Google Business Profile posts: Examples, sizes & scheduling

Google Business Profile posts are an often overlooked channel for promoting your local business online and improving conversion rates through search.  
Crafting a great Google Business Profile post that grabs the attention of users can mean the difference between a click through to your site or scrolling on to a competitor.  
But before you hit the “post” button, you really should wrap your head around the best Google Business Profile post size, take a look at some good Google Business Profile post examples, and learn how to properly schedule your updates.

What are Google Business Profile posts?

Google Business Profile posts are a great way to improve your local search presence, allowing you to broadcast important information to potential clients before they’ve even clicked through to your website or social media pages.

• Running a special offer? Get it in a Google Business Profile post!
• Important change to your opening hours? Let clients know in a Google Business Profile post!
• New product or service? Tell the world in a Google Business Profile post!

Posts are featured as part of the Google Business Profile below the company description and can include text, images, videos and links to a selected range of call-to-action buttons.  
You can also choose to post events and offers with start/end dates, voucher codes, and terms & conditions.  
Publishing a consistent schedule of Google Business Profile posts demonstrates your business is active and has more exciting things to offer than competitors who ignore the feature.

Plan ahead: Semrush Local's Listing Management gives you the edge to outrank competitors with a host of powerful tools that make light work of your local SEO. And as a Semrush user, you’ll also have access to Social Poster, which lets you schedule Google Business Profile posts ahead of time.

How to post on Google Business Profile

With the end of the Google My Business app came a new way for local businesses to publish their Google Business Profile posts.  
Fortunately, it’s now simpler than ever to let potential customers know what’s going on with your business.

How to post on Google Business Profile from Google Search

Before you begin, check you’re signed in with the Google account you use to manage your Google Business Profile.

1. Bring up your Google Business Profile in Search by looking up your business name. 
2. Select “Add update”. You’ll find the button in the main Google Business Profile interface. Here, you’ll have the option to add special offer and event posts as well as simple updates.
3. If you only want to add a simple update, you’ll find the button next to the Google Business Profiles themselves.
4. Write your copy in the “Add a description” box, attach images and add a button with a link, if applicable. If you’ve chosen to post an event or special offer, include the dates and other relevant information.
5. Preview your post, and when you’re happy it looks as good as possible, hit the “Post” button and wait for your Google Business Profile post to be approved.

How to post on Google Business Profile from the Google Maps app

To post updates on mobile, Google Maps has become the new tool to do it in place of the now-retired Google My Business app. 

1. Open the Google Maps app. 
2. Select “Businesses” and choose the one you want to create an update for. 
3. Select “Promote” to bring up the post creation menu.
4. Choose between update, event or offer. Write your post and include images and additional information like event details as required. 
5. Preview your post to see what it looks like and hit “Post” when you’re ready to share it with the world.

How to schedule Google Business Profile posts

Google Business Profile doesn’t have native functionality for scheduling posts, but there are plenty of social media scheduling platforms available that also allow you to schedule for GBP.  
Scheduling posts is a great idea to ensure a consistent stream of content and saves you from having to make time for uploading content on a daily basis.

All-in-one: If your goal is to rise to the top of local rankings, Semrush´s Listing Management can help get you there with fast citation distribution, review management and reliable position tracking. Not only that, but Semrush users can also make use of Social Poster, which allows you to schedule posts for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and multiple Google Business Profile locations.

Top Google Business Profile post examples

The best Google Business Profile posts grab the attention of the user and convince them that your business is the best choice above the competition. Special offers are a tried-and-true tactic to stand out and get potential customers to take a chance on your business. Users love to see fresh content, so seasonal GBP posting is a must to show that you’re staying current and offering something new to entice customers back to your location. Another way to differentiate yourself from the competition is to post events. By including the dates of the event, you’ll create a sense of urgency in the user, which could increase click-through rates.

Best Google Business Profile post size

Sizing images for your Google Business Profile posts isn’t quite as straightforward as it probably should be.  
When viewing posts within the Google Business Profile on desktop, images appear in a 4:3 ratio, so sizing your pictures at 720px x 540px will ensure no unsightly cropping. When you view Google Business Profile posts on mobile, 4:3 ratio images display the same as on desktop. However, 1:1 ratio posts will also fit the space, giving you a more eye-catching display if you crop images at 720px x 720px. Then, to complicate matters even further, clicking to view all Google Business Profile posts on desktop opens up a different view altogether, with a super-wide aspect ratio (2.11:1) that displays 1:1 and 4:3 images with black bars on the side. Oddly, you can’t upload images in this ratio as Google will automatically crop it to 4:3. But you can crop within the post editor once you’ve uploaded your image (you’ll have to push the corners of the frame in until you achieve the right ratio, there’s no editor to define specific pixels, so it’s a case of trial and error).  
Deciding on the best Google Business Profile post size depends on many factors. What devices do your potential customers use to discover businesses like yours online? Do you have the time and resources to edit images specifically for Google Business Profile? Will your images suffer if they’re cropped slightly because they contain text, or can you choose images that look good no matter what ratio they’re displayed in?

The bottom line: If your posts are short and to the point, stick to the 4:3 ratio (720px x 540px) and assume the majority of users aren’t going to open the large viewer on desktop. 
If you must avoid black bars at all costs, you’ll need to practice cropping to the 2.11:1 ratio by eye and choosing images that also look good when cropped to 4:3. It’ll fit the frame, although it may end up looking a bit small on mobile. 
Either way, images should be uploaded as JPG or PNG and be between 10 KB and 5 MB. Ultimately, images in Google Business Profile can be of any size, but taking the time to crop them properly so they take advantage of the unique dimensions will make a much better impression.

Why are my Google Business Profile posts not working?

A good local SEO strategy should include GBP posting, but they’re not going to turn your rankings around all by themselves.  
So if you’re not seeing a spike in rankings and traffic soon after you start posting, it doesn't necessarily mean your Google Business Profile posts aren’t working.  
That being said, there are a few things to bear in mind to ensure you’re maximizing your success with Google Business Profile posts:

• You can write up to 1500 characters for your post description, but only the first 100 will display without the user having to click for more, so it’s best to keep it short and sweet.
• Keep your Google Business Profile posts centered on your business. Off-topic posts are likely to be flagged by Google and could be removed.
• Don’t publish phone numbers in the copy of your Google Business Profile posts. Instead, include a call link, which will use the phone number associated with your Google Business Profile.
• If you’re posting links to external websites, be sure they’re trustworthy, because linking to malware or adult content is a quick way to get your Google Business Profile posts removed.
• If you’re in the adult services, alcohol, tobacco, pharmaceutical, recreational drugs, health or finance industries, you can’t use Google Business Profile posts to directly promote your products and services.
• Include relevant local keywords in your Google Business Profile posts to help make it clear to the search engine that you’re actively promoting content relevant to your area.
• Keep your GBP posting consistent. Your posts may not display if you let a lot of time pass between posts. If you’re struggling, it’s best to schedule Google Business Profile posts with a third-party platform like Semrush.

If you feel like you’ve covered all those bases and still find your Google Business Profile posts not working, there may be a technical issue. Come back to post your updates later and you may find the issue has been resolved.