This document discusses Google Posts and strategies for developing an effective posting schedule. It defines Google Posts as owned media that appears on Google My Business pages. Frequent, high-quality posting can provide SEO benefits by influencing local search results. The document recommends developing a posting strategy that considers audience types and search behaviors. Effective strategies rotate new content regularly rather than using repetitive or expired posts. The key is creating a low-stress schedule that drives engagement through quality over quantity.

1. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
for local business and
multi-location brands
Google My Business
Posting Strategies
@mishoplocal #brightonSEO
By David Whatley

2. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
• What are Google Posts?
• What are the benefits?
• How to develop a
Google Posting strategy
Agenda

3. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Posting since 2018
Managed > 100,000 Posts
Across 6,810 locations

4. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
What are Google Posts?

5. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Google Post appear in Google My Business
Google Post
UPDATES

6. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
COVID-19
Update
Update Event Offer
Product
5 types of Google Posts

7. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Google Posts are seen
extensively because
Google My Business is
used extensively…
@mishoplocal #brightonSEO

8. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
69,255,400
-
20,000,000
40,000,000
60,000,000
80,000,000
May-19 Jun-19 Jul-19 Aug-19 Sep-19 Oct-19 Nov-19 Dec-19 Jan-20 Feb-20 Mar-20 Apr-20 May-20
370 Stores 360 Stores 350 Store 330 Stores
This retailer with 360
stores appeared in
69,255,400 LOCAL
searches in DECEMBER
Searches
Example:
GMB search volumes for sample
retail chain stores in UK

9. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Post
Campaign
Covid
Info
Product
Promotion
Product
Product
Product
Product
Mother's
Day
Product
Product
Product
# of Stores 323 323 309 262 309 309 309 296 43 40 242
# of Days 30 11 7 23 7 7 7 5 15 16 3
537,846
146,249
65,401
182,293
67,086 56,512 56,782
139,160
35,868 29,247 33,675
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
This Mother’s Day Post for 296 stores was
opened 139,160 times in 5 days
Post Opens
Example:
Post Open rates for various retail chains

10. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Google Posts has
local SEO benefits

11. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Post content and posting frequency
can influence local search

12. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Post Content
Example 1:
Post: Cheese product
Stores: 240
Duration: 4 days

13. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO 13
One store
Before Post
Where can I buy BRAND NAME CHEESE near me
Search

14. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
After Post
14
All stores
in region
Search Where can I buy BRAND NAME CHEESE near me

15. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Posting Frequency
Example 2:
Posts: Tyre services
Frequency: Every 4 days

16. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Search “Tyre Fitter” in 8km x 8km area
Post 4th March 8th March 12th March

17. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Benefits of Google Posts:
• SEO
• Seen by people
looking to buy
• Free advertising

18. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
How to develop a
posting strategy
for your sector

19. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
5
things to
consider

20. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
1. Google Posts is NOT SOCIAL MEDIA

21. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
PAID
MEDIA
EARNED
MEDIA
SHARED
MEDIA
2. Google Posts is OWNED MEDIA
OWNED
MEDIA

22. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
3. Google Posts is PASSIVE ADVERTISING
“Placing ads in locations
where your customers are
looking anyway”
Passive Advertising
Definition

23. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Existing /
Returning
Customers
GOOGLE
New /
Prospective
Customers
4. Google Posts has THREE AUDIENCES

24. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
5. Google Posts are seen
by people on a LOCAL
SEARCH MISSION...

25. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
People search for many local services

26. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
How often do they search for your services?
Locksmiths
Plumber
Lawyers
Estate Agents
Pest Control
Undertaker
Dentists
Vets
Hairdressers
Garage Services
Hotels
Clothing
Doctor
Insurance DIY
Grocery
Food Delivery
Restaurants
Cafe
Bars
Occasional search
Frequent search
Infrequent
search

27. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
How are they searching for you?
Discovery Search
High
Low Brand Awareness
Direct Search

28. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO High
Low Brand Awareness
What is their SEARCH MISSION?
Find
Someone trustworthy
Find
Someone familiar
but maybe
someone new
Get
Directions
Opening Times
Contact Details

29. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Who’s looking at your GMB Page?
High
Low Brand Awareness

30. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
How often will a Post be seen by customers?
ONCE
High
Low Frequency of search
FREQUENTLY
OCCASIONALLY

31. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
How does this inform
a Posting strategy?

32. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Posting Strategy
INCREASE
DISCOVERY SEARCH
Engage and convert
New Customers
LEVERAGE
DIRECT SEARCH
Engage and promote to
Existing Customers
High
Low Your Brand Awareness

33. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Posting Tactics
Post for
• SEO
• Engagement
• Conversion
Post for
• SEO
• Engagement
• Conversion
• Upsell
Post for:
• Upsell
• Engagement
• Brand
Low Brand Awareness

34. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
How is Google Posts
being used today?

35. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO

36. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Post Mortem
No or infrequent
Posts.
No strategy
looks dead
but is it?..

37. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Expired post
are like
zombies…
They aren’t dead!

38. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Zombie Post Example:
March 2021
LURKING
Desktop
Dec 2019
CHRISTMAS POST
Mobile
STILL VISIBLE
I’M
NOT
DEAD!
R.I.P
I’LL BE
BACK!

39. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Flyposter Man
Frequent Post
No Strategy:
Untidy
Repetitive
Out of date

40. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Would you fly-post your own
shop window?

41. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
▪ 35% of links are broken
▪ 90% are out of date
▪ 100% of offers expired
Flyposting = Poor experience

42. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Posting the same content
every month across 1000
food delivery outlets
Flyposting
Example 3:

43. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
1st 2nd 3rd 4th
1st 2nd 3rd
1st 2nd
1st
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20 Sep-20 Oct-20 Nov-20
Leave
When
Expired
2,070,131
1,167,377
639,966 450,122 401,534 283,312
-
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
May-20 Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20 Sep-20 Oct-20 Nov-20
Post Opens
POST

44. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
64.6%
32.0%
17.4%
13.6% 10.0% 8.9%
10.6% 5.9% 3.2% 2.0% 1.2% 1.1%
May-20 Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20 Sep-20 Oct-20 Nov-20
Post Opens as a % of Search
Post Views as % of Direct Search Post View % of TOTAL Search
Returning
Customers are
not engaged

45. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Change content to
match the frequency of
returning customers
Key
Lesson:

46. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Post Event
Only post
on special
occasions

47. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Devalues the channel
and suffer from
zombies
Occasional Posting

48. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Poster Girl
Posts Content
that drives SEO,
Engages and
Converts

49. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Posting new content every
two weeks across 300 stores
Poster Girl
Example 4:

50. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
1st 2nd 3rd 4th Etc. Etc.
Jan-19 Feb-19 Mar-19 Apr-19 May-19 Jun-19
Remove Post when expired
67,399
25,913
48,936 47,921 50,297
19,071
40,564
45,650 49,941
62,322 62,893
52,980
69,209
146,505
61,313
75,173
104,900
55,131
44,105 50,650
87,348
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
140000
160000
02/01/19 02/02/19 02/03/19 02/04/19 02/05/19 02/06/19 02/07/19 02/08/19 02/09/19 02/10/19 02/11/19 02/12/19 02/01/20 02/02/20 02/03/20 02/04/20
Total Post Opens
NEW POST
every 2 weeks

51. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Product
Posts
Black
Friday
Covid
Info
4.9%
5.1%
5.3%
4.7%
5.0%
4.3%
5.3%
3.4%
4.6%
3.8%
4.5%
5.5% 5.1%
3.8%
4.6%
5.3% 5.2% 5.1%
4.3%
4.5%
3.9%
4.2%
4.4%
6.4%
11.7%
5.0%
5.6%
8.7%
9.4%
7.5% 7.1%
12.1%
17.2%
0.0%
2.0%
4.0%
6.0%
8.0%
10.0%
12.0%
14.0%
16.0%
18.0%
20.0%
02/01/19 02/02/19 02/03/19 02/04/19 02/05/19 02/06/19 02/07/19 02/08/19 02/09/19 02/10/19 02/11/19 02/12/19 02/01/20 02/02/20 02/03/20 02/04/20
New
Year
Sale
POST Opens as % of DIRECT SEARCH
Different Posts get different engagement

52. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
COMPARE
Same post every month.
Leave when expired
Different post every 2 weeks.
Remove when expired
Declining Engagement Sustained Engagement
@mishoplocal #brightonSEO

53. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Posting need not be
a burden …

54. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Rotate Content
1. Prepare and schedule
core Posts
2. Rotate periodically
3. Remove expired offers
o Rotate
o Remove
o Refresh
o Repost

55. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Think
Quality not Quantity
Rotate not Duplicate

56. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
In summary ...

57. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Key
Takeaways
1. Google Posts is an Owned Media Channel
2. Frequent Posting has SEO benefits
3. Avoid repetitive and zombie posts
4. Rotate don’t duplicate

58. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
What’s the
your
Posting
Strategy?

59. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Low stress - high value
Google Posting
david.Whatley@mishoplocal.co.uk
mishoplocal.co.uk
@mishoplocal
WWW