Latest / The Local Marketing Podcast with Fexingo: Small Business, Google Maps, and Local SEO / Google Maps Posts for Local Service Businesses
Transcript
- Lucas: So Luna, you know that little plumbing company on Maple Street — the one with the blue van that's always parked outside the bakery? Luna: Oh yeah, the one with the punny logo — 'Plumb Perfect' or something? Lucas: That's the one. Their owner, a guy named Mike, told me something interesting last week. He said his call volume jumped 18 percent this summer, and he didn't run a single ad or change his pricing. He just started posting on his Google Maps listing. Luna: Wait — Google Maps has posts? I thought that was only for restaurants sharing their lunch specials. Lucas: That's the common assumption, and it's exactly why it works so well. Google Business Profile posts — you know, the updates that show up when someone searches for a business on Maps — they're not just for coffee shops. Mike started putting up a simple post every Monday, like a photo of a recent job, a one-line tip about water heaters, and a 'call for a free estimate' button. Within two months, he was getting twice the calls he used to. Luna: That's a huge lift from something that sounds almost too simple. What's the catch? Lucas: The catch is consistency and relevance. You can't just post once and expect a flood. Google's algorithm rewards fresh, relevant content — just like it does for websites. A business that posts weekly shows up more often in local search results, especially for those 'near me' queries. And for service businesses, the timing matters: if you post about a seasonal issue — say, pre-winter furnace checks in October — you're literally putting yourself in front of the person who's searching for that exact problem that week. Luna: So it's like a tiny, free billboard with a built-in audience. But I'm guessing there's a skill to it, right? You can't just slap up a photo and hope. Lucas: Exactly. Mike's posts aren't fancy — he takes a photo on his phone, adds a short caption, and makes sure the call to action button is set to 'Call now.' But he's thoughtful about the content. He rotates between three types: a completed job with a before and after, a common problem explained in plain English, and a seasonal reminder. That variety keeps things interesting and covers different search intents. Luna: I love that. And it reminds me of something I read about the psychology of urgency — when you see a post that says 'Sump pumps failing in heavy rain? We're booking this week,' if your basement's already flooding, you're calling right then. Lucas: Right. That's the 'right now' mindset. Google Maps is where people go when they have an immediate need — a leak, a clog, a blown fuse. Your post is there to say, 'I can help you today.' And the phone rings. Mike told me he picked up three new customers just last week from a single post about a common issue with tankless water heaters. Luna: Before we go deeper into the actual posting playbook — and I know you have one — can I just say something about the show for a second? Lucas: Sure, go ahead. Luna: So, we keep making these episodes because marketers like you keep sharing tactics that actually work. And a lot of you have asked how to support the show without a big fuss. It's a simple thing: a handful of listeners chip in a few dollars a month through buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. That's literally what keeps the podcast ad-free and lets us do deep dives like this. No pressure, just if it's helped you. Lucas: Yeah, we're listener-funded, and we appreciate everyone who's pitched in already. It's a small group, but it makes a difference. Luna: Totally. Alright, back to Google Maps posts — because I want to know the playbook. Lucas: So here's the thing: most service businesses treat their Google listing like a digital yellow pages ad — name, number, hours, done. But Google is actively rewarding businesses that treat it like a mini content channel. A study from last year showed that businesses posting at least once a week get 3.5 times more clicks to their website than those who post monthly or never. Luna: 3.5 times — that's not nothing. And you mentioned 'clicks to website,' but for a plumber, you want calls, not visits. Lucas: Right, and that's why Mike sets his post call to action to 'Call now.' Google lets you choose between Call, Message, or Visit website. For a service business, you want to make it as frictionless as possible. One tap and you're connected to the owner. No email form, no booking page — just the phone. Luna: Makes sense. So what does a good post actually look like? Give me a concrete example. Lucas: Sure. Let's say it's the first week of September — that's when fall maintenance season ramps up. A heating and cooling company posts a photo of a technician inspecting a furnace, with the caption: 'Fall is coming. Before you switch on your furnace, let us do a 20-point check. Catching a cracked heat exchanger now could save you $2,000 in the middle of winter. We're booking October appointments now.' Then the call