Did you know you can publish content directly on your Google Business Profile, just like on a social network? These publications, called Google Business posts, appear in search results and on Google Maps. Yet fewer than 10% of local businesses use them regularly. That's a huge opportunity you're handing to your competitors.

What is a Google Business post?

A Google Business post is a short publication (up to 1,500 characters) with an image, some text and a call-to-action button. It appears directly on your Google profile when someone searches for your business or a similar one. There are four types of posts: updates (general news), events (with a start and end date), offers (promotions with terms) and products (highlighting specific items).

The proven SEO impact of posts

Google favours profiles that are active and regularly updated. Publishing posts signals to the algorithm that your business is alive and engaged. Several studies show that profiles publishing at least one post a week see a 15 to 25% increase in their impressions in local results.

What's more, the text of your posts is indexed by Google. That's an opportunity to add relevant keywords to your profile without changing your description. For example, a florist publishing a post about "rose bouquets for Valentine's Day in Marseille" is adding both topical and geo-targeted content to their profile.

Best practices for effective posts

To get the most out of your Google Business posts, follow these rules:

Post ideas for every week

Short on inspiration? Here's a sample schedule: on Monday, highlight a flagship product or service. On Wednesday, share a behind-the-scenes look at your business (prep, delivery, team). On Friday, announce a weekend offer or promotion. With this rhythm, you keep your profile fed with fresh, relevant content in less than 15 minutes a week.