Google My Business is an excellent resource for local businesses to draw in customers that search for their products and services. Posts on this platform are the first step in grabbing a potential customer’s attention and giving them vital information about your business. This feature of GMB allows you to market yourself with informational posts in your business’s Knowledge Panel to tell searchers about who you are, what you offer, and any deals you have active. Additionally, these posts offer an organic SEO opportunity for your business, as any search related to your GMB content can increase views for your business page.
When you search for a business with an active Google My Business profile, a box appears on the side of the search results; this box is the Knowledge Panel. A recent update allows Google posts that are more than seven days old to appear in your Knowledge Panel. Previously, a post would expire after seven days leading many businesses to forego the feature. It just wasn’t worth the effort. With the recent change, however, SEO specialists are urging business owners to utilize this resource.
What Is Google My Business?
Launched in 2014, Google My Business is a free tool for businesses to manage their presence online across Google. With Google My Business, you have control over the information and content people see when they search for your company. You can also market your business using GMB optimization. Whenever someone searches for your business, they can find your location, your brand story, and any active deals or promotions you have on offer.
Creating and maintaining your Google My Business profile is crucial, as your Knowledge Panel will often be the first impression your business will make on potential customers. The Knowledge Panel acts as a summary of your company and lets consumers know right away who you are and what you do. You can control the content that appears in this panel by regularly posting and optimizing your profile on the platform.
What Are Google My Business Posts?
Google added the posting feature to Google My Business in 2017. There is a 300-word limit, but only the first 100 words will appear in the Knowledge Panel on Google. It’s important to remember this when using this feature and make the most of an excellent opportunity to include SEO keywords that will help searchers find you. For example, advertising sales for upcoming holidays can result in more traffic to your company page when local consumers try to find special offers and promotions.
Google My Business posts don’t influence your rankings in their search engine merely by existing. You will need to optimize the content with SEO best practices to help you appear more in searches. Take advantage of trends and holidays to attract more searches, and provide valuable content to searchers. Knowing what to write in your posts will help you market your own business without spending anything more than your time.
Now that these posts don’t have an expiration date, there’s no reason not to take advantage of them. They are a free marketing resource that directly impacts how Google users learn about your brand. People use Google for virtually every question they have, and Google My Business optimization allows you to advertise your company directly in the SERP.
How Will Google Posts Benefit Your Business?
Google prioritizes local businesses, and you can take advantage of local search trends to maximize visibility for your business. For instance, people will search for sales or promotions on and around certain holidays. Veteran holidays consistently cause a spike in the searches for “free meals for veterans.” Restaurants and other food vendors can make the most of this opportunity by creating a Google My Business post offering free or discounted meals for veterans. People searching for these terms in your area will be directed to your business in their SERP because it’s the closest business that used those SEO keywords in a post.
The phrases you use in your posts are essential. When you create your post, think of how someone might search for your chosen topic. Word choice matters and Google will show results closer to the searcher’s wording first. Think of your readers when you create the post. Don’t try to insert as many keywords as you can. This practice will negatively impact search rankings, and your page metrics will suffer. Target your audience but pay attention to how you incorporate your search terms. The best SEO keywords are direct, but certain words, like articles, have little to no impact on search. Use them to fit the keywords into your content naturally.
Posting on Google My Business gives companies the chance to engage searchers before they even visit the company’s website. This feature is your opportunity to show potential customers who you are and interact with them in a way that encourages them to connect with you. The more personable your business becomes, the more likely customers are to flock to it. If your company is your passion, showcase that in your posts; passion attracts people. They will see how committed you are to your business and your customers, and they will want to get involved.
Steps to Take
Now that older posts show up on your Google My Business page, be sure to remove any expired offers and outdated content. Leaving them up could confuse potential customers and hurt your reputation. If you use this feature to draw in new business, keep your page updated and post often. Use proper keywords for search engine optimization and approach your posts much like you would social media content. There isn’t much of a difference between best practices for the two content types. In the end, you are doing the same thing: connecting with your audience. If you need an expert at creating SEO-friendly content for your GMB page, Adrian Agency can help.
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