Google Business Posts: How to Use Them for Offers and Events

Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) isn't just a card with your hours and phone number. It has a posts section where you can publish offers, events and updates that show up directly in Google search results and on Maps — exactly where people are looking for you. It's free advertising space that most local businesses ignore completely.

The trouble is that few businesses know this section exists, and the ones who use it post a generic message once every few months that convinces no one. In this guide I'll show you exactly what kinds of posts you can make, how to write them so they generate calls and bookings, and which mistakes to avoid so you don't waste your time.

What Google posts actually are and where they appear

Google posts are short updates you publish from your admin panel (Google Business Profile), either from your Google account on desktop or from the phone app. They appear in several important places:

• In the info panel about your business when someone searches for you by name on Google
• On Google Maps, in your location listing
• Sometimes in local search results

Unlike a Facebook or Instagram post, here you aren't competing with thousands of other pieces of content in a feed. Your post appears when someone is already searching for your business or your service in the area. That means the person seeing it has real buying intent — not someone bored and scrolling. It's the difference between shouting in a crowded market and talking to a customer who just walked through your door.

The types of posts and when to use each

Google gives you a few formats, each with its own purpose:

• Updates: for general announcements — a new service, a change in hours, a milestone. It's the standard, most flexible format.
• Offers: this is where promotions go. You can add the offer title, a validity period, a voucher code and a button. Ideal for seasonal discounts or packages.
• Events: for anything with a date and time — a workshop, an open day, a special session. They show up with a clear date and can be promoted in advance.

Simple rule: if it has a deadline or a date, use the dedicated format (Offer or Event), because Google displays the period and creates a natural sense of urgency. For everything else, use Updates. Don't overthink it — the point is to post consistently, not to nail the perfect format.

How to write a post that brings customers, not just impressions

The difference between a post that works and one that gets ignored comes down to a few concrete things:

• The first sentence must state the benefit clearly. Google truncates the text, so don't waste your opening on "Hello dear customers." Say it straight: "Haircut bookings on discount until Friday."
• Use a good photo — bright and real. A clear picture of your space, product or team convinces more than a stock image pulled off the web.
• Always add a button (call-to-action). Google offers options: "Call," "Book," "Learn more." Without a button, people read and leave.
• Include one concrete detail: price, dates, what they get. Vague convinces no one.

Write as if you were talking to a customer in front of you, not like an official press release. Warm, clear, to the point.

How often to post and mistakes to avoid

Standard posts (Updates) have a limited lifespan — Google archives them after about a week, so a healthy rhythm is to publish at least once a week so your profile looks active. Offers and events stay visible for the whole period you set.

Common mistakes I see with local businesses:

• You post once and then go silent for months. A dead profile inspires less trust than one with no posts at all.
• You copy your Facebook text exactly, with lots of hashtags and emojis — it doesn't work here and looks sloppy.
• You add no button or link, so you can't measure whether it brought anything.
• You promise the moon. Be honest: posts help, but they don't work miracles on their own.

Consistency beats perfection. Better a simple post every week than a "brilliant" one once a quarter.

How posts connect to your website and how we can help

Google posts work best when the "Learn more" or "Book" button sends people to a page on your website that continues the story — an offer page, a booking form, a list of services. If the button leads to a slow or unconvincing page, you won the click but lost the customer.

At MPO Web Studio we build fast websites for local businesses and work on them alongside the Google profile, so the whole path from search to booking is clean. We work fully remotely, with transparent pricing, and before you pay anything we build you a ready-made demo you can see with your own eyes.

If you'd like a hand with your Google profile and the website that backs it up, send us a message on WhatsApp and let's talk about your business specifically.