How To Properly Track Google Posts in Google Analytics

Last updated: Google 4 min read

What is a Google Post?

A “Google Post” is a feature offered by Google My Business, a tool used by businesses to manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps. Through Google Posts, businesses can publish content directly on their Google My Business listing. This content can appear in Google Search and Maps, allowing businesses to communicate directly with potential customers.

Key aspects of Google Posts include:

  1. Content Types: Businesses can share various types of content, such as updates, offers, events, and products. This can include text, images, and even call-to-action buttons like “Learn more,” “Reserve,” “Sign up,” “Buy,” or “Get offer.”
  2. Visibility: These posts are displayed in the business’s Knowledge Panel on Google Search and Maps. This makes them highly visible to users searching for the business or related services.
  3. Engagement: Google Posts allows businesses to engage with their audience by providing timely information, promotions, and updates about their services or products.
  4. Time-Sensitive: Posts are typically short-lived, often expiring after a week unless they are event-based, in which case they last until the event is over.
  5. Analytics: Businesses can track how many people saw and interacted with their posts, which helps in understanding customer engagement and improving future posts.

Google Posts is a valuable tool for businesses to enhance their online presence, interact with their audience, and promote their services directly on Google.

How To Get Started With Google Posts

To get started with Google Posts, you need to have a Google My Business (GMB) account. If you don’t have one, the first step is to create and verify your business on Google My Business.

Once your GMB account is set up and verified:

Sign in to Google My Business. Then navigate to Posts: On the left-hand menu, you’ll find the “Posts” option.

Google My Business

From there you will be able to see several options: upload a picture, write up to 300 words of text, add an event title, add start and end dates, and include a call to action such as “Get Offer”, “Sign Up”, “Buy”, “Reserve”, and “Learn More”

Google Post
Google Post
How To Get Started With Google Posts

The finished post would appear in search results and in maps looking like this:

These ads allow you to:

  • Share daily specials or current promotions that encourage customers to take advantage of offers.
  • Promote events and tell customers about upcoming happenings at your location.
  • Showcase your top products and highlight new arrivals.
  • Connect with customers directly from your Google listing: by giving them a one-click path to make a reservation, sign up for a newsletter, learn more about latest offers, or even buy a specific product from your website.

Within the post section of Google My Business, you can view insights based on how many views and engagements you have received.

Google Post Insights
Google Post Insights

How To Track Google Posts in Google Analytics

You are able to gather additional information by tracking it inside Google Analytics. From inside analytics, you can view various key performance indicators such as the number of sessions, new users, bounce rate, page per session, duration, and goal conversion information.

Google Post in Google Analytics
Google Post in Google Analytics

In order to do this, you would need to set up custom campaigns using UTM codes. It takes just a moment to create but well worth it if you want the track the data.

First, you need to go to the Campaign URL Builder provided by Google Analytics.

Campaign URL Builder
Campaign URL Builder

The most important fields you would need to include are

  • Website URL
  • Campaign Source
  • Campaign Medium

In the website URL field, insert the full website URL that you intend to track with analytics.

Website URL
Website URL

Next, for Campaign Source enter the referrer as “Google”

Campaign Source
Campaign Source

In the last field list “Post” as your campaign medium

campaign medium
Campaign Medium

Lastly, copy the generated campaign URL and paste it into the google post.

Generated Campaign URL
Generated Campaign URL
Digital Marketing isn’t a fad – it is one of the large trends that fundamentally change how business is done. If you don’t catch up, it could spell disaster for your business.

Feeling overwhelmed just thinking about the many changes and features from Google? TheeDigital is an experienced digital marketing agency that can easily manage search engines for you. Contact our award-winning web designers in Raleigh, NC at 919-341-8901 or schedule a complimentary consultation and website review.

Tags: Digital MarketingGoogle

Christopher Lara

SEO Manager

Christopher Lara is the SEO Manager at TheeDigital. With over 8 years of experience in digital marketing. He specializes in technical SEO and partnering with business leaders in Massachusetts to provide them with solutions to establishing a winning online presence. Give Christopher a call at 617-915-4477 to talk about web design, SEO, and digital marketing that will meet your needs. Read more by Christopher Lara

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