Google Business posts are a small lever. Most businesses never pull it.
Ten minutes a week. Three or four sentences. A photo. That’s the whole job.
The ones who do it end up in the Google Maps three-pack. The ones who don’t stay below.
What A Google Business Post Is
Log into your Google Maps listing. There’s a section called “posts” or “updates.”
Post something there. A recent job. A new service. A tip for customers. A photo from the work site. Anything useful.
The post shows up on your Google Maps listing. Customers scrolling through see it. So does Google.
That’s it. No mystery.
Ten minutes a week. One post. That’s enough to outrank half your competitors.
Why It Moves the Needle
Google rewards businesses that actually use their Maps profile. Same reason it rewards businesses that answer reviews and upload photos.
A profile with fresh posts looks alive. A profile with no posts looks like the owner hasn’t logged in since 2021.
When Google has to pick three businesses for the three-pack, it picks the ones that look active. That’s part of the ranking signal.
So posting regularly helps you climb. Not posting ever hurts you.
What To Post
Most business owners freeze when you tell them to post. “I don’t know what to say.”
You say what you’d say to a customer on the job. Plain talk. Useful information.
Three post ideas that work every time:
- A job you just finished. “Finished a stump removal in Point Cook yesterday. Eucalypt, full grind-out below ground level. Ready for turf in 48 hours.” Photo of the finished job.
- A tip or warning. “Saw three dodgy gas fittings this week in Werribee kitchens. If your cooktop smells of gas even faintly when it’s off, ring a plumber today.” Photo of the bad fitting.
- An offer or update. “Booking emergency tree removals for this weekend’s storm warning. Call before 4pm Friday for priority.” Photo of your truck.
None of those are marketing fluff. They’re useful to the reader. That’s why they work.
What Not To Post
Don’t post for the sake of posting.
- “Quality service, call today!” Nobody cares.
- “We’re the best plumber in Melbourne.” Nobody believes you.
- Generic stock photos. Google can tell.
If the post doesn’t help the customer in some small way, skip it. Wait till you have something worth saying.
A useful tip beats a marketing claim every time. Customers smell bullshit from across the carpark.
How Often
Weekly is plenty. Twice a week if you’ve got the time.
Google doesn’t reward daily posting. It rewards consistent posting. A post a week for a year beats seven posts in one weekend and silence for six months.
The Photo Trick
Every post should have a photo. Your own photo. From the job.
Google can tell a stock image from a real one. Real photos from real jobs signal real activity. Stock photos signal a business faking it.
Keep your phone out of your pocket on every job. Snap the before. Snap the after. Snap the truck pulled up outside. Thirty seconds of photography a day is enough to fuel a year of posts.
The Call-To-Action Button
Every post lets you add a button. “Call now.” “Book.” “Learn more.” “Get a quote.”
Use it. Pick whichever matches the post. If the post is about an offer, “Book.” If it’s a useful tip, “Call now.”
The button turns a passive scroll into a phone call. Costs nothing to add. Most businesses skip it.
Where Posts Show Up
Your post shows up on your Google Maps listing. Customers who click through to your full profile see it near the top.
It also shows up in some Google search results. Someone searches your business name. Your listing appears on the right side of the page. Your recent post sits in it.
That’s free exposure on a page customers actually land on. Better than most social media posts, which vanish from the feed in under an hour.
A Weekly Routine That Actually Sticks
Here’s a system that works for busy tradies.
- Take one photo on every job. Before, during or after. Doesn’t matter. Just one.
- Every Friday afternoon, pick the best photo from the week. Write three or four sentences about the job.
- Post it with a call-now button. Five minutes, done.
Do that for a year. You’ll have fifty-two posts. Your profile will look alive. Your rankings will climb. You’ll start winning jobs you weren’t winning before.
The Quiet Truth
Google Business posts aren’t magic. They’re just one signal among many.
But they’re the signal most of your competitors ignore. Which means doing something basic gets you ahead. See why your Google Maps content stays invisible for the other signals most businesses miss.
Combine regular posts with proper service-area listings (see list your service areas and get found) and a review system and you’ll outrank outfits ten times your size.
If you’d like us to set this up for you — posts, service areas, reviews, the lot — have a look at our Local SEO service.
Post every week. Pick up the phone when it rings.
