Last updated: February 2026
Google Business Profile posts are short-form content updates that businesses publish directly to their Google Business Profile listing, appearing in Google Search and Google Maps results. Similar to social media posts, GBP posts allow businesses to share updates, promote offers, announce events, and highlight products or services directly within their listing. These posts serve as a dynamic, regularly refreshed content layer that keeps your listing active and provides additional engagement opportunities for potential customers.
Despite being one of the most accessible GBP features, posts remain significantly underutilized by local businesses. Research shows that fewer than 20% of businesses with GBP listings actively publish posts, which means consistent posting represents a meaningful competitive advantage in most markets.
What Types of Google Business Profile Posts Are Available?
There are four main types of Google Business Profile posts available: Update posts, Offer posts, Event posts, and Product posts (via the product editor). Each type has a different format, purpose, and set of features that make it suitable for specific kinds of content.
Update Posts
Update posts are the most versatile and commonly used post type. They allow you to share general news, announcements, tips, behind-the-scenes content, or any information relevant to your audience. Update posts include an image or video, text (up to 1,500 characters), and an optional call-to-action button. They remain visible for approximately six months, though they move lower in the feed as newer posts are added.
Best practices for update posts:
- Lead with the most important information in the first 80 characters, which is what displays before the "Read more" truncation
- Include a relevant, high-quality image (minimum 400 x 300 pixels, ideally 1200 x 900)
- Always add a CTA button to drive a specific action
- Keep text conversational but professional
- Include relevant keywords naturally in the post text
Offer Posts
Offer posts are designed for promotions, discounts, and special deals. They include a title, image, start and end dates, an optional coupon code, terms and conditions, and a redemption link. Offer posts display a prominent "View offer" CTA and are marked with a special offer badge, making them stand out in your listing.
Best practices for offer posts:
- Set a clear timeframe — urgency drives action
- Use specific numbers and percentages ("20% off" performs better than "big savings")
- Include terms and conditions to set clear expectations
- Create a dedicated landing page for the offer redemption link
- Use compelling imagery that relates to the offer
Event Posts
Event posts promote upcoming events, workshops, webinars, or any time-specific gatherings. They require a title, start and end date/time, and optional description, image, and CTA button. Event posts remain visible until the event end date passes, making them ideal for long-running promotions or recurring events.
Best practices for event posts:
- Create event posts well in advance to maximize visibility
- Include all relevant details (date, time, location, cost) in the post text
- Use the CTA button to link to a registration or ticket page
- Post reminder updates as the event date approaches
- For recurring events, create a new event post for each occurrence
How Often Should You Post on Google Business Profile?
You should post on Google Business Profile at least once per week to maintain consistent visibility and activity signals. Businesses that post weekly see notably higher engagement than those posting less frequently, while posting more than 2-3 times per week shows diminishing returns for most businesses.
Here is a recommended posting cadence:
- Minimum: 1 post per week — keeps your listing active and current
- Optimal: 2-3 posts per week — provides consistent fresh content without overwhelming your audience
- Maximum effective: 1 post per day — suitable for businesses with abundant content (restaurants, event venues) but rarely necessary
Consistency matters more than volume. A business that posts once every week for 12 months will outperform a business that publishes 10 posts in one week and then goes silent for three months. Create a content calendar and stick to it.
For more comprehensive optimization strategies, our Google Business Profile optimization guide covers posting as part of a complete optimization framework.
Do Google Business Profile Posts Actually Affect Rankings?
Google Business Profile posts have a small but measurable positive effect on local rankings, primarily through increased engagement signals and keyword relevance rather than as a direct ranking factor. Multiple industry studies and correlation analyses show that businesses that post regularly tend to rank slightly higher than those that do not, though isolating the effect of posts alone is difficult.
The ranking impact of posts works through several mechanisms:
- Activity signals: Regular posting tells Google your business is active and engaged, which aligns with freshness signals in the algorithm
- Keyword relevance: Post content is indexed by Google, so including relevant keywords in your posts can reinforce your topical relevance for those terms
- Engagement metrics: Posts with CTAs generate clicks, calls, and other interactions that feed behavioral ranking signals
- Listing attractiveness: Active posts make your listing more compelling in search results, which can improve click-through rates
While posts alone will not catapult a poorly optimized listing to the top of the local pack, they are a valuable supporting factor in a comprehensive optimization strategy. Combined with other tactics from our Google Maps SEO tips, regular posting contributes to an overall stronger local search presence.
What Makes an Effective CTA for GBP Posts?
