To write a good Google Business Profile post, open your profile, choose Add update, offer or event, write a short, specific note about something real happening at your business this week, attach one clear photo you took yourself, and add a button that sends people to book, call or learn more. Keep it plain, keep it current, and keep contact details out of the text so Google doesn't reject it.
That's the whole thing. The rest of this post is how to do it well, what to post when you're stuck, and the handful of rules that trip owners up.
What is a Google Business Profile post, exactly?
A post is a short update that appears on your Business Profile in Google Search and Maps. Google offers three kinds, and picking the right one matters more than most people think.
- Update: general news. A new service, a finished project, a seasonal reminder, holiday hours. You can add a photo or video and a button.
- Offer: a sale or deal. Google requires a title plus start and end dates, and it adds a View offer button automatically. You can include a coupon code and terms.
- Event: a class, open house, tasting or workshop. It needs a title and dates. If you skip the times, Google shows it as running all day.
All of this comes straight from Google's own help page on creating Business Profile posts, which also explains that you can schedule posts ahead or set one to repeat.
How do I actually create one?
It takes about five minutes once you have a photo ready. Here's the routine I'd suggest:
- Search your business name on Google while signed in to the account that manages your profile, or go to business.google.com.
- Find the option to add a post and pick Update, Offer or Event.
- Add one photo. Then write two to four short sentences.
- Choose a button, such as Learn more or Call now, and point it at the most useful page on your site.
- Publish now or schedule it, then check back later that it shows as Live.
Google labels each post Live, Pending or Not approved. Pending can simply mean it's still processing, or that your profile isn't verified yet. Not approved means it broke a content rule, which brings us to the part that catches people.
What gets a post rejected?
The most common surprise is contact information. Google says posts with unverified phone numbers, email addresses or social handles in the text may be removed, and it suggests using the Call now button instead, which uses your verified number. That's covered in the Business Profile posts content policy.
A few other things to keep in mind:
- Keep it professional and family-friendly, and proofread for spelling.
- Only link to trustworthy pages, ideally your own website.
- Businesses in regulated categories, such as alcohol, weapons or financial services, can post, but not about the regulated products themselves.
- Hotels can't publish offer posts or posts that mention deals.
What should I write about?
Write about what a customer would want to know before calling you this week.
Some ideas that work across very different businesses:
- A trade or service pro: a before-and-after from a real job, with the neighborhood or town named naturally. A deck rebuilt in Crozet, a furnace swap in Waynesboro.
- A shop: new stock that just came in, with a photo of it on the shelf.
- A restaurant or café: this week's special, a seasonal menu change, or holiday hours.
- A studio or gym: a new class time, a workshop date (use an Event post), or an intro offer (use an Offer post).
- A clinic or appointment-based practice: new availability, a new provider, or a simple explainer about what a first visit looks like.
If you've recently updated your service list, a post is a natural place to announce it. I wrote about that in how to add services and products to your Google Business Profile.
What makes a post good instead of just there?
A good post answers one question, shows one real thing, and gives one clear next step. Anything more and people scroll past.
- Lead with the useful part. Put the news in the first sentence, not your business name.
- Use your own photos. Google's photo and video guidelines for Business Profiles ask for images that are in focus, well lit and without heavy filters, and they list JPG or PNG files between 10 KB and 5 MB, with 720 by 720 pixels recommended. Videos can be up to 30 seconds. A clear phone photo of your actual work beats a stock image.
- Write the way you talk. Say floor refinishing, not premium hardwood restoration solutions. People search in plain words, and they trust plain words.
- Match the button to the goal. If you want calls, use Call now. If you want bookings, send them straight to your booking page, not your homepage.
- Keep it fresh. Google archives posts older than six months unless you set a date range, so an old post isn't working for you anyway.
Do Google posts help my ranking?
Be careful with anyone who promises they will. Google's own page on how local ranking works says results are based on relevance, distance and prominence, and its tips focus on verifying your business, keeping your info accurate, responding to reviews and adding photos. It doesn't mention posts, and it says there's no way to pay for a better local ranking.
So I treat posts as a conversion tool, not a ranking trick. When someone in Charlottesville is comparing three contractors or two cafés on their phone, a profile with a recent, real update looks open, active and cared for. One with nothing since last spring raises a small question. Posts help you win the click and the call once you're already being shown.
If you want to be shown more often in the first place, the bigger levers are the basics Google lists, plus steady reviews. My post on how to ask for Google reviews without breaking the rules covers that side, and our local SEO work in Charlottesville is built around those fundamentals.
How often should I post?
Post when you have something real to share, and aim for a steady rhythm you can keep, such as once a week or every other week. Consistency matters more than volume.
The easiest way to stay consistent is to batch it. Take photos as you work during the week, then spend 20 minutes on a Monday writing two or three posts and scheduling them. If you already post to Facebook or Instagram, reuse the same photo and idea, but rewrite the text so it makes sense to a stranger searching on Google rather than a follower who already knows you.
What can I do today?
- Check your profile and see when your last post went up.
- Pick one real thing from this week and take a photo of it.
- Write a three-sentence Update with a button to your most useful page.
- Schedule two more for the next two weeks while you're in there.
If you'd rather not think about it at all, this is the kind of thing we take off owners' plates. Our social media management can include your Google posts alongside Facebook and Instagram, so it all stays current without you chasing it. And if you're not sure where your profile stands, the free local business growth scorecard is a quick way to see what to fix first.
Common questions
Can I put my phone number in a Google post?
It's risky. Google may remove posts with unverified contact details in the text. Use the Call now button instead, which uses the verified number on your profile.
How long does a Google Business Profile post stay up?
Google archives posts older than six months unless you set a date range. Offers and events run on the dates you set.
Why is my post stuck on Pending?
It may still be processing, or your profile may not be verified yet. If it changes to Not approved, review the content policy, remove any phone numbers or questionable links, and try again.
If you'd like a second set of eyes on your Google profile or help keeping it active, book a free 15-minute call.