David Whatley goes through exclusive insights to a major study to measure the effect that Google Posts have on in-store sales.

1. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
@mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Proof that Google Posts drive
engagement and sales
David Whatley

2. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
• What are Google Posts?
• The benefits
• Case study
• Proof that Google Posts drive sales!
• Lessons learnt
Agenda

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

4. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Google Posting Strategies
BrightonSEO in April

5. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
What are Google Posts?

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

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

8. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Google Posts are seen
extensively because..
@mishoplocal #brightonSEO

9. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Google My Business is
used extensively…
@mishoplocal #brightonSEO

10. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
This retailer with 360
stores appeared in
69,255,400 LOCAL
searches in DECEMBER
Searches
Example:
GMB search volumes for various
retail chain stores in UK

11. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Post
Campaign
Covi
d
Info
Produ
ct
Prom
otion
Produc
t
Produ
ct
Produ
ct
Produ
ct
Moth
er's
Day
Produ
ct
Produ
ct
Produ
ct
# 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
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

12. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Google Posts have
local SEO benefits

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

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

15. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO 15
One store
Before Post
Where can I buy BRAND NAME CHEESE near me
Search

16. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
After Post
16
All stores
in region
Search Where can I buy BRAND NAME CHEESE near me

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

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

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

20. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
How to measure the
effectiveness of Posts?

21. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
We can easily measure:
Engagement
Opens
Online conversions

22. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
BUT !

23. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Google Posts are seen
when people are looking
for a local business

24. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
which means…

25. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Local search leads to
off-line sales MiShop.local
is ahead
Bank

26. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
How can we measure if Posts
influence off-line sales?
The question is….

27. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
1. Voucher Codes
2. Track sales before & after
Post campaign
The Options:

28. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
1. Voucher Codes
can be used to track
Off-line & On-line sales

29. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Great for single locations

30. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Less practical for multi-location
businesses

31. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
2. Track sales before &
after a Post campaign

32. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
But what do you
compare against?

33. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
To measure cause and effect you need a
control group

34. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Single location businesses don’t
have a control group

35. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Multi-location businesses can have a
control group!

36. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Case Study
250 store retailer
Do Google Posts
drive Off-line sales?

37. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
World First!
This has never been
done before!

38. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
•Do Google Posts affect in-store sales?
•Test :
•Post Content
•Post Duration
•Post Frequency
The Brief:

39. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
What - New vegan m*lk product promotion
Where - 250 stores
When - May - July 2021
How - Google Posts
Scope:

40. Post Content

41. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO 41
Reporting
Campaign Schedule
Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Group
A NB New NB New NB New NB New NB New
B NB New NB New NB New NB New NB New
C NB New 2 for £3 2 for £3 2 for £3 2 for £3 2 for £3
D NB New 2 for £3 2 for £3 2 for £3 2 for £3
E
(Control)

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The Results
LOADS OF DATA

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Product 1 Product 2 Product 3
Example: Group B
% Change Week-on-Week

44. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO 44
Example: Group C
% Change Week-on-Week
Product 1 Product 2 Product 3
C

45. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO 45

46. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO 46
We see a direct corre
Too much data!

47. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
The Headlines

48. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Post Insights:
A B C D
Average Post Opens Per Store Per Day
E
N/A

49. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Average Units Sold per Store
Average Units Sold per store
A B C D E

50. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
The more Posts opened, the more units sold
A B C D
Average Post Opens Per Store Per Day
E
N/A
Average Units Sold per store
A B C D E

51. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO 51
There is a direct correlation between
Sales and Google Post opens
Week
4 4 2 2 1 4
4
D
C
B
A
E No Posts
Average Post opens Per Store Per Day
Average Units Sold per Store per Group

52. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO 52
4 4 2 2 1 4
4
Posts
No
Posts
Stores that use Google Posts sell
more than stores that do not.
63%

53. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Does content affect
performance?

54. Does Post content affect performance?

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Reporting
Each group had different Post content

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Reporting
Posts that show promotions drive more sales
D
C
B
A
81
46
36
26
Average Opens
Per Store Per
Day
N/A
178
82
126
115
98
Average Units Sold Per
Store Per Group

57. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Q.Do Google Posts affect
in-store sales?

58. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
YES!

59. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Take away

60. Google Posts:
1. Get significant visibility
2. Drive engagement and sales
3. Images influence Open Rates
4. Promotions drive Engagement

61. Don’t waste it!

62. Every Google listing
has an Updates Tab

63. Confidential - © MiShop.local Ltd. 2021
Every Google listing has an Updates Tab
Your Brand

64. Confidential - © MiShop.local Ltd. 2021
If you don’t
post – you will
have an empty
Updates Tab
Your Brand
Your Brand
Your Brand
hasn’t posted yet

65. Confidential - © MiShop.local Ltd. 2021
YOUR BRAND
Your Brand
Your Brand
Your Brand
hasn’t posted yet
An empty Updates Tab is like an empty bill board

66. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Not managing Google Posts means:
• Poor customer experience
• Lost opportunities

67. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
The right Google Posts
do drive sales

68. @mishoplocal #brightonSEO
Get posting!

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