What are Google Posts for a tradie business?

Google Posts are short updates (text + photo, up to 1,500 characters) that appear on your Google Business Profile listing. They're visible to customers who find your listing in Google Search or Maps. Posts are free, take about 5 minutes to create, and signal to Google that your business is active — which helps with local rankings.

How often should a tradie post on Google Business Profile?

At least once per week. Google Posts expire after 7 days, so weekly posting keeps your listing consistently showing fresh content. Daily posting provides diminishing returns. Weekly posting is the sweet spot — frequent enough to signal activity, manageable enough to maintain as a habit without dedicated marketing time.

Do Google Posts help tradies rank higher on Google?

Yes — indirectly. Posting regularly signals to Google that your business is active and engaged. Active businesses rank better than dormant ones in local search. Posts also increase engagement with your listing (views, clicks, calls), which are positive signals Google uses to assess business quality and relevance.

What should a tradie post on Google Business Profile?

Photos and captions of completed work ("just finished a full rewire in Grey Lynn"), seasonal tips, service availability updates, and promotions. Keep it genuine and brief. A photo of a real job with a one-sentence caption is more effective than a polished marketing message. Authenticity converts better than corporate copy.

Can I schedule Google Posts in advance as a tradie?

Not directly through Google Business Profile — posts have to be created manually or via the Google Business Profile app. Third-party tools like Publer, Buffer, or Semrush allow scheduling GBP posts in advance. If posting manually is a bottleneck, scheduling a month of posts in one sitting is far more sustainable than trying to post in the moment each week.

Logan McLaughlin·4 June 2026

Google Posts for Tradies: What to Post and How Often

Google Posts are short updates that appear on your Google Business Profile listing — visible to anyone who finds your business in Search or Maps. Posting once a week signals to Google that your business is active, which helps local rankings. Most tradies never post. That makes it an easy edge for those who do.

Most tradies spend zero minutes per week on Google Posts. The ones who do spend 5 minutes once a week see a noticeable difference in their GBP engagement and, over time, in their local search visibility.

This guide covers what Google Posts are, what to post as a tradie, how often to post, and how to make it a sustainable habit instead of something you do twice and forget.

What Google Posts Are and Why They Matter

Google Posts are updates that appear directly on your GBP listing in Google Search and Maps. When someone searches for your business — or for a tradie in your area — they may see your most recent posts alongside your reviews, photos, and business details.

Why Google Posts help with local rankings

Google's local ranking algorithm favours businesses that are active and engaged. An active GBP — with regular posts, fresh photos, and recent reviews — tells Google your business is currently open and operating. A dormant GBP tells Google the opposite.

Posts also increase engagement with your listing. A customer who clicks on a post is a signal to Google that your listing is relevant and interesting — positive feedback that contributes to ranking over time.

Google Posts expire after 7 days

Unlike regular website content, Google Posts have a shelf life of 7 days (standard posts). After that, they move to your post history and are no longer shown prominently on your listing. This is why weekly posting is the minimum — you always want a current, visible post on your profile.

What to Post as a Tradie — 6 Content Types That Work

You don't need to be a copywriter. You need a photo from today's job and one sentence about it. Here are six post types that work consistently for tradies.

1. Photo of completed work

The simplest and most effective post type. Take a photo at the end of a job and post it with a brief caption.

Example captions:

"Full switchboard upgrade in Birkenhead today — new circuit breakers and safety switches installed. Happy customer."
"Burst pipe sorted in Ponsonby this morning — quick callout, clean fix."
"Exterior repaint finished in Devonport — three coats on the weatherboards and good to go for another 10 years."

2. Seasonal tip

Useful, relevant content that positions you as a knowledgeable local expert. These posts have higher engagement because customers actually find them helpful.

Electricians: "Heading into winter — make sure your smoke alarms are working and your switchboard is up to date. Call us if you want us to check."
Plumbers: "Cold snap coming — protect your pipes by knowing where your mains shutoff is. Worth checking this weekend."
Painters: "Best time to paint exterior weatherboards is late summer/early autumn — warm enough to dry properly, before the wet season hits."

3. Availability update

Let customers know you're taking bookings. Simple and direct.

"Taking bookings for next week — call or text [number] to lock in a time."
"We have availability for quotes this week in [suburb area]. Call [number]."

4. New service or capability

If you've added a service or invested in new equipment, post about it.

"Now installing EV charging stations for residential customers — call us for a quote."
"Added drain CCTV inspection to our services — find the problem before digging."

5. Licensing or trust signal

Remind customers that you're registered and qualified. Works especially well for trades where customers worry about unqualified operators.

"Reminder that all our electrical work is carried out by EWRB-registered electricians. Don't risk it with unlicensed operators."
"Master Plumbers member — all our work is backed by the Master Plumbers guarantee."

6. Local area mention

A quick post mentioning the suburb you worked in helps Google associate your business with that location.

"In Newmarket today for a bathroom renovation — if you're nearby and need a quote, give us a call."
"Another job done in Takapuna — great suburb to work in. Always happy to help the locals."

How to Make Weekly Posting Sustainable

The biggest reason tradies stop posting is that it feels like another thing to remember. Here are three approaches that make it stick.

End-of-day photo habit

Before you pack up at the end of each job, take a photo of the finished work. Even if you don't post it immediately, you have the material. Set a calendar reminder for Friday afternoons to post the best photo from the week with a one-sentence caption.

Batch posting monthly

On the first Monday of each month, write four posts at once and schedule them using a tool like Publer or Buffer. You spend 20 minutes once a month and your GBP is active all month automatically.

Let Operator handle it

Google Posting is one of the services Operator handles for tradie clients — weekly posts, on-brand and location-specific, with no effort from you.

Frequently Asked Questions

For the full GBP setup and optimisation guide, read Google Business Profile for Tradies: The Complete Setup Guide. To understand how GBP posts fit into your overall Google ranking strategy, see How to Rank Higher on Google as a Tradie in New Zealand.