How to Create Effective Google Business Profile Updates with 5 Examples
Updated: Apr 12
Photo by Hookle
Shortcuts to 5 Examples
Feature an Upcoming Event
Show off Your Space
Feature Your Blog Article
Bonus tip 💡: Automate Posting to Your Google Profile
Have you ever wondered what is Google Business Profile and why you should use it as a small business owner?
For starters, Google Business Profile is the new name for Google My Business. And it is one of the most effective tools for increasing visibility, online presence, and online credibility for free along with social media marketing. Thus, your online marketing strategy is incomplete without a Google Business Profile with frequently updated news and posts about your business.
Google Business Profile is one of the most effective tools for increasing online credibility
So why should I do updates and posts to my Google business Profile?
The type of business posts will determine the extent of engagement on the business listing. It will also determine how your page displays on Google maps and Search. Remember, Google's Algorithm helps push traffic to well-optimized and updated pages and profiles based on search results.
So, today's marketplace becoming even more competitive and fierce, and every small, medium and large business strives to stay ahead of the competition. And that's where updating your Google Business Profile with different posts of your business comes as a hand tool.
What is Google Business Profile Post?
Photo by Hookle
A Google Business Profile is Google’s free service that provides business owners with profiles that appear whenever someone searches for them, or for keywords related to their business.
A Google Business Profile post is an update that you can publish to your Google Business Profile
A Google Business Profile post is an update that you can publish to your Google Business Profile. It can include text, photos, videos, offers, links, call-to-action buttons, e-commerce listings, and more.
These updates show up alongside all the other profile information and in search results on Google search and maps.
Are Google Business Profile Posts Free?
Photo by Miguel Á. Padriñán
Yes. Actually, everything related to Google Business Profile is free. From filling out your Google Business Profile, and adding your business to Google Maps, to creating posts is 100% free.
Yes. Actually, everything related to Google Business Profile is free
It's fair to say such posts are a pretty cost-effective way to market your business almost with zero effort. Let's talk more about this effortlessness later and jump next into what different types of posts there exist in the first place.
Types of Google Business Profile Posts
Photo by Pixabay
Google defines the following categories for Google Business Profile Posts:
COVID-19: Provide an update about changes related to COVID-19, such as business hours and safety instructions
Offers: Provide promotional sales or offers from your business
What's new: Provide general information, fresh content, or news about your business
Events: Promote upcoming events, conferences, webinars, or seminars
Google Business Profile Post Examples
Here are some click-worthy Google Business Profile post examples to help increase your presence online:
1. Regular Posts (Learn More)
Photo on Google by Forage
The post typically depends on the purpose or goal of the page or information displayed. For example, learn more posts many times focus on explaining more about a product or service to a prospective customer.
It should incorporate photos and easy-to-read text to explain the posts to the audience. For example, you can use the learn more post to educate prospective customers about your product offering. So, prospective customers read about a new or existing product and view specifications, product features, and photos.
You can also just invite people to come to you. Forage (in the picture above) has a great example of such a post for a Thanksgiving invitation update on their Google profile.
2. Offer Posts
Photo on Google by Skinny Wheels Bike Shop
The Offer Post covers all promotions from your company. You can use photos, videos, and text to increase engagement and optimize your post. In addition, offer posts will help you display your business offers or promotions.
Offer post is not limited to discounts but could also involve giveaways. Giveaways could include a free eBook or consultation. Also, your Offer post should not exceed 12 months for evergreen (ongoing) offers. The Google team usually closes a post after one year.
Remember to add a start and end date when creating an offer post. You could add timing to the offer. Always take advantage of the add more details field to add a link to your website. It is an exciting way to increase engagement or conversion. Offer posts always appear on Google maps and search under the 'Offers' section on mobile devices.
You can also add Offer codes to your websites as voucher codes. Such offer codes may require customers to display them when they visit your physical store or online. It could also be an excellent way to track customers and where they found your promotions.
3. Feature an upcoming event
Photo on Google by Hookle
This is a type of post you should use when you're organizing a special event or participating in a conference or webinar. Create an event with the type "Event". Events appear on your profile and in Google's event listings.
Do you have recurring events? There are scheduling tools, such as Hookle, that are great for automating your recurring event postings. Read on to learn more about recurring posts.
4. Show off your space
Photo on Google by Ruby Tattoo
Ruby Tattoo Collective studio from the United Kingdom has published this awesome show off of their premises post. People searching for their business can easily tell if the store matches their style and is worth visiting.
5. Feature your blog article
Photo on Google by Hookle
Do you publish articles or blogs? Then a great idea is to promote the latest blog article on your Google profile. This is an effective way to engage and acquire potential customers by promoting a well-written article.
Read more about how to turn your blog posts into Google Business Profile (and social media) content.
Tips for Writing an Incredible Google Business Profile Post
Each business has its own best practices regarding what kind of updates to publish on its Google Business Profile. We have gathered some general tips and practices for businesses below.
The type of content for each profile post differs significantly. Therefore, studying each post carefully and writing in line with your goals is best.
Always create an easy-to-read post and then edit it before publishing.
Adding high-quality photos and videos to your post is an excellent way to increase engagement. Content with media content attracts higher views.
Always use the Learn More feature to post weekly updates on your business. The Google team usually archives posts that are older than one week.
Keep your text short and simple. Potential customers barely read long texts but prefer media files. A Google Business profile allows you to write up to 1,500 characters. The ideal length of text you should post should be 150–300 characters.
Use relevant keywords in your post. You can use short words or phrases from Google search to add to the post.
You can use the Call-To-Action button to cause the customer to take a specific action. You should state the action precisely and clearly, so the prospective customer knows what to do.
Automate Posting to Your Google Profile
So, have you gotten started with branding your Google Business Profile? If not, the first step is to create your free profile and verify your business profile on Google.
Next, it's time to keep your profile up to date. You do this by publishing frequent updates, uploading pictures, and ensuring your business vitals are up-to-date, especially the opening hours. Sound a bit overwhelming? Don't worry, there are tools that ease this workload and make it effortless.
Scheduling tools, such as Hookle, automate publishing to Google Business Profile. Not only do they publish updates to Google but also to all your social channels in one go.
With Hookle Mobile you can increase your local as well as online presence, and thus your customer relationship. That's an incredible social media marketing strategy today. But, remember, if you don't, your competitor is doing so already! So, it's time to increase your small business awareness!
text
text