In an announcement last week for Google My Business users, Google now allows two new types of posts: product news and promotional offers. The search engine giant posted specifics about the benefits of the posts, saying that when customers have more access to business information and updates they can make better decisions as they browse.

The Posts feature offers four main benefits: facilitating direct communication from businesses to local customers; improving the customer experience with timely information; promoting sales, specials, events, news and offers; and appealing to customers with engaging videos and photos.

Posts are visible to users on the Posts tab of the business listing in mobile view, and on Google My Business websites. Posts can also be shown on Maps, Search and the Overview tab of business listings, and they can include text, photos or videos to promote business listings.

Each post type provides an audience with specific details and allows the business to add a call to action (CTA) button to the post. The four types of posts now offered are:

  • What’s new posts: Posts that provide general information about your business. You can include a photo/video, link, CTA button and other information. For example, a promo company could make a post to promote a new product.
  • Event posts: Posts that promote an event your business is involved with or supports. Event posts require a title, start/end dates and time, and may include a photo/video, CTA button, and other information.
  • Offer posts: Posts that provide promotional sales or offers from a business. Offer posts require a title and start/end dates and times. A “View offer” CTA button is automatically added to the post. Businesses can also include a photo/video, coupon code, link, and terms and conditions with the post.
  • Product posts: Posts that emphasize a specific product your business sells. Product posts require a title and photo or video. You can also include a CTA button and other information. For example, an electronics store may promote a new phone for sale.

For details and to learn more, click on how to create posts on Google.