Why your business should be using Google Posts and tips to get you started

Google Posts might just be one of the most exciting new features introduced by Google in recent years. After the failure of Google+, the corporation needed to rethink the way it approached social media.

Google Posts were first introduced under the name Candidate Cards in 2016 for the then US presidential candidates to promote their campaigns. Google has since allowed businesses to utilise the tool.

Before we go into how Posts can be beneficial for your business, it’s probably best to explain what a Google Post even is.

Businesses using Posts can write up to 300 words that appear on a search engine result page along with google maps location and any reviews. These posts include an image and a title (with start/end times for the post if it’s referencing a sale or event). At the bottom of the page is the option for a button to be added, allowing users to click through to a reservation page, sign up for a newsletter, or visit the listing of a specific product.

For example, an eCommerce site could post an image of a new product, include text explaining what it is and a link at the bottom for people to click through and purchase it. The benefits of having potential customers find this information straight after a google search are incredible for businesses.

Now that you have a rough understanding of what a Google Post is, here are some tips on how to use them and best practice for your business when using them.

Highlight special events

If you have a special event coming up for your business, whether it’s a sale, a new product, or a promotion – you can utilise Google Posts to draw attention to the fact.

Don’t worry about keywords

Stuffing keywords into Google Posts has no impact on the ranking of your own website (if you have one), so don’t worry about them.

Watch your characters

As with Twitter, the number of characters you use are important on Google Posts. The first 80 characters are what show up in the Knowledge Panel (which is the business panel you typically see on the right hand side of a search). Make these characters count, and make sure important messages don’t get cut off.

Optimise your images

The ideal size of an image attached to a Google Post is 720×540, and the main focus should be in the middle of the image, otherwise it may be cut-off or appear differently than you expected.

Post often

Much like with Snapchat and Instagram stories, Google Posts are time sensitive. Posts only stay live for seven days, so plan accordingly. However, if you are posting an event it will appear for the duration.

If you would like to discuss utilising Google Posts for your business, get in touch with Emote Digital and speak to our friendly team of experts.