What is Google Post? According to Search Engine Land, Google Posts hasn’t received an official name yet, however, it is a feature that allows people and businesses to create content directly on Google. First launched in 2016, Google Posts can have an impact on where your business ranks in Google search results.
Here at Twenty Over Ten, we use Google Posts to help promote upcoming webinars, specials and events to help spread awareness. So, as a financial advisor, you may be wondering a few things. Why should you be using Google Posts? When is the best time to use Google Posts and how exactly do you do it? Keep reading to learn more!
How to Use Google Posts to Improve Your SEO?
As Search Engine Land says, there is evidence that Google Posts can increase your company’s SEO. But, Google Posts have also been underutilized by businesses because of their low-impact. Google Posts should be combined with more robust SEO tactics for this reason, as the best improvements will occur when combining SEO strategies. Post ranking maintained themselves for weeks, even after businesses quit posting, which is different from postings on other platforms.
Since Google Posts is free, posting to the platform can be a beneficial opportunity to raise awareness for your firm. For example, LunaMetrics sums up Google Posts as the equivalent of a Facebook post, but with a much broader reach.
Where Do Google Posts Show Up?
Once you have created a post, users can see it in Google their SERP (Search Engine Results Page) and Google maps when searching for a company’s brand. The information appears in the knowledge graph to the right side of the search results, both on your desktop and on your mobile device.
How to Create Google Posts for Your Firm
- Navigate to business.google.com
- Log in with your Google credentials
- Click the “Posts” icon in the menu to the left
- Determine the type of post
- Customize the post with images and text
- Click the “Publish” button to create the post
When to Use Google Posts
Unlike other social media channels, you likely won’t be as active or use Google Posts as often. However, there are still many advantages to using Google Posts for your advisor firm. Think of Google Posts almost as free ad space – while you can’t target certain audiences your posts will show up near your map listing in a Google search. Who doesn’t love free advertising? Here are some ideas on the types of content advisors may want to consider sharing on Google Posts:
- Special discounts or offers
- New services
- Upcoming events your firm is hosting and/or participating in
- Your firm’s USP (unique selling proposition). Maybe you offer a free initial consultation or provide 24/7 service to your clients
- Updates to your firm
Google Posts Insights and Analytics
While Google posts alone may have a minimal impact on your search rankings, there are certainly analytics to show if your posts are receiving any clicks. This can help you discover what your visitors are interested in by comparing your clicks to views, as seen in the highlighted section of the following image.
Bonus: you can view your post stats even after your post stops running.
To view your post stats simply navigate to the “Posts” section within your Google My Business account and at the bottom left corner of each post you’ll see how many times your post has been viewed and how many times your link was clicked (if you included a button on your post).
If you’ve been following the Twenty Over Ten blog, you know how much we emphasize tracking analytics. These metrics are the key to any marketing campaign’s success. No difference here! Within your Google My Business dashboard, you’ll get a very basic understanding of how your Google Posts are performing. To kick it up a notch consider creating landing pages for the events or specials your promoting so you can truly see when someone navigates to your site via Google Analytics.
Final Google Posts Tips
There are a few pointers to keep in mind to make your Google Posts effective.
- Keep It Short and Sweet: Posts can only be 300 words long, so choose something that will grab the audience’s attention
- Use Optimal Images: When using a visual, make sure it is center-balanced, so that the important part does not get cropped. Pictures that are smaller than 250×250 will not be accepted.
- Update Your Content: Posts will disappear after seven days to keep content fresh.
Google Posts are a great thing to add to your business’ social media posting routine. It only takes a few extra minutes to add valuable information to your firm and enhance your marketing campaign.
Struggling With What Content To Share on Social Media or via Email?
We are offering access to our content for advisors to use via Lead Pilot for 7-days completely free (even on our month to month plans).
