Using GBP posts in the healthcare industry

[Lozo Digital]

Hello!

I have a new client, a single-location pharmacy, and I haven't dealt with this industry before. I'm optimizing their GBP so I want to utilize GBP posts, as well.

Two options I can choose from are "Add update" and "Add event".

My idea is to promote their services like flu shots, Covid tests, etc., and avoid mentioning specific products.

Does anyone have any industry-specific suggestions when it comes to pharmacies, what to do, and what to avoid?

Thanks

 

[Colan Nielsen]

I would utilize the GBP Products and Services sections as long as they have those features available.

 

[Marcin Karwowski]

Have you also noticed that the "Add an offer" post is not available for all categories?

 

[dotgal]

@Lozo Digital I haven't dealt with pharmaceutical-specific clients, but have ones in healthcare. My experience with GBP that sometimes the posts would trigger a content policy violation depending on the verbiage used. You can try posting and if it doesn't go through revise the content.

 

[Lozo Digital]

I would utilize the GBP Products and Services sections as long as they have those features available.

The Products are "Linked to Pointy". To be honest, I haven't used this tool in the past. Not sure if this can be used to improve local SEO, at least for a pharmacy.

As for the Services section, I added additional relevant categories and services, with the service description.

Have you also noticed that the "Add an offer" post is not available for all categories?

Yes, that's exactly what I noticed. That's why I'm seeking additional information to find out the best solution in this case. Do you have something useful to share?

@Lozo Digital I haven't dealt with pharmaceutical-specific clients, but have ones in healthcare. My experience with GBP that sometimes the posts would trigger a content policy violation depending on the verbiage used. You can try posting and if it doesn't go through revise the content.

The exact same thing happened.
Once I published the post I immediately got a warning. The listing was not visible on Google (in the SERP). Although I could still see it in Google Maps, even with the post I published.

As soon as I deleted it, the label was gone, and the listing was again visible in the SERP. I published the same post but tried with a different photo, and it was fine.




I've read this article on Google Business Profile Help, and it says.

Regulated goods and services: If you offer products or services in an industry that is regulated, you’re allowed to use posts but you can’t post content related to the products themselves. Regulated industries usually include adult services, alcohol, tobacco and pharmaceutical products, recreational drugs, health & medical devices, gambling-related services, fireworks, weapons, and financial services.

However, when I looked through the competition, a few of them had posted about specific products, and yet they were visible.

 

[Marcin Karwowski]

Yes, that's exactly what I noticed. That's why I'm seeking additional information to find out the best solution in this case. Do you have something useful to share?

Hi, Did you manage to find any information on this?

I noticed that the "Add Offer" option disappears from more and more profiles. I haven't noticed any association with the profile category, the Offers option is not available, for example, for a beauty salon, which seems very strange in this category.

@JoyHawkins @Colan Nielsen @keyserholiday have you heard anything about this or the removal of this option?