Someone searches for a bakery near them on a Friday afternoon, wanting a birthday cake for the weekend. Two bakeries appear side by side on the map, both with good reviews, both a ten-minute walk away. The first profile's most recent post, from March, advertises a Valentine's Day offer. The second posted yesterday: a photo of this week's cakes, a note that weekend orders close Saturday at noon, and an "Order online" button. It takes the customer about four seconds to decide.
That's what Google Business Profile posts are really for. Many businesses either ignore them or post daily in the hope of climbing the map. Neither is quite right. Google doesn't list posts among the things that decide local rankings; relevance, distance and prominence do that work. But posts shape what happens once your profile is seen, which is where the customer is actually won. Posts don't win you the map; they win you the click. So the question isn't how to please the algorithm. It's what the person comparing you with the business next door needs to see.
This guide focuses on posts. Setting up and optimising the rest of your profile is covered in the complete Google Business Profile setup guide. Google changes Business Profile features often, so check its current help pages for the latest rules.
How posts work in 2026
Posts are short updates attached to your Business Profile, shown on Google Search and Maps, usually with an image or video, some text and an optional button such as "Book", "Order online", "Learn more" or "Call now". There are three types. Updates share news, tips, new products or seasonal information. Offers carry a title, start and end dates, an automatic "View offer" button, and optional coupon codes, terms and a link. Events carry a title and dates, with optional times and a description.
Two details have changed in ways older guides often miss. First, visibility: according to Google's current guidance, posts older than six months are archived unless a date range is set, so Offers and Events stay live until their end date and Updates stay visible for up to about six months. The widely repeated claim that posts vanish after seven days reflects an earlier version of the product. Second, scheduling: Google now lets you schedule posts in advance and set them to repeat weekly, monthly or on a custom schedule, which makes a steady rhythm far easier to maintain. Recent changes are tracked in Google Business Profile updates local marketers should know about.
Posts are reviewed against Google's content policies before going live, and can show as "Not approved" if they break them. Posts can hold a fair amount of text, but on mobile usually only the first line or two shows before it's cut off, so the opening line has to do most of the work.
What posts do, and don't do
It's worth being clear about this, because it changes how much time to invest. Google describes local ranking as being based mainly on relevance, distance and prominence, and doesn't list posts among the ranking factors. Some practitioners believe regular posting has small indirect effects, but the evidence is thin. The ranking work lives elsewhere, as covered in how to rank in the local map pack.
What posts reliably do is give people comparing businesses a reason to choose you: a current offer, a new service, proof you're open and active, an answer to a question they had. They turn a profile view into a call, a direction request, a booking or a website visit. Treated that way, posts are conversion content, and they deserve the same care as a landing page.
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What to publish
The best posts answer the questions a nearby customer is likely to have right now. The table below covers the post ideas that tend to work for most local businesses.
| Post idea | Post type | Best button |
|---|---|---|
| A current or standing offer | Offer | Automatic "View offer" button |
| A workshop, open day or tasting | Event | Sign up or Book |
| Seasonal info: holiday ordering, cut-offs, gift cards | Update | Order online or Learn more |
| A new product, service or menu item | Update | Learn more or Buy |
| An answer to a common customer question | Update | Learn more |
| A real project, result or customer story | Update | Book or Call now |
| Behind the scenes or meet the team | Update | Call now or Book |
Answer real questions. The questions you hear on the phone or at the counter make excellent posts: parking, accessibility, lead times, what to bring, how pricing works. Specific details like these may also help AI-powered search describe your business accurately, though Google hasn't said whether or how posts feed its AI features, as covered in how AI search is reshaping local discovery.
Show real work. Original photos of your actual premises, team, products and finished jobs show customers what they'll really get, which stock images can't. A customer story, shared with permission, can work alongside your reviews, which remain one of the most important parts of the profile, as covered in local review management.