An effective CTA for GBP posts is specific, action-oriented, and aligned with the post content, driving the reader toward a single clear next step. Google provides several built-in CTA button options: "Book," "Order online," "Buy," "Learn more," "Sign up," and "Call now."
Guidelines for choosing and using CTAs effectively:
- "Learn more" works best for informational update posts that link to blog content or service pages
- "Book" or "Order online" are ideal for service-based businesses or restaurants with online ordering
- "Call now" is powerful for businesses where phone calls are the primary conversion point (emergency services, consultants)
- "Sign up" works well for event registrations, newsletter signups, or free consultations
- "Buy" is best used for product-focused posts with a direct link to purchase
Always ensure the CTA matches the post content and the landing page it links to. A post about a seasonal menu should not link to your homepage — it should link to the menu page or an order page. Alignment between post content, CTA, and landing page maximizes conversion rates.
How Do You Measure the Performance of GBP Posts?
You measure the performance of GBP posts through the Insights section of your Google Business Profile dashboard, which shows views, clicks, and engagement metrics for each post. Additionally, using UTM parameters in your post links allows you to track post-driven traffic in Google Analytics for more detailed conversion analysis.
Key metrics to track include:
- Post views: How many times your post was seen in search results or on your listing
- Post clicks: How many times people clicked your CTA button
- Click-through rate: The ratio of clicks to views, indicating post effectiveness
- Conversion actions: Track what happens after the click using UTM-tagged URLs in Google Analytics
To create UTM-tagged URLs for your posts, append parameters like ?utm_source=gbp&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=february-offer to your destination URLs. This allows you to see exactly how much traffic and how many conversions originate from your GBP posts.
Pair your post performance data with ranking data from GBP Rank Tracker to see whether your posting activity correlates with ranking improvements in your target area.
What Content Ideas Work Best for GBP Posts?
The content ideas that work best for GBP posts are those that combine relevance, timeliness, and visual appeal while providing genuine value to potential customers. Successful businesses draw from a rotating content mix rather than posting the same type of content repeatedly.
Proven content categories:
- Seasonal promotions and holiday offers: Time-sensitive content drives urgency and engagement
- New product or service announcements: Keep your audience informed about what is new
- Behind-the-scenes content: Show your team at work, your process, or your workspace
- Customer success stories: Share positive outcomes (with permission) to build social proof
- Tips and educational content: Position your business as an expert by sharing useful advice
- Community involvement: Highlight local sponsorships, charity work, or community events
- Awards and recognition: Share any certifications, awards, or media mentions
- FAQ-style posts: Address common customer questions to reduce friction and demonstrate expertise
Pro tip: Repurpose content from your social media channels for GBP posts. An Instagram post about a new menu item or a Facebook announcement about extended hours can easily be adapted into a GBP post, saving you time while maintaining your posting cadence.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do Google Business Profile posts stay visible?
Update posts remain visible for approximately six months, though they are pushed down by newer posts. Offer posts remain visible until their end date passes. Event posts remain visible until the event end date. Previously, posts expired after seven days, but Google extended the visibility period significantly. Despite the longer lifespan, regular posting is still important to maintain a fresh and active listing.
Can I schedule Google Business Profile posts in advance?
Google does not offer built-in scheduling for GBP posts. However, several third-party tools support GBP post scheduling, including Publer, Circleboom, and SocialBee. These tools connect to your GBP listing via the Google Business Profile API and allow you to create, schedule, and manage posts in advance, which is especially useful for maintaining a consistent posting cadence.
Do GBP posts support video content?
Yes, GBP posts support video uploads. Videos must be 30 seconds or shorter, under 75 MB in file size, and at a minimum resolution of 720p. Video posts tend to receive higher engagement than image-only posts, making them worth incorporating into your content mix if you have the capability to produce short, quality videos.
Can I include links in GBP post text?
You can include URLs in the post text body, but they will not be clickable hyperlinks — they display as plain text. For clickable links, use the CTA button feature, which supports one link per post. This is why choosing the right CTA and destination URL is important for driving traffic from your posts.
Should I include hashtags in GBP posts?
Hashtags are not functional in GBP posts the way they are on social media platforms — they are not clickable and do not enable content discovery. Including hashtags does not hurt your posts, but they consume character count without providing additional value. Use that space for keywords and compelling content instead.
What image size works best for GBP posts?
The recommended image size for GBP posts is 1200 x 900 pixels (4:3 aspect ratio) with a minimum of 400 x 300 pixels. Images are cropped to a roughly 4:3 ratio in the feed, so keep important visual elements centered. File size should be between 10 KB and 5 MB in JPG or PNG format. Always use high-quality, relevant images rather than generic stock photos.