Interior Amenities vs Floor Plan Images

Overview  

In the organic media department here at Digible, there is nothing we love more than a Google Post. First launched in January of 2016, this is a feature within GMB that allows businesses to create content directly in the search engine results page (SERP). By conducting a branded search, users can find a business’s Google Posts within their knowledge panel…and that’s when the real fun begins.

While it may not seem like a big deal to take advantage of this feature of your GMB profile, Google Posts actually contribute significantly to your property’s SEO. They help generate more organic clicks and increase traffic to other pages on your site. So, it is incredibly important to continuously utilize this feature, updating and optimizing your property’s posts on a regular basis.

And in the spirit of optimization, we decided to do what we do best: test and learn. For this specific case study, we wanted to discover which types of images generate the most engagement for Google Posts highlighting apartments. Currently, two of the most common images used within the industry are interior photos and floor plan blueprints (examples featured in the sample posts below). Which image do prospective renters prefer? The only way to find out is with a good old fashioned SEO showdown.

Strategy

Over a 12 week period, we tested Google Posts for five different properties. With the intent of tracking user engagement, we measured the average impressions, clicks, and CTR of Google Posts featuring apartment interior photos versus Google Posts featuring images of a property’s floor plan options.

Findings 

Below is the averaged data we collected from the five properties tested.

Key Findings

• Google Posts featuring a floor plan image receive 23.4% fewer impressions/views

• Google Posts featuring a floor plan image increase average clicks by 83.19%

• Google Posts featuring a floor plan image increases average CTR 149.9%

• While average impressions are lower for Google Posts featuring floor plans, users still have a stronger interest in these images, as demonstrated by the increased engagement (clicks and CTR)

Conclusion

After conducting the test over the course of 12 weeks, we found that users prefer Google Posts featuring floor plan pictures over interior shots. In fact, users are 83.19% more likely to click on a Google Post that features a floor plan picture than one featuring a photo of the apartment interior. While the average impressions are 23.4% higher for Google Posts featuring apartment interior pictures, both the average clicks and CTR on Posts featuring floor plans are significantly higher, clearly demonstrating the increased engagement we were seeking.

For the team here at Digible, these results were somewhat expected, as we ran similar testing in our Paid Media department last year. Just as we learned from our social creative test, the data for this Google Post case study indicates that prospective renters are more interested in seeing floor plan pictures than interior apartment shots.

So…what now? Well, the results of the SEO showdown are quite clear. As far as user engagement goes, floor plan images win the day. That’s why we recommend that you begin including photos of your property’s floor plans in future Google Posts. They will allow users to see all of the different layouts that your property offers, they will increase engagement, and they will help you claim more of that coveted SERP space, all in one fell swoop.

Wanna talk more about how to better optimize your Google Posts? Hit us up anytime!