Use seasons and deadlines. Holiday ordering cut-offs, gift cards, extended hours and seasonal services are timely and useful. One important distinction: holiday opening times belong in your profile's special hours, not just in a post, because special hours update the hours Google shows everywhere.
Anatomy of a post that gets clicked
Because only the opening line shows on mobile, the first sentence should carry the key information: what it is, and why it matters now. Keep the whole post short and easy to scan. Use one real, well-lit photo. Add the button that matches the action you want. Here's what the winning bakery's post might look like:
It leads with a deadline, names specific products, answers the obvious questions about serving size and collection, and makes the next step one tap away.
The principle Posts don't win you the map; they win you the click. Post for the person comparing you with the business next door, not for the algorithm.
How often to post
For most local businesses, around one useful post a week is a sensible baseline, with extra posts when there's genuinely something new, such as an offer, an event or a seasonal change. Consistency matters more than volume. A profile with a steady flow of recent, relevant posts signals an active, cared-for business; one post in March and nothing since signals the opposite. Posting several thin updates a day is unlikely to help, since posts aren't a documented ranking factor and filler does nothing to persuade customers.
Use Google's scheduling and repeat options to keep the rhythm without daily effort: plan a month of posts in one sitting, schedule them, and set evergreen posts, such as a standing offer or a frequently asked question, to repeat. During busy seasons, post more often if you have useful information, such as changing availability or holiday deadlines. Businesses with several branches should give each location its own relevant posts rather than copying one post everywhere, as covered in multi-location SEO.
A four-week posting plan
- Week 1: an Offer, such as a seasonal promotion or a standing new-customer offer, with clear terms and an end date.
- Week 2: an Update answering the question customers ask most often, with a photo.
- Week 3: an Update showing real work: a finished project, a new product or a customer story shared with permission.
- Week 4: an Event if you have one, or a seasonal Update, such as holiday ordering deadlines or gift cards.
Repeat and refresh each month, keeping two or three evergreen posts ready for weeks when nothing new is happening.
Mistakes that get posts rejected or ignored
Unverified contact details in the text. Google's posts content policy says it may remove posts with unverified contact information, such as phone numbers, email addresses or social media handles; use the "Call now" button, which uses your verified profile number. Expired or inaccurate information. Old offers and outdated prices can still be found in your post history, so review and remove them. Stock photos and generic text that could describe any business. Regulated content: businesses in regulated industries, such as alcohol, gambling or financial services, can still post, but Google's restricted content policy bars calls to action or offers to buy those products, links to pages selling them, and deals, coupons or pricing for them; incidental depictions, such as a menu photo, are allowed. Google's posts guidance goes further, advising against content about the products, so keep posts focused on the business. Hotels can't create Offer posts, or any post that mentions or links to deals, promotions, special offers or discounts. Never checking status: after posting, confirm the post was approved and is showing.
Posts also sit alongside paid local visibility. In many categories, sponsored listings and booking buttons now appear above the organic map results, as covered in booking inside search. That makes the organic profile's job even more specific: when someone scrolls past the ads to compare nearby businesses, your posts are part of what they see. A current offer, a clear answer to a common question or proof of recent work can be what makes an organic listing more convincing than a paid one sitting above it.
Measure what posts actually do
Google's profile performance reports show views, searches, calls, direction requests and website clicks, plus bookings and other metrics where they apply, but they don't isolate the effect of individual posts well. Messaging is a special case: Google ended Business Profile chat on July 31, 2024, though eligible businesses may still let customers get in touch by text or WhatsApp from their profile, so messages only count where that's available. Add UTM tags to post links so website visits from posts show up clearly in analytics, and watch profile actions before and after you start posting consistently.
A local business gets about 1,500 profile views a month. Around 5% take an action such as calling, requesting directions or visiting the website: 75 actions.
Regular, useful posts lift that to 6%: 90 actions, or 15 more a month.
If about 1 in 4 actions becomes a customer, worth an average of $120:
→ 15 × 25% × $120 ≈ $450 of extra revenue a month
Not bad for about an hour of planning and scheduling a month. Your numbers will differ; track actions over a few months rather than judging any single post.
