Google Business Profile Posts: What to Post and How Often

Google Business Profile posts are short updates you publish directly on your profile, so people see them when they find you on Google Search and Maps. There are three main types: updates for news, offers for promotions, and events for dated happenings. A good post has one clear message, a real photo and a button that tells people what to do next. Posting regularly shows customers the business is active, but posts aren’t a ranking shortcut.

Think of posts as a small noticeboard on your profile. They’re most useful for things a customer might want to know right before choosing you: a seasonal menu, a new service, holiday hours, an event or a limited offer.

The types of posts

Google offers a few post types. The exact options can vary by business category and change over time, but these are the main ones:

Type	Best for	What you add
Update	News, new services, tips, behind-the-scenes, reminders	Text, photo or video, optional button
Offer	Discounts and promotions with a clear end date	Title, start and end dates, optional coupon code, link and terms
Event	Workshops, open days, tastings, launches	Title, dates and times, description, optional button

Buttons can include options like Book, Order online, Buy, Learn more, Sign up and Call now. Pick the one that matches what you actually want the reader to do, and make sure the link goes to a page where they can do it.

How to create a post

Google changes the menus regularly, so the labels you see may differ. The steps are broadly the same.

1. Open your Business Profile in Search or Maps while signed in to an account that manages it.
2. Choose the option to add an update, offer or event.
3. Add a photo or video. Use a real image of your business, product or event. Avoid images with a lot of text on them.
4. Write the post. Lead with the point, keep it short, and include any details people need, such as dates.
5. Add a button if there’s a clear next step, and check the link works.
6. Preview and publish. Posts may be reviewed before they appear, and some are rejected.

If you manage several locations, you can often post to more than one profile at once from the Business Profile manager, which saves time for chains and franchises.

What to write: a simple formula

Most good posts follow the same pattern: what’s happening, why it matters to the customer, and what to do next. Keep the most important words at the start, because the preview may cut off the rest.

New this month: same-day screen repairs for most phone models. Drop in before 1 p.m. and pick it up after work. Tap Learn more to see which models we can repair same day.

Holiday hours: we’re closed December 25 and 26 and open 9 to 3 on December 24. Regular hours return December 27. Online orders stay open throughout.

Spring open studio, April 12, 10 to 2. See how our furniture is made, meet the team and try the new chair range. Free entry, no booking needed.

Each of these has one message, concrete details and a reason to act. None of them is a keyword list.

Post ideas for local businesses

• New or seasonal services, like a winter boiler check or a summer menu.
• Special hours around holidays, even though you should also set them in the hours section.
• Events such as classes, tastings, open days or community sponsorships.
• Genuine offers with a real end date and clear terms.
• Answers to common questions, such as parking, how to book, or what to bring to a first appointment.
• Before and after work, for trades and service businesses, where customers have agreed to share it.
• Team or behind-the-scenes updates that show the people customers will meet.

How often to post

There’s no required frequency. A realistic rhythm is better than a burst of posts followed by months of silence. For most small businesses, a new post every week or two is plenty, with extra posts for events, offers and holidays.

Older posts become less prominent as new ones go up, and offers and events drop off once their dates pass. Google has also archived older updates in the past, so don’t rely on a post as a permanent record. Anything customers always need, such as hours, services or parking, belongs in the profile’s own fields.

Why posts get rejected

Google reviews posts against its content policies. Posts are commonly rejected or removed for:

• Phone numbers in the text. Google’s guidance for posts says not to include phone numbers in the post text. Use the Call now button instead.
• Off-topic or spammy content, such as unrelated links, repeated posts or keyword lists.
• Restricted products or services, which may be limited depending on the category and local rules.
• Misleading offers, such as fake discounts or terms that don’t match the linked page.
• Inappropriate or low-quality images, including stock photos with heavy text overlays.
• Content that breaks other Google policies, like offensive material or impersonation.

If a post is rejected, edit it to remove the likely issue and try again. Repeated violations can bring wider restrictions on the profile, and in serious cases a suspension. Our guide on what to do if your Google Business Profile is suspended covers that situation.

A worked example

This is an illustrative scenario, not a real client.

A small physical therapy clinic hasn’t posted in over a year, so the most recent post on its profile is an expired offer. The office manager sets up a simple monthly plan: one post about a service (for example, running injury assessments), one practical update (new evening appointments), and an event post when the clinic runs a free workshop at the local running club.

Each post uses a photo of the real clinic or staff who’ve agreed to be in it, has one clear message and a Book button that goes to the online scheduler. She avoids anything about individual patients, keeping in line with healthcare privacy rules. Within a few months, patients start mentioning the evening appointments they saw on Google, which tells her the posts are being read.

Tracking whether posts work

Your profile’s performance section shows overall activity, such as calls, direction requests and website clicks. Posts don’t always get separate reporting, so the most reliable method is to track the link. Add tracking parameters to the button URL so your website analytics can show visits from each post, or use a specific offer code so you can count redemptions.

Also listen to customers. If people mention an offer or event they saw on Google, that’s a useful signal. If a type of post never gets a response, try another.

Common mistakes

• Posting ads instead of news. “Best plumber in town, call now” gives nobody a reason to act.
• Leaving expired offers as the latest post. It makes the profile look abandoned.
• Using stock images. Real photos of your business are more useful and more trusted.
• Stuffing keywords. Posts that read like search terms get ignored by people and can be rejected.
• Breaking links. Check every button leads to a working page on your site.
• Posting about individual customers or patients without consent. In regulated industries this can breach privacy rules.

Where posts fit in your profile plan

Posts are one piece of a well-run profile. Our guide to Google Business Profile optimization covers the rest in order of importance, and our guide to the Google Business Profile manager role explains how to give a staff member or agency posting access without handing over ownership. If you’d rather not keep up with posts, reviews and updates yourself, our Google Business Profile management service can handle it.

Frequently asked questions

Do Google Business Profile posts help rankings?

Google doesn’t list posts as a ranking factor. They help customers and show the business is active, which can lead to more calls and visits. Accurate details, categories and reviews matter more for where you appear.

How long do Google posts stay up?

Offers and events usually stop showing after their end date. Updates stay but become less prominent as newer posts appear, and Google has archived older updates in the past, so post fresh content rather than relying on one post.

Why was my Google post rejected?

The most common reasons are phone numbers in the text, spammy or off-topic content, restricted products, misleading offers and poor images. Edit the post to remove the likely issue and resubmit.

Can a manager post without being the owner?

Yes. Managers can usually create and edit posts. Giving staff or an agency manager access lets them post without controlling ownership of the profile.