Quick answer: Post what a customer would want to know before they call: recent jobs or work with real photos, a seasonal service you are booking now, an event, or an offer with clear terms. Keep each post short, use one real photo, and add one button such as Call, Book, or Learn more. One or two posts a week is plenty for most local businesses.
Your Google Business Profile is often the first thing people see when they search for your business or your type of service in town. Posts are the part of that profile you can update anytime, and most small businesses leave them empty. Here is what to put there.
The three kinds of posts
Google gives you a few post types. Most small businesses only need these three:
- Updates: news, recent work, tips, or a photo of the team. This is the everyday post.
- Offers: a discount or promotion, with a start date, an end date, and the terms written out.
- Events: a workshop, open house, or sale with a date and time.
If you are not sure which to use, use an update.
8 post ideas that work for local businesses
1. A finished job or recent work. One clear photo and two sentences: what you did and where. "New front steps and handrail for a homeowner in Prescott Valley."
2. A before-and-after. Real photos from your phone usually beat stock images.
3. A seasonal service you are booking now. "We are scheduling fall gutter cleanings for November."
4. An answer to a question customers ask often. Turn one common phone question into a short post.
5. Your team. A photo of the person who will show up or answer the phone builds trust.
6. A new service or product. Say what it is, who it is for, and how to ask about it.
7. An event. Use the event post type so the date shows clearly.
8. An offer with real terms. Write out what is included and when it ends.
If you want more ideas, our list of 30 things to post for a small business works for Google posts too.
How to write a good Google post
- Lead with the useful part. The first line is what shows in the preview.
- Say where you work. Name the town or area you serve in plain words.
- Use one real photo. Bright, clear, and taken by you or your team.
- Pick one button. Call, Book, Order, or Learn more. One action per post.
- Skip the phone number in the text. Google's posting guidelines discourage phone numbers in post text, and the profile already has a call button.
- Keep it short. A few sentences is enough.
What not to post
- Stock photos that do not show your business
- The same post copied every week
- Prices or promotions you are not ready to honor
- Anything that breaks Google's content rules, such as misleading offers
How often should you post?
One or two posts a week is a realistic pace for most owners. A steady habit matters more than volume. If you already post on Facebook or Instagram, reuse your best local photo from the week as a Google post.
Posts are one part of the profile
Posts help, but they work best when the rest of the profile is complete: correct hours, service area, services, photos, and a steady flow of reviews. See what a Google Business Profile should include, how to optimize it for local SEO, and how to get more Google reviews. If you are starting from zero, begin with setting up your Google Business Profile from scratch.
Want it handled?
Savvy Social Solutions manages Facebook, Instagram, and Google Business Profile for small businesses, with plans from $399 a month. See our Google visibility service or book a free discovery call.
FAQ
Do Google Business Profile posts help rankings?
Google does not publish a ranking formula. Posts mainly help the people who already found your profile decide to call. Treat them as a sales tool first.
Can I schedule Google posts ahead of time?
Google's own tools post right away. Many social media scheduling tools can schedule Google Business Profile posts.
What size photo should I use?
Use a clear, bright photo with the subject in the center, since Google may crop the edges.