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THOUGHTS / BEGINNERS GUIDE 14 May 2026 6 MIN READ

What Are Google Business Profile Posts and Should Your Small Business Use Them?

Most small business owners know they should have a Google Business Profile — the listing that shows your phone number, address, and opening hours when someone searches for your business name. But far fewer know that the same profile lets you publish short posts that appear directly on Google Search and Google Maps, seen by people who are actively looking for businesses like yours. They are free, take minutes to write, and most local competitors are not using them.

Google Business Profile posts are short updates — similar to a social media post — that you can publish for free directly to your Google listing. They appear on Google Search and Google Maps when someone looks at your business, and disappear after a set period unless you renew them. They are worth using because they require no technical skill, cost nothing, and let you share updates, offers, or news with people who are already looking at your business on Google.

If you search for a local business on Google, you have probably seen posts without realising what they are. On the right-hand side of the results page — or in the listing that appears when you click on a business in Google Maps — you may notice a small card with a photo, some text, and sometimes a button like “Learn more” or “Book”. That is a Google Business Profile post.

The person who runs that business logged into their Google Business Profile and typed it out, much like writing a social media update. But instead of appearing on Instagram or Facebook, it shows up on Google — right in front of someone who has just searched for that type of business in their area.

The Types of Post Available

Google offers several types of post, and the ones available to you depend slightly on your business category. The main options are:

  • Updates. The most general type — for sharing news, completed projects, recent work, or anything happening with your business. A plumber might post a photo of a bathroom they just fitted. A hairdresser might share a new technique they have started offering. These are the most flexible posts and the easiest to get started with.
  • Offers. For time-limited discounts or promotions. You set a start and end date, and Google shows the post with a label indicating it is an offer. These are particularly effective for seasonal promotions, new-customer discounts, or events.
  • Events. For publicising open days, workshops, community events, or anything happening at a specific time and place. These show the event date and time prominently.
  • Products. For businesses that sell physical goods, you can list individual products with photos, descriptions, and prices — giving them visibility directly on your Google listing without someone needing to visit your website first.

Do Posts Actually Make a Difference?

The honest answer is: it depends on your business and how consistently you post. Here is what the evidence suggests:

Posts do not directly improve where you appear in Google’s local search results — they are not a ranking signal in the traditional sense. However, an active Google Business Profile, with recent posts that signal a live and engaged business, is associated with better local visibility over time. Google tends to favour businesses whose profiles are complete and regularly maintained.

The more direct benefit is engagement. When someone searches for your business by name and sees a recent post promoting your latest offer or showcasing a recent job, it reinforces trust and gives them a reason to get in touch. A profile with a post from last week looks more active and credible than one with no updates in months.

Where posts tend to make the clearest, most measurable difference is with offer posts that include a phone number or a link to book — because someone can click from the Google results page directly to your enquiry form or calendar, without visiting your website at all.

How to Write a Post That Works

You do not need to be a copywriter. Keep it simple and specific:

  • Lead with something concrete. “Just finished this kitchen renovation in Sheffield — a complete transformation from start to finish” is more engaging than “We love what we do!” Specific detail catches the eye.
  • Add a photo where you can. Posts with photos get significantly more attention than text-only posts. A photo of a completed job, your team, your product, or your premises is all you need — taken on a smartphone is fine.
  • Include a clear next step. Google lets you add a button to each post. Use it. “Get a free quote”, “Book online”, or “See more photos” linked to the relevant page on your website gives interested visitors an easy path forward.
  • Keep it short. Around 150 to 300 words is the sweet spot. Longer posts get cut off in the preview and lose their impact. Say what you need to say and stop.
  • Post at least once a month. Regular posts signal to Google and to visitors that your business is active. Once a month is a sustainable minimum; once a week is better if you can manage it. Even a simple update — a recent job, a seasonal note, a reminder of your services — is better than a profile that has gone quiet.

To get started, search for “Google Business Profile” and sign in with the Google account you used to set it up. From your profile dashboard, look for the “Add update” option. You do not need any technical knowledge — it works like a basic social media post, and Google walks you through each step.

Frequently asked

How long do Google Business Profile posts stay visible?
Standard update posts disappear from your listing after seven days — which is why posting regularly matters. Offer posts stay visible until the end date you set for the offer, and event posts stay up until the event has passed. Products listed through the Products feature do not expire on their own. If you want your listing to always show a recent post, you need to publish at least one a week for general updates, or use an evergreen offer with a rolling end date.
Can Google Business Profile posts help my local search ranking?
Not directly — posts are not confirmed as a ranking factor for appearing in local search results. However, Google’s local ranking algorithm does consider the overall completeness and activity of your Business Profile. A profile with recent posts, up-to-date photos, and accurate information tends to perform better over time than a neglected one. Think of posts less as a ranking shortcut and more as one part of keeping a healthy, active profile that Google considers worth showing to searchers.
How often should I publish Google Business Profile posts?
Once a week is ideal if you can manage it, but once a month is the realistic minimum for most small businesses. The most important thing is consistency rather than volume — a post every two weeks is better than three posts in January and then nothing for six months. If you are short on time, batch-write a month’s worth of posts in one sitting and schedule them using a free tool like Buffer, which lets you queue GBP posts in advance.
What is the ideal length for a Google Business Profile post?
Somewhere between 150 and 300 words tends to work best. Google truncates longer posts in the preview — visitors see only the first sentence or two before they have to click to expand it. A short, punchy post that makes its point quickly is more likely to be read in full. That said, do not pad posts out to hit a word count — if you can say what you need to say in 80 words, that is fine too. The content matters far more than the length.

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