Google Posts are short updates you publish directly to your Google Business Profile — and almost no local businesses use them properly. They're free, they take five minutes to write, and in 2026 they're one of the fastest ways to get fresh, indexed content about your business in front of Google's AI systems. Think of them as your business's own mini-blog that lives directly inside Google Search.
What are Google Posts and where do they appear?
When someone searches for your business on Google, they see your Business Profile panel on the right-hand side (on desktop) or at the top of the results (on mobile). Google Posts appear inside that panel, beneath your business details — a card with an image, a short piece of text, and an optional call-to-action button.
Think of it like a noticeboard pinned outside your shop. People who search for you specifically will see whatever you've posted most recently. Unlike a shop noticeboard, though, the text you write on that card is indexed by Google — searchable, readable by its AI systems, and potentially cited in AI Overviews.
Google Posts aren't social media. They're indexed content that lives inside your Google Business Profile. The words you use, the topics you cover, and the questions you answer are all read by Google's AI — not just by potential customers browsing your panel.
Why Google Posts matter for AI search in 2026
Here's something most people don't know: Google AI Overviews don't only read your website. They also read your Google Business Profile — including your posts, your Q&A section, and your description. This means a well-written post about a specific service or topic can surface in an AI Overview even if you don't have a dedicated page on your website about that topic.
Say you're a painter and decorator and someone searches "how much does it cost to paint a living room in Bristol?" Google doesn't just look at websites. It looks at GBP posts from painters in Bristol that mention pricing, room sizes, or cost factors. A business that's posted "we recently quoted a three-bedroom house in Clifton — here's what affects the price" has a better chance of being referenced in that AI answer than one that's never posted anything.
More fundamentally, Google uses GBP activity as a freshness signal. A business that posts regularly looks more active and credible than one with a neglected profile. Active profiles get more weight in local ranking algorithms.
What to post — and what not to
The biggest mistake businesses make with Google Posts is treating them like Instagram — vague, promotional, and devoid of useful information. "Summer sale on now! Call us today!" tells Google's AI nothing it can cite. It tells potential customers nothing they couldn't have assumed.
Posts that work well
- Specific job outcomes: "We just finished a full bathroom refit in S6 — here's what was involved and how long it took." Specific location, specific service, specific detail.
- Answers to common questions: "Customers often ask us how long an exterior repaint takes. For a typical semi-detached in Bristol, the answer is 3-4 days depending on prep work needed."
- Seasonal advice that's genuinely useful: "If your boiler hasn't been serviced since last winter, now is the right time before October callout demand peaks."
- New or less-known services: "We've just started offering loft insulation assessments — free as part of any new heating installation quote."
- Trust credentials: "We're now Checkatrade verified. 147 reviews at 4.9 — check our profile for recent ones."
Posts to avoid
- Pure promotional copy with no actual information ("Best prices guaranteed!!")
- Posts that duplicate your website's homepage text word for word
- Hashtags — these don't work on GBP and look odd
- Posts with errors — Google reads this content, and so do customers
If someone read your post without knowing anything about your business, would they learn something useful or specific? If yes, it's a good post. If it could apply to any business in any industry with a word swap, it's not doing useful work.
How often to post and how to make it a habit
Standard Google Posts expire after 7 days (Event posts last until the event date you set). This means weekly posting is the natural rhythm — one post, posted fresh each week, keeps your profile looking current without requiring much time.
The most sustainable approach is batching. Sit down once a month and write four posts in one go. Schedule them mentally — one per week. On Monday morning, go to business.google.com, spend 5 minutes drafting and publishing. Done.
A simple four-post monthly rotation works well for most service businesses:
- Week 1: A recent job (location + service type + outcome)
- Week 2: A question customers frequently ask you, answered
- Week 3: A seasonal tip or timely advice
- Week 4: A trust signal (reviews, accreditations, guarantee)
How to write a Google Post step by step
- Go to business.google.com and sign in
- On your profile dashboard, find the "Add update" or "Create post" button (usually in the left panel or at the top)
- Choose post type: Update for general posts, Offer for promotions with a discount, Event for something with a specific date
- Write your text — Google allows up to 1,500 characters, but 150-300 words is plenty. Lead with the main point.
- Add a photo if you have one — posts with photos get significantly more engagement. A real photo of a job beats a stock image every time.
- Add a call-to-action button if relevant: "Call now," "Book," "Learn more," or "Sign up"
- Preview and publish
Using Google Q&A alongside posts
Google Business Profile also has a Q&A section where customers can ask questions and businesses can answer. This is another piece of indexed content that feeds AI systems — and business owners can actually seed it themselves by asking and answering the most common questions their customers have.
Go to your GBP, find the Q&A section, and add 5 questions your customers regularly ask you, with your own answers. "Do you cover emergency callouts?" "What's your typical response time?" "Do you offer free quotes?" Each one is a searchable signal about your business that AI tools can read and cite.
Combining regular posts with a populated Q&A section creates a richer, more AI-readable profile than either alone.
Frequently asked questions
What are Google Posts on Google Business Profile?
Google Posts are short updates you publish directly to your Google Business Profile. They appear in your business panel in Google Search and Maps, and the text content is indexed by Google and can be cited in AI Overviews. You can post offers, updates, events, or product information — each post can include text, an image, and a call-to-action button.
Do Google Posts help with local SEO?
Google Posts help with local SEO by demonstrating GBP activity — Google weights active, regularly updated profiles more favourably in local search. The text content of posts is indexed and adds searchable keywords to your GBP. In 2026, posts are also read by Google's AI systems and can contribute to AI Overview content about your business.
How often should I post on Google Business Profile?
Posting once per week is enough to maintain a strong activity signal. Posts expire after 7 days unless set as event posts. A consistent weekly cadence — one post every 5-7 days — is more effective than a burst of posts followed by months of silence.
What should I post on Google Business Profile?
The best Google Posts answer specific questions your customers have, highlight seasonal services, share genuine job outcomes, or communicate offers and new services. Write in plain English with a clear subject — "What to do if your boiler stops in winter" — rather than vague marketing slogans.
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Want the complete Google AI Overviews playbook? Free articles at AI Search School cover exactly how Google's AI reads your GBP — and what to do about it.