How to Add and Use Google Posts (And Whether They're Worth It)

Most business owners fall into one of two camps on Google Posts. Either they've never used them at all, or they treat them like Instagram and wonder why nothing happens. Both camps are leaving something on the table, and both misunderstand what Posts are actually for.

So here's the honest version, including the part where I tell you not to expect miracles.

What Google Posts even are

Posts are short updates that appear directly on your Business Profile in Google Search and Maps. Someone looks you up, and there, right on your listing, is your latest offer or announcement. No separate app, no algorithm deciding whether to show it to followers. It just sits on your profile for anyone who finds you.

There are three main types. Updates (your general announcements and news). Offers (promotions and discounts, which get a distinct little tag that catches the eye). And Events (time-specific things with a start and end date). Each can carry an image, some text, and a call-to-action button.

The honest truth about ranking

Let's clear this up, because there's a lot of wishful thinking out there.

Posts are not a direct ranking factor. Publishing three posts a week will not, by itself, lift you up the local pack. Anyone promising otherwise is overselling.

What Posts actually do is subtler and still worth it. They feed the freshness and activity signals that tell Google your business is alive and being tended. They occupy space on your listing that a competitor's info might otherwise fill. They lift click-through, because an active, current-looking listing gets picked over a stale one. And increasingly, Google's AI-generated place summaries pull from your posts, offers, and products, so what you publish can shape how you get described to searchers.

So the right mental model is this: Posts are a conversion and freshness tool, not a ranking button. Treat them as small, free adverts that live on your listing, and they earn their keep. Expect them to rocket you to number one, and you'll be disappointed.

How to actually create a post

Straightforward stuff:

Sign in to your Google Business Profile, through Google Search or Maps while signed in as the business. Look for the "Add update" or "Promote" option. Pick your type: Update, Offer, or Event. Add your image or short video, write your text, choose a call-to-action button, and publish.

A couple of mechanics worth knowing. You get up to 1,500 characters, but that's a trap, because on mobile Google cuts the text off after roughly the first 80 to 100 characters, hiding the rest behind a "more" link most people never tap. So the first line is basically everything. There's also a scheduling feature now, so you can line up a week or a month of posts in one sitting rather than remembering daily.

One firm rule: don't put a phone number in the post text or bake it into the image. Google's policy prohibits it and it can get your post rejected. Use the "Call now" button instead.

What actually works

Years of watching what performs boils down to a few principles.

Front-load the value. Because only the first line shows on mobile, lead with the offer, not a greeting. "50% off first session, this week only" beats "Hello everyone, we hope you're having a wonderful week and wanted to share some exciting news." Nobody taps "more" to reach your point. Give them the point first.

Always add a call-to-action button. Book, Order online, Call now, Learn more. A post without one is a dead end. The whole purpose is to convert the person who's looking at you right now, so tell them exactly what to do next, and make it one tap.

Match the button to the intent. Restaurants and salons: Book or Order. Emergency services like a plumber or locksmith: Call now, because that customer needs you this minute, not a website to browse. Complex services where you need to explain: Learn more, pointing to a proper page.

Use a real, clear image. One good photo, well lit, in focus, with the important stuff centred (Google crops it). Not a text-heavy graphic, not a stock photo that fools no one.

Remember where you are. This is the big one people get wrong. On Instagram, someone's scrolling to be entertained, so a moody behind-the-scenes clip works. On Google, someone just typed "dinner near me" and is deciding right now. Don't build a vibe. Answer their question and give them a way to act. "Tonight: wood-fired pizzas from 6pm. Tap to reserve" is a Google post. A dreamy montage of dough is an Instagram post.

How often should you post?

The honest answer is: consistently enough to look active, not so often that it becomes a burden you quit.

Once a week is a sensible baseline, and it's roughly what keeps your profile looking fresh. Two or three times a week is a nice sweet spot if you have the content, restaurants and retail with regular offers can sustain that easily. Beyond that, returns drop off fast for most businesses, so don't stress about daily posting.

Whatever cadence you pick, the real win is not stopping. A profile that posted enthusiastically for two weeks in 2024 and went silent looks worse, in a way, than one that never started. Pick a rhythm you can actually keep, even if it's modest.

Quick note on expiry, because you'll see conflicting claims: update-type posts generally stay visible for a good while (commonly cited as around six months, though older posts drop down the feed as new ones arrive), while offers and events run until their end date. The exact behaviour has shifted over the years and Google tweaks it, so don't build your whole strategy around a specific lifespan. Just keep posting.

A simple starting routine

If this all feels like a lot, here's the minimum viable version. Once a week, post one thing that answers "why should someone come to us this week?" A current offer, a new service, a seasonal reminder, a genuinely useful tip. Lead with the value, add a button, use one good photo. Ten minutes. Schedule a month ahead if you can, so it runs on autopilot.

That alone puts you ahead of the large majority of local businesses who claimed their listing years ago and never touched it since.

Want to know whether your listing currently looks active or abandoned to someone who finds you? Run a free audit and see how your profile reads from the outside.