Google Business Profile Posts: Complete Guide

Google Business Profile Posts give businesses a way to publish timely information directly through their profile.

Google says businesses can use Posts to share announcements, offers, updates and event details with customers through Google Search and Google Maps. Posts can include text, photographs or videos and can give customers useful, up-to-date information about the business. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

Your core Business Profile explains who the business is and what it does.

Posts have a slightly different role. They can show what is happening now.

That might be a completed project, new service, useful website guide, genuine special offer, upcoming event or another worthwhile development within the business.

The objective is not simply to publish frequently. It is to publish information that gives potential customers something genuinely useful to discover.

Quick Answer: What Are Google Business Profile Posts?

Google Business Profile Posts are updates a business can publish through its profile.

Google currently provides three main types:

• Updates

• Offers

• Events Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

Updates can include a description, photograph or video, plus an action button containing a link.

Offers are intended for genuine promotions or deals and include a title, dates and time, with the option to include a description, media, coupon code, link and terms and conditions.

Events can include a title, start and end dates and times, description, media and an action button. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

The best Posts give customers timely information about the real business rather than adding content simply for the sake of activity.

Where Do Google Business Profile Posts Appear?

Customers can encounter Posts while viewing a Business Profile.

Google says Posts can appear in the Updates or Overview areas of a Business Profile on mobile Search and Maps.

On desktop, customers can find them in the From the owner section on Search and Maps. Google also supports certain featured Posts on mobile. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

This makes Posts part of the wider customer journey.

For example:

Google Search → Business Profile → Recent Post → Website → Enquiry

or:

Google Maps → Business Profile → Offer → Customer action

A Post does not need to contain everything.

Its job can simply be to introduce something useful and provide a logical next step.

Understanding Update Posts

Updates are the most flexible type of Google Post.

Google says an Update can include:

• Description

• Photograph

• Video

• Action button

• Link Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

The link associated with the action button should direct the customer towards somewhere they can complete the relevant action, such as learning more, making a booking or ordering online. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

Useful subjects might include:

• Recently completed work

• A new service

• New premises

• Important business news

• A new website resource

• Seasonal information

• New products

• A significant company update

The strongest subjects usually come directly from genuine business activity.

Understanding Offer Posts

Offers are designed for genuine promotional sales or deals.

Google requires an Offer Post to include a title, dates and time. It automatically includes a View Offer button.

Businesses can also add:

• Description

• Photograph

• Video

• Coupon code

• Link

• Terms and conditions Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

Use an Offer when there is actually an offer.

For example:

Winter Boiler Service Offer

could genuinely suit this format if the business is running a temporary promotion.

By contrast:

Professional Boiler Servicing

isn't really an offer. It is simply a service.

Different parts of the Business Profile have different purposes. Don't force ordinary services into Offer Posts simply because the format exists.

Understanding Event Posts

Event Posts are designed for genuine events.

Google says these Posts can include:

• Event title

• Start date

• End date

• Start time

• End time

• Description

• Photograph

• Video

• Action button Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

If no start or end time is entered, Google says the event appears as lasting 24 hours on the relevant event dates. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

Appropriate uses could include:

• Open days

• Workshops

• Demonstrations

• Training events

• Customer events

• In-store events

Again, accuracy matters.

Use the Event format because an actual event exists, not simply because you want another type of Post.

Choosing Good Subjects for Google Posts

A common mistake is beginning with:

“We haven't posted anything this week. What can we put up?”

That puts publication frequency ahead of usefulness.

A better question is:

“What has happened within the business recently that a potential customer might genuinely want to know?”

This naturally produces better subjects.

Recently Completed Projects

For businesses producing visible work, completed projects can make excellent Posts.

Show the genuine project, briefly explain what was involved and, where available, direct customers to a detailed case study.

New Services

If the business genuinely introduces a new service, a Post can announce it and direct people to the relevant website page.

Useful Guides

If your website publishes an authoritative guide answering a common customer question, a Post can introduce that resource.