button. Luna: That's great because it's specific, it's urgent, and it has a dollar figure. People remember that. Lucas: Exactly. And you can add a special offer — like $49 furnace tune-up — but you don't have to. Mike rarely offers discounts; he just showcases reliability. What matters is that the post is fresh and relevant to the season. Luna: So how does this tie into the overall Google Maps ranking? I thought rankings were mostly about reviews and proximity. Lucas: Reviews and proximity are still the big three, along with relevance. But Google has said that freshness matters, too. Posts are one of the few things a business owner can update daily, and it signals to Google that your business is active and engaged. Over time, that consistency compounds. Plus, there's a direct user behavior effect: when someone sees a post that answers their exact question, they're more likely to click through or call, which are positive engagement signals that feed back into your ranking. Luna: So it's a virtuous cycle, but I imagine it's easy to get wrong. What are the common mistakes? Lucas: The biggest mistake is posting random stuff — like a meme or a selfie. That doesn't help anyone. Another is posting once and then forgetting about it. Google notices if you go silent for months. And a third mistake is not using a clear call to action. If you just write a paragraph without a button, you're losing the whole point. You want the viewer to do something right away. Luna: What about visuals? Do you need professional photos or is a phone shot okay? Lucas: Phone photos are fine, as long as they're bright and in focus. Mike uses his iPhone, and his most popular post was a photo of him in a crawlspace holding up a cracked pipe. It's not glamorous, but it's relatable. Customers want to see that you do real work, not just stock images. Luna: That makes sense. Authenticity reads better than polish on Maps. Lucas: Absolutely. And the analytics — Google gives you insights for each post, like views and clicks. Mike checks his weekly to see which posts drive calls. He's noticed that before and after photos get the most clicks, while seasonal reminders get the most calls. So he's doubled down on those. Luna: So it's not just about posting; it's about learning from your data and adjusting. Nice. Lucas: And it's not just plumbers. Think of electricians, locksmiths, roofers, even dog walkers — any service business that operates in a specific area. The same playbook works. I've seen a local electrician use posts to highlight his same-day emergency response, and a house cleaner post 'We have a same-day opening' every Monday. Both said they got calls within hours. Luna: That's so relatable — I've been that person frantically searching for a 'same-day plumber' on a Sunday. If a business had a post saying 'We're available now,' I'd call immediately. Lucas: That's the power of timing. And that's why I tell service businesses to think of their Google posts like a real-time status update, not just a marketing brochure. When you post 'We're wrapping up a job in Oakwood, can take one more emergency call today,' you're speaking directly to that person in need. Luna: So what's the cadence you'd recommend for a busy owner who's not a marketer? Lucas: Start with once a week. Pick a day — say Monday — and post something. It doesn't have to be long. Ten minutes max. If you can do twice a week, even better. But the key is consistency. Set a reminder, batch your photos, and make it a habit. After a few months, you'll have a library of content that keeps working for you. Luna: And you mentioned that you can schedule posts in advance on Google? Is that still a thing? Lucas: Yes, Google Business Profile has a scheduling feature, so you can create posts in bulk and queue them. That takes the pressure off. You could spend thirty minutes on a Sunday and schedule your posts for the whole month. That's what Mike does now. Luna: Okay, so for someone listening who runs, say, an HVAC business or a lawn care service, what's the single most important thing to do this week? Lucas: Log into your Google Business Profile, click on 'Posts,' and write one post that addresses a common seasonal problem. Add a photo, select 'Call now' as the action, and publish. That's it. Do that this week, and you're already ahead of most of your competitors. Luna: And if you want to see it done right, we'll link to Mike's actual posts in the show notes. Lucas: We'll do that. It's a simple tactic, but it's one of those things that most businesses overlook because it feels too small. The irony is, it's exactly the kind of small, consistent action that Google rewards and customers appreciate. Luna: So true. Next time you're searching for a 'plumber near me,' check if any of them have a recent post. That's a signal they're actively working, not just a dormant listing. Lucas: And if you're a business owner, make sure you're the one they see. Consistency wins on Maps. Luna: Alright, that's a wrap for today. If you've got a Google Maps success story, we'd love to hear it. Lucas: Yeah, reach out — and thanks for listening.