Google Business Profile posts let you share updates, offers and events with people who find your business on Google Search and Maps. For a local business, the best post usually answers a question a potential customer already has: What do you do? Can you help with my problem? Do you have availability? Why should I trust you?
You do not need to post every day. Start with one useful update a week, use a real photo when possible and give customers a clear next step. Treat posts as a way to win enquiries from people already looking at your profile, not as a shortcut to the top of Google Maps.
This practical UK guide explains what to publish, how to add posts, how to avoid rejected updates and how to tell whether the effort is bringing customers.
Are Google Business Profile posts worth doing?
Yes, if they help somebody make a decision. A current post showing a finished job, genuine offer or upcoming event can answer a concern before a customer calls.
Imagine two local heating engineers. Both have clear opening hours and good reviews. One profile also shows recent servicing work, explains the type of appointment available and links to the correct booking page. That extra detail may make it easier for a customer to enquire.
Posting regularly is not a confirmed direct Google Maps ranking factor. Google says local rankings are mainly based on relevance, distance and prominence. Its published explanation does not promise better rankings from publishing weekly updates. Be cautious of anyone selling a guaranteed Maps ranking increase just for posting more often.
Start with a complete and accurate profile, relevant business categories, correct hours, suitable photos and genuine reviews. A useful introduction to how a Google Business Profile works can help you check the basics before you spend time creating posts.
Google explains its main local ranking considerations in its official local ranking guidance.
What are the three types of Google Business Profile posts?
Google currently lists three post types in its official posting instructions: Update, Offer and Event. You may also manage products through other Business Profile features, but that is not the same as selecting a fourth post type.
| Post type | Best for | What to include | Useful next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Update | Recent work, service news, seasonal reminders and useful tips | One clear message, a relevant image and a helpful link or action where available | Visit a relevant service page or make an enquiry |
| Offer | A genuine time-limited promotion | Offer title, valid dates, conditions and optional code or image | View the offer or book while it is available |
| Event | Open days, workshops, demonstrations and community events | Event title, dates, times, location details and an optional image | Reserve a place or check event information |
An ordinary announcement does not need to be an Event. Do not invent an event or call a standard service price a special offer just to make it look more exciting.
Google’s instructions for creating and managing posts explain the available fields, scheduling options and what happens when a post is not approved.
How to publish a post on your Google Business Profile
You can create posts through the Business Profile controls associated with your verified business. The wording and position of buttons may look slightly different on different devices.
- Sign in with the correct Google account. Use the account that manages your business profile, not a personal account with no access.
- Open your Business Profile. Search for your business while signed in or open the Business Profile management interface.
- Choose Posts, then Add post. Select Update, Offer or Event according to what you are sharing.
- Write the main point first. Tell customers what is new, who it helps and whether any dates or conditions apply.
- Add a suitable picture. A clear photograph of real work or a genuine business activity usually explains more than a generic graphic.
- Add the most relevant action. If a link button is available, send people to the page where they can actually complete the action.
- Check every detail. Confirm spelling, dates, image cropping, any offer conditions and the destination link.
- Publish or schedule. Google’s current interface supports scheduling and repeat options for posts. Check the date, time and frequency before saving.
A new post may show as Pending while Google reviews it. Pending does not mean it is visible. Check for a Live status rather than assuming that clicking Post makes it public immediately.
What should tradespeople and local service businesses post?
The strongest ideas are usually sitting in your diary. A job you have completed, a question a customer asked, an upcoming seasonal issue or a clear explanation of how to book can all become useful posts.
Below are examples to adapt. They are illustrative wording, not claims about a particular company’s work, availability or prices. Only publish details that are true for your business.
1. Plumber: show a completed job
Blocked kitchen waste pipe cleared in [area] this week. We identified the obstruction, restored drainage and checked that water was flowing properly before leaving. If you’re dealing with a recurring blockage, tell us what is happening when you enquire.
Use: Update. Image: An original photograph of the completed work, with the customer’s permission. Destination: Your blocked-drains service page.
2. Locksmith: explain an emergency service
Key snapped inside a door lock? For some locks, the broken piece can be removed without replacing the entire mechanism. Tell us your location and the type of door when you contact us so we can explain the next step.
Use: Update. Image: Your own lock or tool photograph. Destination: Emergency locksmith service details. Only mention 24-hour availability if you genuinely provide it.
3. Air-conditioning engineer: answer a seasonal question
Not getting enough cool air from your office system? Dirty filters, blocked airflow and other faults can affect performance. Our team can assess the problem and explain the repair options before work begins.
Use: Update. Image: A real engineer checking a unit. Destination: Air-conditioning repair or maintenance page.
4. EPC assessor: explain what happens at an appointment
Booking an Energy Performance Certificate for a rental property? An assessor may need access to the heating system, windows, insulation details and other parts of the property. We explain the booking process before your visit.
Use: Update. Image: An assessor working, with consent. Destination: Your EPC booking information.
5. Care provider: make the first enquiry easier
Choosing care for a family member can bring a lot of questions. Our team can explain the services we provide, the areas we cover and what happens during an initial conversation. Contact us to discuss your circumstances in confidence.