New Products

Retail businesses can highlight genuinely important new products or ranges.

Seasonal Information

Some products and services naturally relate to particular times of year.

Useful seasonal information can therefore be relevant without becoming artificial.

Genuine Offers

Where there is a real promotional offer, use the dedicated Offer format.

Events

Where the business is hosting a real event, the Event format gives customers appropriate dates, times and other information.

How to Write a Good Google Post

A useful Post does not need to be complicated.

Make the Subject Immediately Clear

Don't waste the opening on generic filler.

Instead of:

“We have some exciting news we'd like to share with everyone...”

use:

“New Heritage Building Survey Guide Now Available”

The customer immediately understands the subject.

Explain Why It Matters

Give enough context to make the update useful.

If you're announcing a new service, briefly explain what the service is.

If you're sharing a project, tell people what was completed.

If you're publishing a guide, explain the question the guide answers.

Provide a Logical Next Step

Where appropriate, let the customer continue.

For example:

Post about service → Service page

Post about completed project → Case study

Post about guide → Full guide

Offer Post → Relevant offer information

The next destination should match the subject.

Don't Try to Put the Whole Website Into the Post

A Business Profile Post can introduce something without explaining every detail.

That's particularly important when the business already has a strong website.

Think:

Google Post = discovery

Website = depth

Suppose a building contractor completes a major restoration.

The Google Post might contain:

• Strong finished photograph

• Concise project summary

• Relevant call to action

The website case study can then contain:

• Project background

• Existing condition

• Methods

• Materials

• Photographs

• Challenges

• Finished result

The two pieces of content support each other without duplicating everything.

Choosing Images for Google Posts

Google supports photographs and videos within Posts. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

Choose media directly connected with the subject.

If your Post is:

Victorian Property Restoration Completed

show the genuine project.

If the Post announces:

New Product Range

show the real products.

If you're promoting:

Winter Open Day

use relevant imagery connected to the location or event.

The photograph should reinforce the message rather than merely fill a space.

Using Video in Google Posts

Video can be useful when movement communicates the subject better than a photograph.

Potential uses include:

• Work in progress

• Product demonstration

• Completed project overview

• Premises

• Event preview

As with photographs, video should have a reason to be there.

Use whichever format communicates the business update most clearly.

Calls to Action and Links

A strong Post often has an obvious answer to:

“What should the customer do next?”

Google supports action buttons and website links in relevant Posts. For Updates, Google says the linked destination can allow customers to complete actions such as booking, ordering online or learning more. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

This is where the relationship between your Business Profile and website becomes particularly useful.

Avoid sending every Post to the homepage by default.

Use the most relevant destination.

For example:

New patio project → Patio case study

is a cleaner journey than:

New patio project → Generic homepage

Don't make customers search again for the information you have just invited them to discover.

Google Posts and Website Content

A strong website can provide a steady source of meaningful Post subjects.

For example, when the business publishes:

• New service page

• Case study

• Guide

• Product range

• Event information

• Important business update

you have something genuinely useful to communicate through the Business Profile.

This creates a simple relationship:

Website provides depth

↓

Google Post highlights something timely

↓

Potential customer discovers it

↓

Customer continues to the relevant information

This is much stronger than treating Posts and the website as completely separate content strategies.

Google Posts and Social Media

Google Posts and social-media Posts can cover some of the same business activity, but they do not necessarily need identical wording.

The same completed project could potentially become:

Website: detailed case study

Google Business Profile: concise project update

Facebook: customer-facing project story

Instagram: visual project showcase

The underlying event remains the same.

The presentation changes to suit the channel.

The important thing is factual consistency.

How Long Do Google Posts Remain Active?

Google says Posts older than six months are archived unless a date range has been specified. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

This reinforces the role of Posts as timely content.

Your evergreen information belongs in areas such as:

• Business information

• Categories

• Description

• Services

• Products

• Website

Posts can then communicate what is new, current or particularly relevant at a given time.

