Posts on Google gives celebs some control over their own search results

Google has announced an expansion to its ‘Posts on Google’ platform, which will enable verified celebrities and noted organisations to post status updates that appear prominently within search results.

In the United States, Google says verified sports teams, leagues, movies and museums can now update fans, while in Brazil musicians can also get in on the act.

The media rich posts can feature text, photos, videos and GIF files and also lets verified users create events on desktop and mobile.

As these posts appear at the top of search results, it will allow the verified celebrities or organizations to get their message out instantly to anyone searching Google for information.

Posts will appear in real time so, for example, a musician or sports team wishing to furnish fans with information on ticket availability can do so directly.

Currently, users have to request access by filling in a form in order to receive verification (via TechCrunch).

Google explains: “Posting on Google is a new way to share relevant, fresh content with the people who are searching for you. Use images, videos and even animated GIFs to engage your audience, and add inline links to drive traffic to specific content. This enhanced format allows searchers to hear directly from the primary source — you — and complements existing results from across the web.”

Posts on Google was first introduced during the 2016 presidential election in the United States

It’s not yet clear whether Google plans to expand the availability to the United Kingdom, but it’s definitely another tool that enables verified users to reach their adoring public in a prominent way.

Let’s just hope Google has learned its lesson and doesn’t try to turn this into another social network.

Is Posts on Google another vaualable tool in the era where fake news can steal the headlines? Share your thoughts in the comments below.