If you’re a small business owner, a Google Business Profile (GBP) can play a crucial role in improving your online presence. This tool allows your business to show up on Google Maps and local search results, where users can learn about it. To maximize its benefits, it’s important to learn how to schedule Google Business Profile posts.
In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about Google Business Profile and how you can schedule posts on the platform, along with some useful scheduling strategies to consider.
Let’s dive right in.
What is Google Business Profile & How Does It Work?
Google Business Profile, formerly called Google My Business, is a free digital marketing tool that allows businesses to create a profile or listing on Google. This listing includes the company’s important information, such as its name, location, contact details, business hours, and industry.
Aside from managing an online listing, you can reply to reviews and questions, share photos of your business, and create posts. When a user searches for your business on Google, your complete Google Business Profile, including reviews, posts, and photos, shows up on the right side of the search results.
How to Create a Google Business Profile Post
Here’s how you can create a Google Business Profile post in a few simple steps.
- Log in to your Google Business Profile. If you don’t have an account yet, here’s a simple guide on how to create a Google Business Profile.
- Click on Posts on the left side and click on the Plus button to create a post.
- At the top, choose the type of post you want. There are four kinds of Google Business Profile posts you can make: Updates, Events, Offers, and Products.
- Add the necessary details, such as text, photos, videos, and CTAs.
- Offer and Event posts need a title and a start and end date.
- GBP posts can be up to 1,500 characters long, but the Knowledge Panel only shows the first 80 characters.
- Images must have a 4:3 aspect ratio and be in JPG or PNG format.
- When done, check your post’s preview to see how it would look to the user.
- If everything looks good, click Publish in the upper right corner to publish the post.
The Importance of Google Business Profile
Over 77% of consumers rely on Google search results to discover local businesses. When a user searches for a business online, Google’s Search algorithm uses a set of signals to determine the most relevant results.
One factor that the algorithm considers in its ranking is location. Without a Google Business Profile, your business may not show up in the search results, and you would miss out on potential sales and customers.
How To Schedule Google Business Profile Posts With Publer
While Google Business Profile allows you to post natively, it doesn’t support content scheduling. If you want to streamline your social media posting schedule and improve your efficiency, try Publer.
As a complete social media marketing tool, Publer offers several amazing features, like bulk scheduling, content analytics, and varied scheduling options, to boost your content’s performance with minimal effort.
Let’s go over the steps for scheduling Google Business Profile posts on our platform:
#1. Sign up on Publer
Create an account on Publer by signing up with your email address. This doesn’t have to be the same email that you use for your Google Business Profile.
After signing up, you need to provide some details, such as your position and industry, to improve your experience on the platform. Then, you’ll create a workspace where you can connect your Google Business Profile account.
#2. Connect Google Business Profile
If you already have a Publer account, you can add your Google Business Profile to the platform by going to Social Accounts and clicking on Connect next to Google.
Keep in mind that you can only add verified Google Business Profile accounts to the platform. This is because unverified listings cannot change their information, create posts, or upload photos. Verifying your account will also protect it from people who try to claim the business as their own.
#3. Create and Schedule a Google Business Profile Post
After adding your profile, go to Create and tap on your Google Business Profile.
Choose the type of post you want to make and compose it as usual.
Consider starting your post with a catchy headline to hook your audience right away. Remember, GBP posts have a limited character count, so make sure your content is concise and engaging. You can also add hashtags for more context, but this won’t affect its visibility.
Check the preview, and if you’re happy with how it looks, click on Schedule.
Publer offers three scheduling options for Google Business Profiles:
- Manual schedule. With manual scheduling, you can choose the exact time and date when your post is published.
- Autoschedule. With automatic scheduling, the platform uses predefined time slots to schedule your posts.
- Recycling schedule. With a recycling schedule, you can reshare the same post by using Publer’s Spintax tool to create variations of the text. However, this isn’t possible for Event and Offer posts, as these have a fixed start and end date.
To avoid any issues or the risk of your post being rejected, make sure your scheduled Google Business Profile post follows these guidelines.
3+ Benefits of Scheduling Google Business Profile Posts with Publer
From improved time efficiency to better content quality, using Publer when scheduling Google Business Profile posts can bring several crucial benefits.
Let’s discuss them in more detail.
#1. Save Time
Managing a business can take up a significant portion of your time. Using Publer to schedule Google Business Profile posts will help you save time and maximize your social media efforts. You can set aside time to create and schedule posts in bulk and spend the rest of the week focusing on other aspects of your business.
#2. Build Posting Consistency
If you manage different social media accounts along with your Google Business Profile, it can be difficult to keep track of your posting schedule for each one manually. Scheduling Google Business Profile posts with Publer helps you build posting consistency and keep your audience engaged and updated.
However, GBP posts don’t function the same way as regular social media posts: they won’t be seen unless a user searches for your business. So, avoid posting too frequently, especially if your posts don’t have value or are not relevant to your audience, to keep important announcements at the top of the feed.
#3. Maintain Post Quality
Your Google Business Profile is what potential customers see when they search for your business, so creating high-quality and professional posts is crucial. Google also has strict guidelines for GBP posts, and choosing the wrong image or adding the wrong detail in your post can result in rejection.
