How to Create an Engaging Google Post?

What Are Google Posts?

Google Posts allows you to share timely updates in the form of posts directly to your Google Business Profile (GBP). Typically, these posts include a striking title, an image or video, a short description (caption), and a Call-to-Action (CTA) that links to an external webpage or encourages a specific action.

Google Posts usually appear in the middle of your GBP, displaying a small version of your image along with the first 15–20 words of your text (called preview text). When clicking on the post, a complete view will open that reveals the full text and CTA.

Different Post Types

There are different types of posts to choose from:

1. Add Update: This is the most common type of Google Post and allows you to share general updates and information about your business. You can use various CTAs, such as “Learn More,” “Book,” “Buy,” “Order online,” “Sign up,” and “Call now.” These posts include an image or video, a brief caption, and the aforementioned CTA.
2. Add Offer: Offers appear not only in your Google Post section but also near the top of your GBP. You can promote timely deals, such as “10% off our vegan menu” for two weeks. The offer requires a title, start and end date, and the “View offer” CTA is automatically added. You can include an image or video and a caption.
3. Add Event: If you’re hosting a special event, you can promote it here! You’ll need a title, start and end date, and a specific time for each date. You can include an image, video, caption, and a Call-to-Action. Some events may also appear under the “Overview” tab of your GBP.

What Are the Benefits of Google Posts?

Google Posts offers many benefits for your business. They’re one of the best ways to signal to both Google and potential customers that your business is active. Google Posts allows you to communicate directly with customers and engage with them online, sharing timely updates and relevant information right on your GBP. You can promote new offers, special sales, or promotions, as well as showcase new services, products, or amenities. They also increase the chances of interaction with your GBP. With the use of Call-to-Actions, you can encourage customers to book, call, or visit a designated page immediately.

Does Google Business Profile Posting Improve Rankings?

While Google Posts are not a direct ranking factor for local SEO (according to Google), they still indirectly enhance your online visibility. This is due to the signals that indicate your profile is active, well-maintained, and customer-focused. Google Posts also allows you to integrate more keywords into the content displayed on your GBP. These factors not only encourage customer engagement but, over time, can also improve your Google rankings. From our experience, Google Posts are very important not only for your overall visibility but also because you provide additional information for customers on your profile!

How to Post on Google?

To create and post content on your GBP, follow these steps. It is super easy:

1. Go to your Google Business Profile Manager.
2. Navigate to the Settings / Menu.
3. Select “Add update.
4. Select the type of Google Post that you want to create.
5. Add an image.
6. Add a caption.
7. Choose a Call-to-Action.
8. Click on “Post".

Google Post Image Size

Google Posts work best with images sized at a 4:3 ratio (for example, 1200px x 900px). Ensure the image is not larger than 5 MB, with a minimum size of 480px x 270px, as anything smaller will have too low a resolution. Focus on high-quality images; avoid publishing anything where you can count the pixels!

If you upload images in other sizes, Google will automatically crop them. Make sure important elements aren’t placed near the edges to avoid awkward cuts - like a face being randomly cropped. Not a good look!

How to Check the Post Status?

When you have posted a Google Post, different statuses can appear:

• Live: The post is live and can be seen on your Google Business Profile in the search results or on Google Maps.
• Pending: This status will appear when the post is either still uploading, processing, or in case your profile is not verified (yet or needs re-verification).
• Not Approved: The post has been rejected by Google. If you click on the question mark next to the status, you can learn more about which content policy this post violates.

If your post is removed or couldn't be posted in the first place you will see a message like shown in the image below:

Tips for Creating High-Quality Google Posts that Will Actually Drive Engagement

It’s not enough to simply upload a random image and jot down five words. If you’re committing to posting, make sure potential customers feel inspired, educated, or enlightened by what they see. Focus on creating posts that add real value. Let’s dive into some tips for crafting standout Google Posts.

How to Write the Perfect Google Post Caption

An image might be worth a thousand words, but a few well-chosen words can make your post even more impactful! Crafting a compelling caption doesn’t have to be difficult. Just follow these steps:

1. Research local keywords and include them in your post. Use one main keyword and 1-2 semantic keywords.
2. Pay attention to the preview text (the small text that is visible before clicking on the post). Ensure the first 15-20 words capture attention, even if your caption is longer.
3. Provide value: Describe what makes your product or service stand out. For example, if showcasing a dish, highlight whether it’s vegan, gluten-free, or made with organic ingredients.
4. Avoid keyword stuffing and unnecessary fillers. Shorter, more meaningful captions perform better with today’s audience.
5. Answer the 5 W’s (Where, When, What, Why, Who) in your caption for clarity and impact.
6. Use emojis as they grab attention and add a fun, visual element.

Example Images for Different Businesses

Below we have some example images for different business types for you to get a good impression of what works well in terms of images.

