB posts will show up at the bottom of your Knowledge Panel after you create posts within your Google My Business dashboard. Posts will appear underneath the words “Updates” or “Overview.” You can also include a post that will be displayed below “From the Owner” on your listing.
GMB posts can include text, photos, or videos, and the information they contain should be relevant and useful to people who are viewing your GMB listing. Businesses can create posts to:
- Update hours of operation or other pertinent information that applies to in-store visits. You may need to let your customers know when you’ll open and close on a holiday or tell them how you’re responding to a public health emergency like COVID-19 or a weather-related disaster.
- Promote an offer or sale and include information on when it begins and ends.
- Display your products with photos, descriptive text, price information, and any other details that may be of interest to a customer.
- Promote an event, such as an in-store appearance or a tie-in with a philanthropy.
Just be careful to avoid using language and elements that will cause Google to reject your post. It’s a good idea to research specific words that Google deems offensive. Google may take the word out of context and assume a different meaning, so you should try to avoid using language that may trigger a rejection.
How Often Should You Utilize GMB Posts?
GMB posts expire in seven days, so it’s best to keep up with it at least weekly. Fresh content lets customers know they can trust you to provide up-to-date information. But it also provides a signal to Google’s algorithm that works to boost your ranking within your local service area. An optimized GMB with updated posts is great for local SEO.
Are You Worried You Don’t Have the Time To Maintain Your GMB Account?
Running your own business requires that you take on so many tasks. Now that you’ve heard that regularly updating your GMB posts can be a game-changer, are you wondering when you’ll find the time to add that “to-do” to your list? Let Full Circle SEM take over that project for you. Our local SEO experts know how to create posts that your unique customers will find engaging and that will lead them to take action. Contact us to learn how we can work together to grow your business!
Source:
[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2021/02/16/can-yelp-continue-to-grow/?sh=33c2d7492571