By creating and scheduling Google Business Profile posts in advance, you can craft each post carefully and ensure that it meets the set criteria while maintaining its quality.
#4. Monitor Performance
With Publer, you can easily monitor and measure your posts’ metrics to see what’s working and what isn’t. While Google Business Profile also offers insights into your content’s performance, it’s not as comprehensive. Use a combination of the two to improve your content strategy.
Two important factors to track are audience demographics and the Searches metric. Knowing your main demographic will help you tailor your content, products, and events to target this market more effectively.
Meanwhile, the Searches metric shows the phrases and keywords that people use to search for your business. This will help you optimize your Google Business Profile listing and give you an idea of what your target audience is looking for.
Advantages of Google Business Profile Posts
- Target local audience. A Google Business Profile allows you to connect with a local audience and improve your local SEO results. For instance, if you own a bakery and a user searches for “bakery near me,” your GBP posts will show up on the results page, which will boost your chances of gaining new customers.
- Promote your business for free. Over 78% of shoppers search for a business online before going to the store. Google Business Profile posts are a great way to showcase your products and services and advertise any events or promotions you currently have.
- Build a strong online presence. If you don’t have a dedicated website, posting on Google Business Profile can help you build a solid online presence, which is crucial for a business. Having the basic information about your business, such as store hours and offered services, available online will help convert casual searches into leads.
Cons of Google Business Profile Posts
- Limited reach. GBP posts only appear when a user searches for your business, unlike social media posts, which are visible to everyone on the platform. This limited visibility can cause some businesses to prioritize social media over Google Business Profile.
- No interaction. While users can leave reviews on your Google Business Profile, they can’t comment on or interact with your posts in any way. GBP posts aren’t meant for two-way conversation but rather for sharing business updates with your customers.
5 Best Strategies for Scheduling Google Business Profile Posts
Now that you understand their importance and benefits, it’s time to learn how you can schedule Google Business Profile posts for the best results.
Let’s discuss some key strategies to keep in mind:
#1. Fill Out Your Business Profile
When creating a Google Business Profile, you are required to provide the following details:
- Business name
- Business category
- Business address
- Store hours
- Contact number
But this doesn’t mean that you should leave the rest of the categories blank. By being thorough and filling out your entire Google Business Profile, you provide potential customers with all the information they need to know about your business.
This will prevent any confusion about the products or services you offer and help your listing show up in search results related to your business.
#2. Post Updates Regularly
When it comes to social media, consistency is key, and Google Business Profile is no different. Posting regularly, whether it be about news, updates, offers, or general topics, will help keep your audience informed.
Suppose a group of customers is planning on visiting your store, but it happens to be closed due to an event. A Google Business Profile post can let them know about your current store situation and prevent a wasted trip.
Google Business Profile posts are also a great way to shape your brand’s image online. The tone and the visuals you use for your posts will give your audience an idea of your branding.
#3. Use Visuals
When scheduling Google Business Profile posts, image size and quality should be a priority. Eye-catching visuals can grab the user’s attention and encourage them to read your post.
For instance, when promoting a product or sharing photos of your store, be sure the images are well-lit, vibrant, and taken in high resolution to pique the user’s interest and stand out from the competition.
#4. Don’t Forget About the Reviews
Clients can leave reviews on your Google Business Profile, which is visible to anyone who searches for your business. Taking the time to reply to each review, whether it’s positive or negative, will help you create a positive online image and build trust and credibility among your audience.
Be sure to perform review management every few months to keep track of any new feedback that you can use to improve your business.
#5. Add a CTA
When applicable, end your Google Business Profile post with a strong call to action. If you have an ongoing sale or are promoting a limited product or event, motivate your audience to take action and make a purchase by adding “Shop Today!” or “Get 50% Off Now.”
With Google Business Profile, you can easily add a premade CTA or create a custom one for your post with one click. Check out some good examples of Google Business Profile posts to see how you can incorporate CTAs seamlessly into your posts.
Key Takeaways
- Google Business Profile, more commonly known as Google My Business, is a free tool that lets you create an online listing for your business.
- You can schedule Google Business Profile posts with Publer. To do so, create an account on the platform and connect your verified Business Profile.
- Scheduling your Google Business Profile posts can help you save time, maintain a consistent posting schedule of quality content, and monitor your performance online.
- Posting on Google Business Profile helps you build an online presence, promote your business online, and connect with a local audience.
- Google Business Profile posts have limited reach and little to no options for audience interaction.
- When scheduling Google Business Profile posts, make sure you use high-quality visuals and a compelling CTA. It’s also important to have a complete Business Profile, check reviews frequently, and post regularly.
Schedule Google Business Profile Posts FAQ
#1. Do Google Business Profile posts expire?
Your Google Business Profile posts expire after six months. This is to ensure that your business information on Google is always up-to-date. Be sure to share important company updates and changes to products and services offered to keep your audience well-informed.
#2. How do I automate Google posts?
You can automate Google posts on a social media marketing platform like Publer, which offers automatic scheduling features. All you need to do is set the time slots that the platform will use to schedule your post.
#3. Does Google have a social media scheduler?
Google doesn’t have a social media scheduler. If you want to schedule posts on your Google Business Profile or social media accounts, you need a scheduling tool like Publer.