Restaurants / Bars

Images: Nooch

Hotels

Images: Hotel Glücksschmiede

Beauty Salons / Hairdressers

Gyms / Personal Trainers

Stores

Example Texts for Different Businesses

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How to Choose the Correct Call-to-Action

Each post can have a designated CTA that encourages further actions from potential clients. Below is an overview of common CTAs and when to use them:

Learn More

Example: A dental practice sharing information about a new whitening procedure could use "Learn More" to link to a blog post.
Ideal for: Educational content or detailed information about services.

Book

Example: A nail salon promoting online bookings for appointments could use "Book" to lead directly to the booking page.
Ideal for: Businesses reliant on scheduled appointments.

Buy

Example: A boutique showcasing eco-friendly clothing could use "Buy" to link to a purchase page.
Ideal for: Retail businesses promoting products.

Order Online

Example: A restaurant offering takeout or delivery could use "Order Online" to link to their ordering platform.
Ideal for: Food and beverage services offering online orders.

Sign Up

Example: A fitness studio offering free trial classes could use "Sign Up" to link to a registration form.
Ideal for: Events, classes, or newsletters requiring registration.

Call Now

Example: A plumbing company offering emergency services could use "Call Now" to encourage immediate contact.
Ideal for: Businesses needing direct, urgent client interaction.

Our Customer Success Manager Diana has the following tip: You cannot include your phone number in the caption of your Google Post. Otherwise, your post will be removed by Google. We recommend only choosing the CTA button and not including the direct CTA in the description. You can refer to the button instead!

Which Images Are Allowed to Post?

There are strict guidelines for images on Google Posts. Ensure your images do not meet the following prohibited criteria:

• Blurry or unclear images.
• Distorted images or poor cropping.
• Images with excessive whitespace.
• Images with text or graphic overlays.
• Collaged or combined images.
• Offensive or inappropriate content.
• Misleading or deceptive images.

Learn more about prohibited & restricted content for Google.

Tip from Diana: If you have a business that is likely to show a lot of skin on the images (e.g. tattoo artists, massage therapists, dermatologists, or beauty salons) make the images “safer” for Google. Use photos that will sell your service instead of showing too much of your clients. This could be seen as too revealing by Google. Google mainly uses bots to approve or reject images and we have found many times that images showing for instance a massage on a leg or a lot of cleavage are instantly flagged as too “provocative”.

What to Do if a Google Post Gets Rejected/Removed?

Sometimes a post gets wrongfully removed. This can happen because Google’s bots flag the post even though it does not violate any policy. If a post gets wrongfully flagged, you can appeal by following these steps:

1. Go to the email you received regarding the removal.
2. Click on “Appeal”.
3. Confirm your account.
4. Select the post for the appeal.
5. Click “Submit”.

10 Ideas for Google Posts - What to Share?

We know it can be challenging to come up with fresh ideas for Google Posts. That’s why we’ve gathered 10 ideas for your business, applicable across all industries, so you’ll always have inspiration for your next post!

General Google Post Ideas for all Businesses

1. Introduce Your Team
   Post an image of your team with a caption about their specialties.
   CTA: “Learn More” - Direct users to your About page.
2. Client Testimonials
   Highlight customer reviews with a thank-you message.
   CTA: “Book” - Reinforce action with positive testimonials.

Industry-Specific Examples

Restaurants and Bars

1. Menu Highlights: Show dishes or cocktails, enticing potential guests.
   CTA: “Book” or “Order Online.”
2. Interior Showcases: Share your ambiance with seasonal decorations or unique spaces.
   CTA: “Book.”

Hotels

1. Room Features: Highlight scenic views or special amenities.
   CTA: “Book.”
2. Amenities Spotlight: Show pools, gyms, or bars.
   CTA: “Book.”

Beauty Sector

1. Before and After Shots: Showcase transformations with compelling images.
   CTA: “Book” or “Call Now.”
2. New Products: Promote salon products and explain their benefits.
   CTA: “Learn More” or “Buy.”

Healthcare Providers

1. Health Tips: Seasonal health reminders with relevant advice.
   CTA: “Learn More.”
2. Facility Insights: Share clean, modern treatment spaces.
   CTA: “Call Now.”

Automate Your Google Posts

Posting every day can be a challenge and is easy to forget. That’s why we recommend using an automatic posting tool to take this task off your hands. If you’re using Obenan’s Google Post tool, you have several options for scheduling Google Posts. The most popular choice is the “endless rotation” of monthly posts, where you create a set of posts that rotate every 31 days. This approach requires a one-time setup, and you’ll have a post ready each day of the month. After a while, you can update with new images to keep things fresh.

The process is simple: select and upload images, then let our AI craft local SEO-friendly text within seconds - saving you a lot of time. Add a start date and the desired CTA, and you’re done! In just a few minutes, you’ll have a well-organized Google Post library that ensures daily posts and maintains a clean aesthetic for your Google Business Profile’s image gallery as your chosen images keep rotating. The best part? You won’t have to think about creating a Google Post every day!