Local SEO
Google Business Profile Post Types: Update vs Offer
Part of the guide: Local SEO & Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile has three post types: update, offer and event. They differ in what they require, which button they carry and how long they stay useful. Pick the type by the job the post has to do, not by habit. Everything below about the product comes from Google's own help page on posts (checked October 2026). Google's name for the product changed from Google My Business to Google Business Profile, so older guides use both terms.
3→
Post types Google lists
Update, offer, event
6 months→
Age after which a post is archived
Unless a date range is set
24 hours→
Default display for an event with no times
Event dates without start or end times
Estimates for illustration; actual numbers vary.
The three post types and what each one requires
| Type | Required fields | Button | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Update | None beyond content; photo or video and description optional | Optional action button with a link, such as booking or ordering | News, new menu item, new stylist, hours change |
| Offer | Title, start and end dates and times | "View Offer" added automatically | Time-limited deals with a real deadline |
| Event | Title, start and end dates and times | Optional action button | Classes, tastings, workshops, open days |
Two details from Google's page matter for planning. First, offers and events need dates, so they are the right choice only when something actually ends. Second, an event post with no start or end times shows as lasting 24 hours on the event dates, so fill the times in. Update posts need no dates, which makes them the default for anything that is not a deal or a dated event.
The 6-month rule: what it means for your calendar
Google states that posts older than 6 months are archived unless a date range is set. In practice an undated update does not live on your profile forever. A profile whose newest post is from last winter looks idle to a customer who scrolls to it. This is a presentation point, not a ranking claim: the help page we checked does not say that posting changes your position in the map results, so treat posting as a way to give searchers fresh, useful information at the moment they compare you with a competitor.
What Google does not allow in posts
From the same help page, avoid:
- Misspelled words, extra characters, and auto-generated or distracting content.
- Inappropriate or offensive language, images or videos.
- Links to malware, viruses, phishing or adult sites.
- Content about regulated products such as alcohol, tobacco, gambling or weapons. Businesses in those industries can post, but not about those products.
- Phone numbers in the description that cannot be verified as connected to your business.
A post stuck in "Pending" or "Not approved" status does not show on Search and Maps. Only "Live" posts do, so check the status after publishing.
Worked example (assumption): a 4-week plan for a fitness studio
This is a planning example, not a result. Assume a studio with two class types and a trial offer. One post a week, rotating types:
- Week 1, offer: "First class free for new members", start Monday, end Sunday. Dates required, "View Offer" button added by Google.
- Week 2, event: "Saturday partner yoga workshop", with start and end times filled in so it does not default to 24 hours.
- Week 3, update: new timetable photo with a "Book" action button linking to the booking page.
- Week 4, update: a short note on a coach joining, with a real photo.
Total effort is roughly four posts a month, about 15 minutes each if you reuse phone photos. Track one number for 8 weeks: clicks on the booking button, which Google reports in the profile performance data and which you can also tag with a UTM parameter on the link. If a post type produces no clicks after the 8 weeks, swap it for another and keep the one that does.
Decision guide
- Is there a real deadline? Use an offer.
- Is there a date and time people must show up for? Use an event.
- Neither? Use an update, and give it a button that leads to booking or ordering.
- Is the product alcohol, tobacco, gambling or weapons? Do not post about it.
Pro Tip
Do not repeat the same offer as an endless "limited time" post. An offer needs real start and end dates, and customers who see the same deadline twice stop believing it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many post types does Google Business Profile have?
Google's help page lists three: update, offer and event. Some third-party guides, such as Semrush, also list product posts as a fourth type, so you may see that in older articles or in your own dashboard.
Q: How long do posts stay visible?
Posts older than 6 months are archived unless a date range is set, per Google. Offers and events end on the dates you set.
Q: Do I need dates for every post?
No. Offers and events require a title with start and end dates and times. Updates do not.
Q: Do posts improve my local ranking?
Google's help page does not say so. Use posts to show current offers and information to people already looking at your profile, and handle ranking through the basics in the Google Business Profile checklist.
Q: Can I schedule posts?
Scheduling is covered in our guide to automating Google posts.
Sources
- Google Business Profile Help: Add updates to your Business Profile
- Semrush: What Are Google Business Profile Posts? (second-hand, mentions a fourth product post type)
Next step
Want a posting plan matched to your category and location? See our Google Business Profile service or request a free audit.
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Nataliia
Local marketing strategist with 10+ years at global agencies — OMD, Dentsu, GroupM, and BBDO. Now helping small businesses get the same data-driven edge. Based in Europe, working with clients in the US, UK, Australia, and beyond.
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