Is it too much of a pain in the ass/expense to keep adding timely content to your website or blog? Or do you already do that and you’re looking for a way to up your SEO game without trying too much? I know it was just half a year ago, while showing you how to automate Google Business Profile posts that I said I wouldn’t go into more detail about GBP posts, but when I find myself typing an email to a client, and I think I’ll type the same thing again later, I’ve been trying to turn those into blog posts.
Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) posts are an easy way to give Google a signal that your business is alive and well. While there’s little empirical evidence suggesting GBP posts do or do not directly affect SEO, (difficult to measure), Google encourages you to use them and provides copious data about your GBP posts, and we want to keep Google happy. So…
What are Google Business Profile posts?
GMB posts are short missives (no minimum length, maximum 1,500 characters, or approximately 250 words) published directly to Google Search and Maps. By creating GBP posts, you can place your timely text, video, coupon, or photo content in front of potential customers when they find your business listing on Google.
Posts can be about events, offers or specials, product updates, news or announcements. Many service-related businesses (like law firms with no events/specials/products) will have to get a little creative while sticking to the latter. #FakeNews?
What makes a great GBP post?
Google has plenty to say on that. So just read their take, instead of what some guy on the internet says. That guy has this to add: Don’t get too caught up in great posts. I think giving a regular, mediocre, sometimes crappy signal is better than a sporadic showing of greatness with long lulls of nothingness.
There’s also that, “a picture is worth lotsa words” adage to think about. READ: Adding a picture to a GBP post = Good.
How to do a GBP post
To create a Google Business Profile post, follow these steps. (Click that link!) …Or, if you’re really lazy, read the post I wrote a while ago about how to automate your GBP posts. (Click link in first blog post paragraph, above. Better yet, don’t. I’m not a fan of automating GBP posts.)
That’s it.
…Says the guy who’s never done a GBP post of his own. I have one of my talented social maven associates do GBP posts for clients when they budget for it and otherwise empower us to do it.
Thanks for reading.
Dan Dreifort consults on UX and SEO. He makes noise in synthband.com, icurd.com, and at the moon, sometimes. He is a fan of the Oxford comma, and he volunteers for a few causes, including campaign finance reform, public art, and the right to die.
Dan Dreifort 
Loved this. You have style, man.
Hey Dan, nicely written 🙂
FYI, OneUp supports GMB post scheduling. Only $3/month for up to 10 accounts.