Google Post Status: Live, Pending and Not Approved

After publication, Google reviews Posts against its content policies.

Google currently identifies three relevant status types:

Live

The Post is public and can appear on Search and Maps.

Pending

The Post does not currently appear on Search or Maps. Google says it may be uploading or processing, or the profile may be unverified.

Not Approved

The Post does not appear on Search or Maps because it violates an applicable content policy. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

If a Post is not approved, investigate the specific problem rather than repeatedly publishing the same content.

Phone Numbers in Google Posts

Google specifically warns that Posts containing telephone numbers within the Post description might be rejected when Google cannot verify that the number is connected to the business. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

Normally, the Business Profile itself should already contain the appropriate customer contact information.

There is little reason to repeatedly force telephone numbers into Post copy.

Use the Post to communicate the update.

Keep Google Posts Professional

Google's current guidance recommends keeping Posts professional and avoiding:

• Misspellings

• Unnecessary extra characters

• Text that adds no value

• Distracting or auto-generated content Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

That matches the wider approach we want across the Learning Hub:

Useful information over noise.

A short, accurate Post about something meaningful is more valuable than a longer piece of filler created simply to keep publishing.

Can Google Posts Be Scheduled?

Google's current Business Profile guidance says Posts can be scheduled for publication at a later date and can also be configured to repeat on schedules such as weekly, monthly or custom intervals. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

Scheduling can be useful when the content genuinely needs to go live at a particular time.

But automation should not become an excuse to produce low-value repetitive Posts.

The content still needs to be worth publishing.

How Often Should a Business Post?

There is no reason to manufacture a rigid schedule purely for the sake of activity.

Lewis Learning Hub recommends:

Post when there is something worth communicating.

For an active project-based company, that may generate regular material.

Another business may naturally produce fewer updates.

The objective isn't:

Maximum Posts

It is:

Consistent, useful communication of genuine business activity.

A Practical Google Posts Content Strategy

A sustainable strategy can draw from several categories.

Business Updates

Examples:

• New service

• New premises

• Opening information

• Business milestone

Projects and Work

Examples:

• Completed project

• Before and after

• Interesting project stage

• Unusual work

Educational Content

Examples:

• New website guide

• Customer advice

• Seasonal information

• Frequently asked question

Products

Examples:

• New range

• Important product

• Seasonal stock

Offers

Use for genuine promotions.

Events

Use for genuine events.

This gives the business variety without inventing meaningless content.

Example Strategy for a Local Trade Business

Imagine a specialist contractor has:

• Completed a major restoration project

• Published a guide explaining a common building problem

• Introduced a new survey service

• Taken professional photographs from a recent project

That gives the business several legitimate Posts.

Post 1: Completed Project

Show the finished work and direct customers to the full case study.

Post 2: Educational Guide

Introduce the customer problem and link to the guide.

Post 3: New Service

Explain what the new service is and direct customers to its service page.

Post 4: Project Detail

Show an interesting detail from the completed work and briefly explain what was involved.

The company isn't struggling to invent content.

It is simply documenting and communicating real business activity.

Common Google Business Profile Post Mistakes

Posting Simply Because the Calendar Says So

Start with something worth communicating.

Repeating the Same Advertisement

Don't publish slightly rewritten versions of the same sales message continuously.

Writing for Search Engines

Write so customers immediately understand the update.

Linking Everything to the Homepage

Use the destination most relevant to the Post.

Using Unrelated Images

The image should reinforce the subject.

Creating Fake Offers

Offers should correspond to genuine promotions.

Treating Ordinary Services as Events

Use the Post type that matches what is actually happening.

Adding Unnecessary Telephone Numbers

Google says phone numbers in Post descriptions can potentially trigger rejection when they cannot be verified as connected with the business. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

Assuming More Posts Automatically Means Better Rankings

Google's official guidance presents Posts as a way to share information and connect with customers. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

Lewis Learning Hub recommends treating Posts primarily as a customer communication tool rather than assuming posting frequency itself guarantees improved local visibility.

