Google My Business Posts: Are They Valuable to Searchers?

It goes without saying that few platforms have the impact on business discoverability that Google does. From Google Maps results to organic search traffic, the success of countless companies hinges on the customers that come from the Google ecosystem. 

Google My Business Posts enable businesses to share dynamic content like upcoming events, GIFs, and videos. Though the platform has generated substantial hype, there have been some recent reports of skepticism regarding the visibility of these posts. Let’s take a look at what Google My Business Posts are and explore whether they’re useful in connecting customers with the businesses they’re looking for. 

What are Google My Business Posts?

Google My Business (GMB) enables companies to manage their listings across Google services, including Maps and Search. Creating a GMB account is free, and joining the platform enables a few perks right off the bat, including one-click messaging and the ability to upload photos to your listing. Creating an account also unlocks the ability to create Posts with Google. These posts are informational posts that show up alongside your listing in search results. 

These specialty posts first hit the scene during the 2016 US presidential elections. They displayed information about candidates and the latest polling results. The clean presentation added another dimension to standard search results by presenting real-time information in a bold, colorful way. Gradually, Google expanded the platform for additional uses. Today, businesses can make posts of their own. 

As the platform rolls out to more locations and industries, Google continues to add various features to entice business owners. One of the latest features is a customer testimonial showcase, which highlights positive reviews in a bold way. Since the ability to create Posts with Google is relatively new and the features are ever-changing, some businesses are unsure whether they’ll see results on the platform. 

As it turns out, having an active GMB presence can give a considerable boost to local rankings. The importance of ranking in local search results has become especially clear in recent years, as searches that include key phrases like “near me” have exploded. GMB Posts are specifically tailored to reach local searchers, making them a valuable tool for B2C companies. 

Making the Most of GMB Posts

The growing list of features that GMB offers provides both an enhanced consumer experience and various benefits to businesses. Enterprises looking to manage multiple locations in an effective way can utilize these posts to create buzz at the local level.

As with any marketing channel, there are various best practices that can be used to optimize your GMB presence. Let’s take a look at a few of them.

• Keep your GMB information up-to-date and accurate. This ensures that consumers in the neighborhood know just where to find you. Be sure to fill out all the details you can about your business. Things like phone number, website, description and category, and add pictures. In addition, if your location is part of a complex or shared office space, consider giving specific directions such as “next to Starbucks.”
• Include keywords and optimized SEO content within your GMB listings and posts. This can include location-specific keywords along with phrases like “near me.”
• Manage your customer reviews by addressing any concerns shared and showing appreciation for positive feedback. Pick a couple of your most stellar reviews and feature them on your GMB listing.
• Use succinct and strong calls-to-action within your posts to drive business in your direction.

The Evolving Listing Landscape

Platforms like Google My Business show the evolving nature of online listing platforms as a whole. Searchers are getting information that is increasingly relevant to them, at increasingly fast speeds. Staying ahead of these changes in the listing landscape can pose a challenge for businesses of all sizes. But it’s especially challenging as best practices develop and new avenues open up. 

Although Google aims to streamline the business listing process — just one GMB account puts you across Maps, Search, and other Google services. Optimizing an online brand reputation is no small task. This is especially true for enterprises that manage multiple locations. As search trends increasingly point toward the hyperlocal, enterprises have to maintain their feet-on-the-ground relevance and promote themselves as a local service, no matter where they are.

This is a big reason why the Uberall team is committed to helping businesses optimize their footprint throughout all of the Google apps and listing sites, including Google My Business posts. To find out more about what Uberall can do for your enterprise, request a demo.