Google Business Profile Posts: What to Post and How Often for Maximum Impact

Google rewards active, engaged businesses. When you publish posts regularly, you're signalling to Google that your business is alive, active, and serving customers. This activity signal feeds into your overall ranking in Google Maps.

Posts also give Google additional context about your business. When you write a post about 'emergency boiler repair in Bedminster', Google learns that you offer emergency services and that you serve the Bedminster area. This activity is one of the key Google Maps ranking factors. This helps you rank for those specific searches.

There's also a direct customer benefit. Your posts appear on your Google Business Profile when potential customers view it. A recent post with a before-and-after photo of your work can be the deciding factor between a customer calling you or clicking on the next result.

Google offers four post types: Updates, Offers, Events, and Products. Each serves a different purpose. Updates are the most versatile — use them for project photos, tips, announcements, and general business news. They expire after 7 days, so you need to post regularly.

Offers are great for promotions — 'Free quote on all garden landscaping this month' or '10% off first-time window cleaning'. They include a start and end date and show as a special badge on your profile. Use them sparingly so they feel genuine.

Events are useful for seasonal campaigns or community involvement. Products are ideal if you sell physical items. For most service-based tradesmen, you'll use Updates 80% of the time and Offers for the remaining 20%.

Before-and-after photos of completed jobs are the most effective posts for tradesmen. They showcase your work quality and include natural keywords when you describe the project. A post like 'Just completed a full exterior house repaint in Bishopston — what a transformation!' tells Google your location and service while impressing potential customers.

Seasonal tips related to your trade establish expertise and provide value. A plumber posting 'How to prevent frozen pipes this winter — 3 quick tips for Bristol homeowners' positions you as an authority and targets relevant search terms.

Customer review highlights work brilliantly. Share a screenshot or quote from a recent 5-star review with a brief thank-you message. This reinforces your reputation and gives potential customers social proof directly in your profile.

Behind-the-scenes content humanises your business. A photo of your van loaded up for the day, your team having a tea break, or new tools you've invested in makes your business feel real and approachable.

The minimum effective frequency is once per week. Since update posts expire after 7 days, posting weekly ensures you always have a visible post on your profile. Businesses that post weekly see measurably better rankings than those that post monthly or not at all.

If you can manage it, posting 2-3 times per week is ideal. This gives Google more content to analyse and more activity signals. But consistency matters more than frequency — posting once a week every week is far better than posting five times one week and nothing for the next month.

Set a recurring reminder to post every Monday morning. Take a photo of your current job, write two sentences about what you're doing and where, add a call-to-action like 'Need similar work? Call us for a free quote', and publish. It takes less than five minutes.

Include your location naturally in every post. Instead of 'Just finished a garden clearance', write 'Just finished a garden clearance in Knowle, Bristol'. This helps Google associate your business with specific areas you serve.

Use relevant keywords without forcing them. Mention the specific service, the area, and any relevant details. 'Complete bathroom renovation including new tiling, plumbing, and underfloor heating in a Victorian terrace in Clifton' is packed with natural keywords that help Google understand your services.

Always add a photo. Posts with images receive significantly more engagement than text-only posts. Use real photos from your jobs — not stock images. Our guide on optimising your GBP photos covers best practices for image quality and geo-tagging. Google can detect stock photos and they won't help your ranking or credibility.

Add a call-to-action button to every post. Options include 'Call now', 'Learn more', 'Book', and 'Sign up'. For tradesmen, 'Call now' linking to your phone number is usually the most effective choice.