Your Google Business Profile has a feature that most local businesses never use — and the ones that do use it have a consistent advantage over those that don't. Google Posts lets you publish updates, offers, and announcements that appear directly in your Google search result, visible to anyone who finds your profile before they even click on it.
It takes about 10 minutes per month. The businesses using it consistently look more active, more professional, and more worth calling than businesses whose profiles have been static for months.
What Google Posts actually are
When someone searches for your business or finds you in a local search, your Google Business Profile appears on the right side of the screen or in the map results. Google Posts appear as a card within that profile — a short update with optional photo, text, and a call-to-action button.
Posts expire after 7 days unless you're using the "Event" post type, which means you need to post regularly to keep fresh content visible. This is both a challenge and an opportunity — businesses that post consistently always have fresh content visible, while businesses that don't have a profile that looks abandoned.
The four types of posts and when to use each
Update posts — general announcements, tips, recent work highlights, team updates. Most flexible type. Use for anything that doesn't fit a specific category.
Offer posts — current promotions and special deals. These show up with a distinct offer tag in your profile and can include a coupon code, start/end date, and description. Best for driving immediate action.
Event posts — for specific events with a defined date range. The post stays visible until the event ends rather than expiring after 7 days. Useful for promotions with a specific end date.
Product posts — for showcasing specific services with photos and pricing. Good for highlighting premium or new services you want to feature.
Post ideas that actually work for local service businesses
The consistency advantage: Most businesses post once, see no dramatic result, and stop. The businesses that win with Google Posts are the ones that post every 1-2 weeks consistently for months. Google's algorithm notices active profiles and the cumulative effect on profile engagement builds over time.
Best practices for higher-performing posts
- Always include a photo — posts with images get significantly more engagement than text-only posts. Real photos from your jobs perform better than stock images.
- Include a call to action — every post should tell the reader what to do next: call, book, get a free estimate. Use the built-in CTA button options Google provides.
- Keep it concise — the first 100 characters appear without expanding. Make them compelling enough to drive clicks or calls without reading more.
- Post at least twice a month — enough to always have fresh content visible, without requiring excessive time.
- Tie posts to seasons and local events — a post that mentions a recent local storm, an upcoming holiday, or the current season feels relevant and timely in a way that generic posts don't.
Check what your competitors are posting
You can see your competitors' GBP Posts by clicking on their profile in Google Maps. If they're posting regularly and you aren't, that's a visible activity gap in your profiles side by side. If they're not posting at all, consistent posting immediately differentiates your profile from theirs.
We monitor your competitors' GBP activity every month.
RivalMappd tracks what competitors are posting, what offers they're running, and what changes they're making to their profiles — and tells you exactly what to do about it. Plans from $299/month.
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