Google Now Shows How Many People See Your Business Profile Posts

If you've ever added a post to your Google Business Profile and wondered whether anyone actually saw it, I have some good news. Google has just started showing view counts on Business Profile posts, so you can finally see how many people are looking at them.

It sounds like a small change, and in some ways it is. But alongside a string of other recent updates, I think it tells us something about where Google is heading with posts. Google announced the feature in its September Small Business Bulletin on 10 September 2026, describing it as "one of our most requested features yet".

When you open the Posts section of your Business Profile, each post now shows how many times it's been viewed. The figure combines views from Google Search and Google Maps into a single number, and it covers all three types of post (updates, offers and events) going back 18 months. So if you've been posting for a while, you'll have some history to look back on straight away. Google says the aim is to take "the guesswork out of which offers and updates resonate best with your audience".

To find it, sign in to your Google Business Profile, select Posts from the menu and look for the view count on each post card.

There are a couple of caveats. It's still rolling out, so don't worry if you can't see it on your profile yet. Google describes the figure as the number of times local customers viewed your posts, and there's still no click data, so you can't see how many people went on to visit your website.

Interestingly, this isn't a new idea. Google used to show post views and clicks but quietly removed them in early 2023. For the last three and a half years, posting on your profile has been a bit of a leap of faith.

Why I think posts might be becoming more important

This bit is my own opinion, so please treat it as speculation rather than fact. Google has never said that posting on your Business Profile helps you rank higher in local search, and industry surveys such as Whitespark's Local Search Ranking Factors report have tended to place posts well down the list.

That said, look at what Google has been doing with posts over the last year or so. In August 2025 it refreshed the tool for creating posts, giving business owners one place to see and manage everything they've published. In November 2025 it added the ability to schedule posts in advance and publish the same post to several locations at once. In April 2026 it introduced repeating posts, so a weekly quiz night or a monthly offer can be set up once and kept up to date automatically. In June 2026 Google began connecting Business Profiles to its Gemini AI assistant, which can help owners draft updates (although not every part of that has reached the UK yet). And now, view counts are back, with Google's announcement describing posts as "one of the easiest ways to catch the eye of local customers on Search and Maps".

That's a lot of effort to put into a feature many people had written off. You don't usually build new ways of measuring something you're planning to scrap. My hunch is that Google wants more business owners posting fresh, accurate information, not least because it feeds Search, Maps and the growing number of AI-generated answers Google now shows. If that's right, it wouldn't surprise me if active, regularly updated profiles start to get a little more credit in local results over time.

I could be wrong. But even if posts never become a big ranking factor, they're free, they take a few minutes, and they give people who find your profile another reason to choose you over the business down the road. That makes them worth doing either way.

What are Google Business Profile posts?

Posts are short updates that appear on your Google Business Profile, the panel that shows up when someone searches for your business or finds you on Google Maps. Think of them as a mini social media feed that sits exactly where customers are deciding who to call.

There are three types.

• Updates are general news, such as a recent job you're proud of, a new service, or your opening hours over a bank holiday.

• Offers promote a discount or deal; they need a title and start and end dates, and you can add a voucher code and terms.

• Events promote something happening on a particular date, such as an open day, a workshop or a live music night.

Each post can include text, a photo or video, and a button such as "Book", "Order online", "Learn more" or "Call now".

How to use posts effectively

Post little and often

Aim for one post a week, or at least a couple a month. Google archives posts after six months unless you've set dates, so a profile with nothing recent can look a bit neglected. The scheduling tool makes this much easier: sit down once a month, write four posts and schedule them to go out weekly.

Get the important bit in first

Only the first line or two of a post shows before people have to tap "more", so lead with the key message. "20% off boiler servicing this October" works far better than "We're delighted to announce...".

Use your own photos

A real photo of your work, your team or your premises will always beat a stock image. It doesn't need to be professional, just clear, well lit and relevant. Landscape photos tend to display best.

Mention what you do and where you do it

Write naturally about your services and the areas you cover, the way you'd describe them to a customer. "Just finished a full rewire on a Victorian terrace in Rugby" tells both people and Google exactly what you do and where. Don't stuff posts with keywords, though. It reads badly and won't do you any favours.

Always add a button

Give people an easy next step. Link to the most relevant page on your website rather than just your homepage, or use "Call now" so they can ring you in one tap. Speaking of which, don't put your phone number in the text of a post, as Google may reject it. The button does the job instead.

Keep an eye on your view counts

Once view counts appear on your profile, check which posts get the most attention. If photos of finished jobs consistently beat your offers, do more of them. Just remember that views aren't enquiries, so keep watching your calls, messages and website visits too.

Stuck for ideas?

Before and after photos of recent jobs, answers to questions customers often ask, seasonal tips, a new product or service, introducing a member of your team, thanking customers for a recent review, or a reminder of your Christmas opening hours will all make good posts.

Need a hand?

If you'd like help getting your Google Business Profile in shape, or you simply don't have the time to keep it updated, get in touch. I help small businesses in Rugby and across Warwickshire make the most of their Google Business Profile, and I'm always happy to have a chat.