Google Posts help you rank by signalling activity and content freshness to Google’s local algorithm — two things that feed the “prominence” ranking factor that decides who appears in the map pack. They don’t directly lift your position the way reviews or categories do, but a profile that posts weekly looks active and trustworthy, and the top three local results capture around 75% of all clicks (Moz). This guide explains exactly how Posts help and how to use them.
What are Google Posts?
Google Posts are short updates you publish directly to your Google Business Profile. They appear in your listing on Google Search and Maps, showing an image, a line or two of text, and an optional button such as “Call now” or “Learn more”.
There are a few types — “What’s new” updates, offers, and events — but they all do the same core job: they put fresh, business-controlled content in front of someone who has already found your listing. With 97% of consumers using online search to find local businesses (BrightLocal), that listing is prime real estate, and Posts let you use it actively rather than leaving it static.
Do Google Posts directly improve rankings?
No — but they help indirectly, and the distinction matters. Google has never confirmed Posts as a direct ranking factor. What they do is strengthen the signals that are factors.
Google ranks local results on three things: relevance, distance and prominence. Posts touch two of them:
- Prominence — a steady stream of Posts tells Google your business is active and engaged, which is part of how prominence is judged.
- Relevance — Post text is indexable content, so naturally mentioning your services and towns reinforces what you want to rank for.
Think of Posts as one of several compounding signals. On their own they won’t vault you to number one, but combined with reviews and a complete profile, they help hold and improve your position.
How do Posts signal freshness to Google?
Freshness is about recency, and Google increasingly favours profiles that are kept current. A listing that last posted eight months ago looks dormant; one that posted yesterday looks like a thriving business.
Posting frequency has become a top-tier freshness signal in 2026, and the effect is cumulative:
- Each new Post adds a recent timestamp to your profile’s activity.
- Regular posting keeps your “What’s new” section populated rather than empty.
- Fresh images and text give Google new content to crawl and associate with your business.
This is the same logic behind responding to reviews and adding photos — Google rewards profiles that show ongoing signs of life. (For the wider picture, see our guide to ranking in the Google map pack.)
What should you put in a Google Post?
Useful, specific content that a customer would actually want — not filler. The best Posts do double duty: they help your ranking signals and they nudge a browsing customer to act.
High-value Post ideas for a local business:
- A recently completed job, with a photo (“New boiler installed in Wakefield this week”).
- A seasonal offer or limited availability (“Two gutter-clearing slots left this month”).
- A common question answered briefly (“Do we cover Leeds? Yes — and surrounding villages”).
- A new service or accreditation.
- A genuine customer win or milestone.
Each Post is also a chance to naturally include a keyword and a location, quietly reinforcing relevance.
Which Post type should you use?
It depends on your goal. Here’s a quick guide:
| Post type | Best for | How long it shows |
|---|---|---|
| What’s new | General updates, completed jobs, tips | Up to ~6 months, prominent ~7 days |
| Offer | Promotions and limited deals | Until the offer end date |
| Event | Open days, seasonal campaigns | Until the event end date |
For most trades and service businesses, a weekly “What’s new” Post is the workhorse, with the occasional offer when you have capacity to fill.
How often should you post to see results?
At least once or twice a week, every week. Consistency is the lever — a reliable weekly cadence signals sustained activity far better than ten Posts in one day followed by silence.
A realistic routine that fits a busy schedule: pick a fixed day, spend ten minutes writing a short Post about a recent job with a photo, and add a clear button. Over a quarter that’s 12–24 fresh signals on your profile, each reinforcing that your business is active. Most businesses that combine regular Posts with steady reviews see their profile strengthen within a few weeks.
If keeping that cadence sounds like one more job you don’t have time for, that’s part of what a full Google Business Profile optimisation sets up — including your first set of Posts. Want to know how your profile compares to competitors right now? Get a free personalised audit and we’ll show you exactly where the gaps are.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Google Posts directly improve your ranking?
Not directly, but they help indirectly. Google Posts signal that your business is active and your content is fresh, which feeds the “prominence” ranking factor. They also add keyword-relevant text to your profile and drive engagement, both of which support better local rankings over time.
How long does a Google Post stay visible?
Most standard “What’s new” Google Posts stay visible for up to six months, but they lose prominence on your profile after about seven days as newer posts and content take priority. Event and offer posts display until their end date. This is why posting regularly — at least weekly — matters more than any single post.
How often should I publish Google Posts?
Aim for at least one to two Google Posts per week. Posting frequency has become a top-tier freshness signal, and a steady cadence keeps your profile looking active to both Google and customers. Consistency beats volume — a reliable weekly post outperforms an occasional burst.