Google Business Profile posts cost nothing. Here's why local businesses should post anyway

A Google Business Profile post is a short update, usually a photo, a couple of sentences and a button, that appears on your business listing when people find you on Google Search or Google Maps. Posts are free, take about five minutes, and Google appears to be testing a more visible spot for them. If you run a local business and you aren't posting, this is a good moment to start.

Your Google Business Profile is the free listing that shows your opening hours, reviews, photos and map location when someone searches for your business. On desktop it sits in the box on the right of the results page, which Google calls the business panel or knowledge panel.

Why now: Google is testing moving posts back up

Posts used to sit high up on the business panel. Since September 2018 they've been near the bottom, where most people never scroll (BrightLocal).

In October 2026, local search consultant Ben Fisher spotted posts appearing higher up the panel again, with the position switching every few days, and Search Engine Roundtable reported the test. Google hasn't confirmed anything, and tests don't always stick. But a free space that may get more visible is worth filling now, while most of your competitors ignore it.

What posts do, and what they don't

Be clear about this: Google has never said posts help you rank higher. Its own page on how local ranking works lists relevance, distance and prominence, plus reviews. Posts aren't mentioned.

The case for posting is simpler:

• Customers see them. Someone looking at your listing is already deciding whether to call you. A recent photo of real work helps that decision.
• Your profile looks active. A post from last week tells people you're open, busy and paying attention. A profile untouched since 2023 suggests the opposite.
• They cost five minutes. No ad spend, no designer, no tools.

What to post

Stick to things a customer would actually find useful:

• A recent job with a real photo. Your own photo, not stock. A finished bathroom, a repaired roof, a new menu item. Mention the town naturally, for example "Kitchen refit finished in Ripley this week".
• An offer or seasonal service. Boiler servicing before winter, gutter clearing in autumn, a Christmas booking slot. Since Google's October 2026 policy update, offers, pricing and time-limited promotions are no longer allowed in your business description, but they are still allowed in posts. Posts are now the place for them.
• An event. An open day, a workshop, a stall at a local market.
• An answer to a common question. "Do you cover Belper?" "How long does a rewire take?" If customers ask it on the phone, answer it in a post.

The rules to follow (updated October 2026)

Google tightened its rules twice in the last month, and posts that break them can be rejected or removed.

• On 6 October, Google updated its prohibited and restricted content policy. Posts must not contain email addresses, phone numbers, social media links or links to websites unrelated to your business. Offers and updates are still allowed.
• In late September, Google's posts content policy was changed to say it may remove posts with contact information it cannot verify, including phone numbers, email addresses and social media handles.
• The same October update says your business description must not include time-bound promotions, pricing or direct calls to action such as "call now".

In practice:

• Keep phone numbers, emails and social handles out of the post text. Use the Call button instead, which uses the number already on your profile.
• Only link to your own website.
• Check your older posts and your business description for anything that now breaks the rules.

A five-minute weekly routine

1. Take one photo on a job or at your premises during the week.
2. Write two sentences. What you did, and where.
3. Add a button. "Learn more" linking to the relevant page on your website, or "Call".
4. Publish from your Business Profile, either by searching your business name on Google while signed in or in the Google Maps app.
5. Book it in. Put a recurring 15-minute slot in your calendar so it actually happens.

What I do

I post on Hempsall Digital's own profile at least once a month. I know I should be doing it more often, but once a month beats nothing.

When Google updated its rules in October, I had to go back through my previous posts and edit them, because both the images and the text included links away from Google. Google likes to keep you on your toes, so it pays to check your old posts whenever the rules change rather than waiting for one to be removed.

My advice: even in a quiet week with no new work to show, set aside 15 minutes to post something. An answer to a common question or a reminder of a seasonal service is enough to keep your profile looking active.

Frequently asked questions

Do Google Business Profile posts help my ranking? Google hasn't said they do. Its published local ranking factors are relevance, distance and prominence, with reviews playing a part. Post for your customers, not for rankings.

Can I put my phone number in a Google Business Profile post? No. Google's October 2026 rules list phone numbers among things posts must not contain, and it may remove posts with unverified contact details. Use the Call button instead.

How often should I post? Once a week is a realistic target for most small businesses. Once a month is better than nothing.

Want this done for you?

Want this done for you every week? It's part of our local SEO packages, which start from £250 per month. Every business needs something different, so we work it out client by client to find something that fits your budget and what you actually need.