Networks
Google Business Profile posts explained: the three post types, what to write, Google's rules, how long posts stay live and how to schedule them.
Google Business Profile posts are short updates, offers and events that appear on your business listing in Google Search and Maps. They are free, they reach people who are already looking at your business, and Google now lets you schedule them ahead of time. A good routine for most local businesses is one useful post a week, with an offer or event post whenever you have one.
This guide explains the three post types, what to write, the rules Google enforces, and how to plan a month of posts in one sitting.
A Business Profile post is a short message attached to your listing. According to Google's help page on posts, posts show in the Updates or Overview tab of your profile on mobile, and in the From the owner section on desktop, in both Search and Maps.
That placement is the reason posts are worth the effort. The people who see them have searched for your business by name or found you while looking for something you sell. They are close to a decision: calling, booking, ordering or walking in. A recent, clear post answers "are they open, is this current, what's on?" at exactly that moment.
What posts are not: a way to go viral, or a replacement for reviews, accurate hours and good photos. Treat them as the noticeboard at your front door.
Google lists three post types (Google Help):
| Type | Use it for | What it needs |
|---|---|---|
| Update | News, tips, new stock, seasonal changes, a photo of today's work | A description, optionally a photo or video and a button |
| Offer | A sale, discount or limited deal | A title plus start and end dates; Google adds a "View offer" button |
| Event | A workshop, tasting, open day or live music night | A title plus start and end dates and times |
Updates are your everyday post. Keep them concrete: "New winter menu starts Monday, three new soups, all vegan" beats "Exciting things are coming!" Add a photo that shows the thing you are talking about, and a button such as Book, Order online or Call now when there is an obvious next step.
Offers work best when they are simple and time-limited. State the deal in the title, set real dates, and add a coupon code or redemption link if you have one. Because an offer has a date range, it stays visible until it ends rather than being archived after six months.
Events are good for anything with a date: classes, launches, holiday hours, pop-ups. Put the most important detail (what and when) in the title, and use the description for who it is for and how to join.
Google says posts older than six months are archived unless a date range is set (Google Help). Offers and events carry their own dates, so they follow those instead.
In practice, the bigger issue is not archiving but staleness. A profile whose newest post is from last spring tells a visitor nothing about today. That is why a small weekly habit matters more than an occasional burst of posts.
Posts are reviewed, and Google will reject or remove ones that break its content policies. The main points from Google's guidelines:
If you are stuck, rotate through these. Each one is a single photo and two or three sentences.
Show what is happening now
Answer questions before people ask 6. "Do you take walk-ins?" answered in one post 7. Parking, access and how to find you 8. What to bring to a first appointment 9. Price ranges or how a quote works 10. Your most common customer question, answered plainly
Give a reason to act 11. A limited-time offer (as an Offer post with dates) 12. A booking slot that opened up 13. A gift card reminder before holidays 14. A new service with a Book button 15. A loyalty or referral scheme
Build trust 16. A short tip from your trade 17. A milestone (ten years open, a new location) 18. A local partnership or charity you support 19. A thank-you after a busy event 20. A "how we do it" post about quality, sourcing or safety
There is no official number from Google, and advice online varies from daily to monthly. A realistic routine for most small businesses is one Update a week, plus an Offer or Event whenever you have something with a date. That keeps the newest post fresh without asking more of your time than you can keep giving. Consistency beats volume: four posts a month, every month, will do more for a visitor's impression than twenty in January and nothing until June.
Google has added scheduling to Business Profile posts. When creating a post, turn on Schedule this post and choose a date and time; for recurring posts, the Repeats option lets you pick weekly, monthly or a custom schedule (Google Help). Google's developer changelog also lists recurring posts as an API addition in April 2026 (Business Profile APIs, latest updates).
That is enough if Google is the only place you post.
Most local businesses share the same news on Instagram, Facebook and sometimes LinkedIn too. A scheduler lets you write it once, adjust it per network and see everything on one calendar. In Social9:
If you would rather not write every week, Social9's Autopilot can plan a week of posts from your website or a short description of the business, draft them in your voice, and wait for your approval before anything is published. Google Business Profile is available on the Individual plan and up; see pricing for details.
| Week | Post | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | What's new this month, with a photo | Update |
| 2 | Answer your most common customer question | Update |
| 3 | A limited offer or upcoming event | Offer or Event |
| 4 | Behind the scenes or a team member | Update |
Write all four in one sitting at the start of the month, add photos from your camera roll, and schedule them. Then check your profile once a week to reply to reviews and questions, which matters at least as much as posting.
Google does not publish a ranking effect for posts, and claims online vary. What is clear is that posts appear on your profile in Search and Maps, right where customers decide whether to contact you, so they can help turn a profile view into a call or visit.
Google archives posts older than six months unless a date range is set. Offers and events follow their own start and end dates.
Yes. Google lets you schedule posts and set them to repeat when you create them. A scheduler like Social9 can also schedule them alongside your posts on other networks.
Updates, Offers and Events. Updates are general news with an optional button, Offers need a title and dates, and Events need a title with start and end dates and times.
Yes, as long as the result is accurate, specific to your business and edited by you. Google's guidelines discourage auto-generated content, so read every draft before it goes live.
Plan a month of Google Business Profile posts in one sitting and publish them with the rest of your social media. Start free with Social9, or read more on the Google Business Profile channel page.
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