Lewis Learning Hub Practical Guidance

Build your Posts from real business activity outward.

Step 1: Identify What Has Happened

Look for:

• New work

• New services

• Products

• Offers

• Events

• Guides

• Business developments

Step 2: Choose the Right Post Type

Decide whether the subject is an:

Update

Offer

or:

Event

Step 3: Make the Subject Obvious

Tell customers immediately what the Post concerns.

Step 4: Add Genuine Media

Use a photograph or video connected directly with the subject.

Step 5: Explain Why It Matters

Give the customer enough information to understand the update.

Step 6: Choose the Logical Next Step

Where appropriate, connect the Post with the most useful website destination.

Step 7: Review Before Publishing

Check:

• Facts

• Dates

• Links

• Media

• Wording

• Call to action

Step 8: Keep Old Information Under Control

Google allows published Posts to be edited or deleted, so correct information when circumstances genuinely change. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

The goal is not a Business Profile filled with constant noise.

The goal is a profile where recent activity shows that the business has real things worth communicating.

Google Business Profile Posts Checklist

Before publishing a Post, check:

• Is there a genuine reason for publishing it?

• Have you selected the appropriate Post type?

• Is the main subject immediately clear?

• Is the information accurate?

• Is the photograph or video genuinely relevant?

• Does the media represent the real business?

• Is the wording concise and natural?

• Have unnecessary repeated phrases been removed?

• Are Offer dates accurate?

• Are Event dates and times accurate?

• Does the call to action make sense?

• Does the link lead to the most relevant destination?

• Have unnecessary telephone numbers been kept out of the description?

• Does the Post comply with Google's policies?

• Would the Post genuinely help or interest a potential customer?

If yes, the Post has a reason to exist.

Related Google Business Profile Guides

For the wider overview, read:

Google Business Profile: The Complete Guide

Closely related guides include:

• Google Business Profile Photos: Complete Guide

• Google Business Profile Products: Complete Guide

• How to Get More Google Reviews Ethically

• Google Business Profile Performance & Insights Explained

For troubleshooting, read:

Why Was My Google Business Profile Post Rejected?

Next guide: How to Get More Google Reviews Ethically

Ready to Master the Complete System?

Publishing useful Google Posts is one part of a much wider Business Profile strategy.

Your business information, categories, services, photographs, Posts, reviews, website and performance data all need to work together coherently.

Google Business Profile Mastery brings those individual elements together into one structured implementation system, with practical demonstrations, exercises, resources and guided support.

Instead of learning individual features and then working out how everything fits together yourself, you can follow the system from initial setup through to ongoing profile management.

Explore Google Business Profile Mastery →

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Google Business Profile Posts?

Google says Posts allow businesses to share announcements, offers, updates and event information with customers through their Business Profile on Search and Maps. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

What types of Google Posts are available?

Google currently lists three main types: Updates, Offers and Events. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

Can Google Posts contain photographs and videos?

Yes. Google supports photographs or videos within relevant types of Business Profile Posts. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

Can a Google Post link to my website?

Yes. For Updates, Google allows an action button containing a link to a website where customers can take actions such as learning more, booking or ordering. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

Where can customers see Google Posts?

Google says customers can find Posts in areas including the Updates or Overview tabs on mobile Search and Maps and the From the owner section on desktop. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

How long do Google Posts remain active?

Google says Posts older than six months are archived unless a date range has been set. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

Can Google Business Profile Posts be scheduled?

Yes. Google's current instructions provide options to schedule Posts for future publication and create recurring schedules. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

Why has my Google Post not appeared?

Google uses Post statuses including Live, Pending and Not Approved. A Pending Post may still be processing or may be associated with an unverified profile, while a Not Approved Post does not display because it violates an applicable content policy. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile [support.google.com]

What should I work on next?

Continue with How to Get More Google Reviews Ethically to develop the next part of your Google Business Profile reputation system.