What's the best methods for GMB Posts?

[mikepcservice]

Is there anything outside of blogs postings one uses for GMB Posts or is it the same exact procedure please?

I use an image, h1 title, sub headings, a video, sprinkle in a few kw's in the content, pretty much the same procedure as blogging but any way to improve on the posts?

Also, what's the minimum recommended amount of words to use?

 

[Conor Treacy]

For our clients, we use them for everything from Events, Job Openings, Project Showcases, Blogs and then Services offered.

Some posts don't get any text at all, just an image posted.

There's no "title" as such on the "Whats New" type posting, so it's just straight text with no formatting. Usually, stick to about 200 characters (2-3 sentences) then a link for Learn More. We swap back and forth between using the Learn More button and just adding the URL directly into the message.

One of our clients, we post DAILY, others we normally post twice a week, or once a week.

I believe Sterling Sky ran a test regarding the GMB Posts and if they contribute to Local Rankings, and that resulted in a no. We don't use it so much for the rankings, but rather that out of the various clients we work with, most of their competitors don't utilize the posts section at all, and it's one more "block" that we can fill on a results page.

I can't ever recall keywords in a GMB post that actually showed on a ranking result.

 

[mikepcservice]

Hmnnn, I keep getting notifications from google every whenever suggesting posting with this and the other thing to help boost rankings which is why I had thought I should devote time and effort to posting.

 

[Conor Treacy]

It would help with boosting exposure - people can see what the company is doing from the Knowledge Panel without having to go to the website, but the actual GMB post itself I've never seen affect actual rankings. How could it? I can't show the post anywhere other than in the knowledge panel (or the updates tab). It doesn't get integrated in a normal SERP page either.

Here's that article that @JoyHawkins posted earlier this year - Do Google Posts Impact Ranking? - Sterling Sky Inc

 

[Annika Neudecker]

I'd not think of posts as an SEO thing but as a branding and customer relations thing. We do two posts per month and focus on using big, bold images which project the kind of aesthetic that we aim for. They're colorful and include a very short message in large font, as well as a short bit of text and a link back to our site. Some successful ones have included messaging about our online shopping options and seasonal promotions.

The effect on our listings is that it showcases the sort of branding that we want customers to see and makes them look more complete. We're a business that doesn't have a lot of attractive in-store images so these bring in the right vibe to the knowledge panel. I'd encourage you to think similarly - use posts to give your customers the branding and messaging that matters, as well as updates on promotions or events you're running. Use good quality images with big text, keep it short, and don't worry about keywords.

 

[Colan Nielsen]

@mikepcservice

There are some nice tips in this study we did How to Succeed With Google Posts: What We Learned From Analyzing Over 1,000 Google Posts - Sterling Sky Inc

 

[Barb Davids]

On a related note, I started posting once a week to almost daily (and photos area) with one client and their leads from GMB have increased slightly. They are in the wedding/photography industry. Another client, dental industry, I went from once a week to twice a week and no change.

 

[mikepcservice]

Hey guys, any way to see a specific month's 'Customer Actions' in the GMB please? I would like to see August and September separately if possible.

 

[Annika Neudecker]

Hey guys, any way to see a specific month's 'Customer Actions' in the GMB please? I would like to see August and September separately if possible.

In GMB, select the locations you want using the checkboxes on the left side of the screen, then go to the top right and click the Actions dropdown, then Download: Insights.

In the window that comes up, pick Discovery Insights, then you can select the date range you want to download your insights for. Keep in mind that you'll see all data for that period lumped together, so if you want day by day info, you'll need to download a single day at a time.

 

[mikepcservice]

Thank you but seems I need a little more info if you won't mind please. I click on "Insights" heading in the left pane but not seeing any "Actions" dropdown on top right of the page? Only thing with options is the square 9 dots icon to the left of my Google logo.

 

[Annika Neudecker]

Thank you but seems I need a little more info if you won't mind please. I click on "Insights" heading in the left pane but not seeing any "Actions" dropdown on top right of the page? Only thing with options is the square 9 dots icon to the left of my Google logo.

You're looking a little too high. Once you select one of the locations in your account, it should look something like this.

 

[mikepcservice]

Hmnn, something's off here on my end as I am not seeing that option. This is the view I have on the Google My Business home page?

 

[Annika Neudecker]

Hmnn, something's off here on my end as I am not seeing that option. This is the view I have on the Google My Business home page?

Are you only managing a single location in your account? I'm using a multi-location account which could be the reason for the difference.

 

[mikepcservice]

I guess I am not understanding about "locations", let me clarify please. I have 3 businesses I am managing here in NY. 2 are mine, one is for a client. For the client when I sign into insights I use his google account login and when I sign into mine I use my google account login.

Does this answer your question on single location, if not please let me know? I have never concentrated too much on GMB in the past, I only login on the last day of each month to see how many calls and visits I get from the Local Pack.

If there is a better setup for all of this please let me know?

 

[Professor M]

You can use the new "Performance" report for that:

Just click on the banner

 

[mikepcservice]

Thanks, helps but still no way to narrow down to only one month? It seems to apply only when selecting 2 months.

 

[Professor M]

You can narrow it to 1 month. If you look at my first screenshot, it's only showing September.
I did it to show you that it is possible.

just select the same month twice

 

[Conor Treacy]

Thanks, helps but still no way to narrow down to only one month? It seems to apply only when selecting 2 months.

You can select the same month twice.

So for June 2021, click it once for the start month, then click June 2021 for the end month. This will give you the single-month information.

On my performance report I can only go back to June 2021 - not sure if there will be options to back further than that.

 

[mikepcservice]

GREAT thank you very much guys!

Strange though. It is showing 106 calls for September but under Customer Actions for that month it had showed 90 calls, I am wondering if maybe the data for Performance is not all that reliable?

 

[dgrunited]

GREAT thank you very much guys!

Strange though. It is showing 106 calls for September but under Customer Actions for that month it had showed 90 calls, I am wondering if maybe the data for Performance is not all that reliable?

The date range in Customer Actions is different from the other parts of the report. In Customer Actions, you will not get a full 30 day report, hence the discrepancy.