What Are Google Business Profile Posts and Should You Use Them?

Google Business Profile Posts are short updates that you can publish directly to your Google listing — similar in concept to social media posts, but displayed within Google Search and Google Maps. When someone searches for your business or finds you in the local results, your recent posts can appear directly beneath your business information.

They’re a free feature that many businesses overlook, either because they’re unaware of it or because they’re unsure whether it’s worth the effort. The short answer is that posts are worth doing — they take very little time once you’re in the habit, and they provide several genuine benefits.

What types of posts can you create?

Google Business Profile offers several post types. "What’s New" posts are general updates — news about your business, new services, or anything you want customers to know. "Events" posts let you promote upcoming events with a date, time, and description. "Offers" posts are designed for promotions and discounts, and they can include a coupon code and a start/end date.

There’s also a "Products" section that functions slightly differently — it’s a catalogue rather than a post feed — but it serves a similar purpose of showcasing what you offer. For service businesses, the "What’s New" and "Offers" post types are the most commonly used.

Each post can include a photo, a body of text (up to 1,500 characters, though shorter posts tend to perform better), and a call-to-action button linking to your website. Posts expire after seven days by default (except event posts, which expire after the event date), so you need to post regularly to maintain a visible presence.

How posts benefit your local SEO and visibility

There’s ongoing debate about whether GBP posts directly improve your search rankings. The consensus is that posts are not a major direct ranking factor, but they do contribute to an active, complete profile — and Google favours active profiles when deciding who to show in the local pack.

Where posts have a clearer impact is on click-through rate and conversion. When someone finds your business in search results and sees a recent post about a seasonal offer or a new service, it gives them an immediate reason to engage. It shows your business is active and current, which builds trust.

Posts are also an excellent channel for communicating time-sensitive information — holiday opening hours, a short-notice promotional offer, a seasonal service reminder. Because they appear prominently in your GBP panel, they reach customers who are already showing interest in your business.

Making posts work for your business

Consistency matters more than frequency. Posting once a week is better than posting five times in one day and then going silent. Set a simple content calendar — perhaps a new post every Monday — and stick to it. This keeps your profile looking active and ensures customers always have something current to read.

Keep your posts concise and action-oriented. Start with the most important information, include a clear call to action ("Book now", "Call today", "Learn more"), and use a high-quality image where possible. Posts with images consistently outperform text-only posts in terms of engagement.

Don’t overthink the content. Share what’s happening in your business — a recently completed project, a new team member, an upcoming promotion, a seasonal tip. Authenticity works well on GBP posts because customers are looking for reasons to trust you, not polished advertising.