Use: Update. Image: Your team or premises, with proper permission and without exposing service-user information. Destination: Your care enquiry page.
6. Hairdresser or barber: announce real availability
New appointments have opened for [date or week]. View our available services and choose a suitable time using the booking link. Availability may change as slots are taken.
Use: Update. Image: Your shop interior or recent work with permission. Destination: The real booking calendar, not an unrelated homepage.
7. Independent shop: highlight an arrival
Our latest
has arrived in store. Pop in to see the sizes, colours and options currently available. Please check with us before travelling if you need a particular item.
Use: Update. Image: Actual stock on display. Destination: The relevant product collection or contact page.
8. Restaurant or café: share a genuine event
Join us for our [event name] on [date]. We will be serving [accurate details] from [time]. Places are limited to the number we can accommodate, and booking details are available through the link.
Use: Event, if it is a real scheduled event. Image: The venue or event-specific photograph. Destination: The reservation or event information page.
9. Garage: remove uncertainty about the service
Hearing an unusual noise when braking? Our inspection starts with identifying the problem and explaining the available options. We will confirm the cost of any proposed work before proceeding.
Use: Update. Image: A technician inspecting brakes. Destination: Your brake inspection page.
10. Local business hosting an open day
We’re opening our doors on [date] to show local customers what we do. Find out what to expect, whether you need to book and how to reach us before you visit.
Use: Event. Image: The real venue. Destination: Full event details.
What makes a good Google Business Profile post?
Start with the customer’s situation, not your company slogan. Most people viewing a local listing are trying to solve something quickly.
- Name the problem or occasion. For example, “Boiler losing pressure?” is more useful than “We are delighted to announce”.
- Explain what you can genuinely do. Mention the relevant service, recent work or upcoming availability without unsupported claims.
- Add useful proof. A real project photo, accurate service detail or clear eligibility condition is better than a string of sales adjectives.
- Give one next step. Call, book, view service information or enquire — whichever genuinely suits the post.
You can mention your real service area naturally. Do not fill every post with long lists of towns or repeat the same search phrase over and over. Where the post links to your website, the linked page should answer the promise made in the post.
For example, a business promoting same-day emergency help should link to the relevant service page, not a generic portfolio. If that page is slow, confusing or hard to use on mobile, the post may generate clicks without enquiries.
What pictures should you use?
Use clear, genuine images whenever possible. An actual job, real product, team photograph or event setting can help customers understand what you offer. Choose a sharp image that still makes sense on a small phone screen.
Avoid borrowing images you do not own, copying competitor photographs or showing customers and private property without appropriate permission. Do not put a large phone number over an image to get around Google’s contact-information rules.
Posts and your main photo gallery have different jobs. Your gallery should represent the business over time; posts should explain something timely or helpful. The difference becomes clearer when you plan which business photographs to upload alongside your regular updates.
There is no need to believe that adding GPS coordinates to an image file will automatically improve Maps rankings. Focus on authenticity, relevance and clarity instead.
How often should you post on Google Business Profile?
One useful post a week is a reasonable starting routine, not an official Google ranking requirement. If your work changes less often, two strong posts a month may be more helpful than four repetitive posts. If you have genuine daily events or offers, more frequent posts may make sense.
Choose a schedule you can maintain. Do not manufacture announcements simply to hit a number.
| Week | Post idea | Example | Main goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Recent job or result | Real before-and-after repair with permission | Build trust |
| 2 | Frequently asked question | Explain what customers should check before booking | Reduce uncertainty |
| 3 | Seasonal reminder or genuine offer | Heating servicing as colder weather approaches | Encourage timely enquiries |
| 4 | Availability, new service or event | Confirmed appointment slots or a planned open day | Prompt an appropriate action |
Keep a simple record of what you published and how customers responded. If a type of post brings useful conversations, repeat that approach with fresh facts and images rather than copying the same wording forever.
Do Google Business Profile posts disappear after seven days?
Not as a universal rule. You may still find websites claiming that every update disappears after a week. Google’s current help documentation says that posts older than six months are archived unless a date range is set. Offers and events have their own date fields, so their usefulness also depends on when they take place.
Older posts being archived is not a reason to publish low-quality updates every seven days. Replace outdated offers, correct changed details and keep the most helpful information current.
Google’s current instructions also describe scheduling and repeat settings. Check a recurring post before each repeat so it does not advertise expired availability or an offer that has ended.
Will Google Business Profile posts improve your Maps ranking?
There is no reliable basis for promising that posting once, twice or five times a week will move a listing a fixed number of positions.
Google identifies relevance, distance and prominence as its main local ranking factors. It encourages accurate business information, useful images and engagement with customers. Its public guidance does not state that a certain number of posts directly raises your ranking.
A valuable post may encourage somebody to contact you. That is a real business benefit even if your ranking does not change. If you struggle to appear for relevant local searches, first review whether your business category accurately describes the service. Choosing appropriate Google Business Profile categories is a separate task from publishing updates.
