In this post, I will show you how to create Google web stories using the WordPress plugin.
Table of content:
- What are Google web stories?
- Why you should use Google web stories?
- How to create Google web stories using WordPress plugin?
- Install Google web stories plugin?
- How to publish Google web stories?
So Lets talk about each point one by one.
What are Google web stories?
Google web stories are mobile-focused, visually rich, and small stackable content that users can find and read via Google search engine, Google discover on mobile devices, and on Google image search on mobile.
These Google stories are the same as any social media platform stories but they will be available on Google search and will be hosted on your website as a tap though story like content.
Technically, Google web stories are the AMP pages with a small chunk of content.
Here is how a Google web story will look like. Check the link below to read this post as a web story.
Why you should use Google web stories?
After observing the huge success of Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram stories. Google wish to provide similar experience on search engine as well. So I think that’s the reason they wish to add these Google web stories.
Other than that on social media platforms like Instagram, These short stories are highly engaging and monetization friendly, So this monetization thing could be a big reason behind launching these web stories by Google.
Google is rolling out these stories in the search result and this is a huge opportunity for content creators to jump on it as there is very little or no competition in this category of content.
Google already started “mobile first” approach to rank content and after the launch of these webs stories, Google must be willing to push these stories on top results of search results.
Here is how Google will read your web stories in the search results.
How to create Google web stories using WordPress plugin?
To encourage publishers to create and publish more of these web stories, Google announced a WordPress plugin. This will help publishers to create these short web stories right from their own websites.
Right now this Google web stories WordPress plugin is in Beta version and its missing lot of features :
How to install Google web stories plugin?
As of now, the plugin is in Beta version so it’s not available on the WordPress repository. But you can download it from here.
Once you download the plugin all you have to do is :
- Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
- Click the Upload Plugin button at the top of the screen.
- Select the zip file from that you have just downloaded.
- Click the Install Now button.
- When installation is complete, you’ll see “Plugin installed successfully.” Click the Activate Plugin button at the bottom of the page.
Once you activate the plugin you will see a new post type “Stories” added to your WordPress dashboard.
How to publish Google web stories with WordPress plugin?
Once the Google web stories WordPress plugin is installed. You are now ready to create web stories right from your website.
It’s almost similar to using services like Canva or Crello to create Instagram stories.
- You select a base color to the story.
- Add some images and text to design the final story or use the readymade templates in the plugin.
- Make sure you create at least 5 slides of the story (as recommended by Google itself. )
- Once the slides are done you can hit Publish, just like you publish any other content on your WordPress website.
- And your Google web story is now LIVE on your website with a unique URL just like any other post on your website.
Watch the Video above to follow the steps.