Posts work best as part of a joined-up local presence: a complete profile, a steady flow of reviews, strong local landing pages built on the approach in building local landing pages that rank and convert, and an understanding of how people now search locally, covered in the state of "near me" search. Asking customers for reviews at the right moment, following how to ask for reviews after purchase, gives your posts something to point to. For the wider picture, see the complete guide to local SEO. Businesses that want their profile and local search managed together often work with a specialist search engine optimization team.
The short version
Google Business Profile posts don't win you the map; they win you the click. Google bases local ranking mainly on relevance, distance and prominence and doesn't list posts as a factor, but posts shape what people comparing businesses see, and give them a reason to call, visit or book. There are three post types: Updates, Offers and Events. Under Google's current guidance, posts older than six months are archived unless they have a date range, and posts can now be scheduled and set to repeat. Publish offers, events, seasonal information, new products, answers to common questions, real work and customer stories, with real photos and the right button. Lead with the key information, since mobile shows only the first line or so. Aim for about one useful post a week, more in busy seasons, and use scheduling to stay consistent. Avoid unverified contact details in the text (use the Call now button), expired information, stock images and restricted content, and check each post is approved. Measure profile actions and tagged website visits over time, and treat posts as part of a joined-up local presence.
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Explore SEO →Frequently asked questions
How often should you post on Google Business Profile?
For most local businesses, around one post a week is a sensible baseline, with extra posts when there is genuinely something new, such as an offer, an event or a seasonal change. Consistency matters more than volume: a profile with a steady flow of useful, recent posts looks active and cared for to people comparing options, while a burst of posts followed by months of silence does not. Posting many thin posts every day is unlikely to help, because posts are not a documented local ranking factor and low-value content does little to persuade customers. Google now lets you schedule posts and set them to repeat weekly or monthly, which makes a steady rhythm easier to keep. Busy periods, such as holidays or a new season, justify more frequent posts if you have useful information to share.
Do Google Business Profile posts help local rankings?
Not directly, as far as Google has said. Google describes local ranking as being based mainly on relevance, distance and prominence, and it does not list posts among the factors that determine where a business appears. What posts can do is improve what happens once your profile is seen: they give people comparing businesses fresh, specific reasons to choose you, show that the business is active, and highlight offers, events and news that may prompt a call, a direction request or a website visit. Some practitioners believe regular posting has small indirect effects through engagement, but the evidence is limited. The most useful way to think about posts is as conversion content for your profile, while ranking work focuses on categories, reviews, relevance and the quality of your website and local pages.
How long do Google Business Profile posts stay visible?
According to Google's current guidance, posts older than six months are archived unless a date range is set. Offer and Event posts carry start and end dates, so they are shown until their end date passes, while standard Update posts stay visible for up to about six months, gradually moving down as newer posts are added. Older articles often say that posts expire after seven days, but that reflects an earlier version of the product. Archived posts are generally still accessible in the profile's post history. Because older posts remain findable, it is worth reviewing your post history from time to time and removing anything outdated, such as an expired offer, old prices or information that is no longer accurate.
What should you not include in Google Business Profile posts?
Posts are reviewed against Google's content policies and can be rejected or removed if they break them. Common problems include unverified contact information, such as phone numbers in the post text, which Google may remove, so use the verified Call now button instead; misleading claims or offers that are no longer available; content that is irrelevant to the business; low-quality or stock images that do not reflect the business; and prohibited or restricted content. Businesses in regulated industries can still post, but Google's policies bar calls to action, offers, links or pricing aimed at selling regulated products, and its posts guidance advises against content about the products; incidental depictions, such as a menu photo, are allowed. Hotels cannot create offer posts or posts that mention deals, promotions or discounts. Keep posts accurate, relevant and genuinely useful, and check the status of each post after publishing to confirm it has been approved.