Posts cannot make a business eligible for a profile when it is not, and they will not solve a suspended or unverified listing. Resolve those issues first.
How can you tell whether posts are bringing customers?
The simplest measure is not how many posts went live. It is whether relevant enquiries, appointments and sales increased without misleading customers.
Start with these checks:
- Check Business Profile Performance. Review profile interactions such as calls and website clicks over a sensible period. Remember that these figures do not prove which individual post caused an action.
- Track linked website visits. If you control the website, add consistent UTM parameters to the destination links in your posts where supported.
- Check actual enquiries. Review call records, booking enquiries and relevant contact submissions. Ask new customers how they found you when appropriate.
- Compare like with like. Avoid comparing a busy holiday week with a quiet normal week and attributing the difference entirely to posting.
- Keep doing what helps. Stop using post formats that generate clicks but no suitable enquiries.
For example, a tagged link might look like https://example.co.uk/boiler-servicing/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gbp_posts. Replace that example domain with your own real service page. Analytics software can group those tagged visits, but direct calls from the Business Profile may need separate assessment.
Google explains the available Business Profile performance information. If you already measure visits and leads, compare posting activity with the outcomes that matter, rather than assuming more profile views equal more customers. Understanding Business Profile performance figures helps put those numbers into context.
Why might Google reject or hide a post?
Google reviews posts for compliance. A post marked Pending is not yet public; Not approved means it cannot appear until the problem is resolved. Google may provide an indication of which rule was broken.
Common areas to check include:
- Contact information in post content: Google may remove posts containing unverified phone numbers, email addresses or social handles. Use a supported call button linked to your verified profile phone number instead.
- Misleading or irrelevant wording: Do not claim an offer, service, discount or event that is not available.
- Images: Avoid inappropriate, irrelevant or unlawfully reused pictures.
- Links: Avoid unsafe destinations and ensure the linked page does what the post promises.
- Restricted categories: For example, Google’s rules prohibit hotel offer posts and hotel posts promoting deals or discounts.
If your post is rejected, check the reason, correct the relevant detail and try again. Do not keep uploading the same rejected content without changing the problem. Google’s official post content policy is the safest place to check the current rules.
Seven mistakes that waste time on Business Profile posts
- Publishing generic slogans. “Quality service at affordable prices” rarely answers a real customer question.
- Copying the same update every week. New dates on the same vague text do not create new value.
- Using fake urgency. Do not claim that appointments are nearly full or a discount is ending unless it is true.
- Posting a good offer with a broken link. Test booking and enquiry pages on a phone before sharing them.
- Using photos with no connection to the service. A real completed job usually gives customers more confidence than a generic desk image.
- Ignoring the rest of the profile. Incorrect opening hours, categories or contact details can still cost you enquiries.
- Expecting posts alone to replace local SEO. Relevant website pages, genuine reviews and a properly maintained profile still matter.
What should you fix before publishing more posts?
Before committing time to a posting routine, check whether a customer can actually contact you. Confirm that the phone number is correct, your opening hours reflect reality and your site works properly on mobile.
Make sure your main services and service areas are described honestly. If a customer clicks through from a post about emergency repairs, they should see the repair service, expected next steps and a clear way to enquire.
If your business is visible but rarely receives enquiries, that is often a wider local search and website conversion problem, not a lack of weekly updates. Core Web UK can review the Business Profile alongside your service pages through its local SEO services in Croydon.
Frequently asked questions
Are Google Business Profile posts free?
Creating ordinary posts through an eligible Business Profile does not require paying Google for an advert. You still need to manage the business profile and provide any images and content you use.
Can I schedule Google Business Profile posts?
Yes. Google’s current instructions describe a Schedule this post option and repeat settings. Review a scheduled post before its publication date if its offer, opening hours or availability could change.
Should every post include a photo?
A relevant photograph is usually helpful, especially for physical products, work completed and events. Do not add an unrelated image simply to fill space.
Can a post include my phone number?
Avoid placing phone numbers or other unverified contact details in post descriptions. Google’s policy may lead to removal. Use the available call option linked to your verified Business Profile number instead.
How long should a post be?
Long enough to tell the customer what matters, but short enough to understand quickly on mobile. A few direct sentences usually work better than a long sales pitch. Include dates and conditions when they change the decision.
Are Google Business Profile posts the same as blog articles?
No. Business Profile posts are short updates displayed within your listing on Search and Maps. Blog articles live on your website and can explain a topic in much greater detail. A post can link to a relevant website page, but the two formats have different purposes.
A simple starting checklist
- Check your business hours, categories, services and main contact details.
- Choose one real update that matters to your customers this week.
- Use an original, relevant image and get any necessary permission.
- Explain the benefit or situation in plain English.
- Choose the correct Update, Offer or Event format.
- Link to the page that lets the customer take the promised next step.
- Confirm that the post is Live, not merely Pending.
- Review enquiry quality after a month and adjust the plan.
The aim is not to look busy. It is to make your business easier to choose. One accurate, useful post that answers a real question is worth more than several vague announcements. If your profile and website already work well, a steady publishing routine can help more people understand why your business is relevant to them.
