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Planable is the best client-facing social media tool we've ever used and we've used a lot.
I’ve led social media teams at Oracle and Uber, and now I am the CMO at Planable. Across every team size, one pattern keeps showing up: the social media approval process breaks as you scale. I've watched the same frustration surface in agencies, in-house teams, and...
Feb 26, 2026
For local businesses, your Google Business Profile is a digital storefront that shows up in Google Search & Maps. Keeping it active with regular posts, events and offers is one of the simplest free ways to stay visible when nearby customers search.
The problem is consistency. Posting takes time, and Google’s native scheduling tools are limited for planning ahead.
Planable solves this by letting you schedule Google My Business posts in advance. You can batch-create and line up updates for one or multiple locations, without manual day-to-day posting.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
If you think Google is only for maps and reviews, you’re missing a major local marketing channel.
Google My Business is now called Google Business Profile.
It’s the free listing that helps your business show up in Google Search and Google Maps, where customers can find your hours, location (or service area), photos, reviews, and contact details.
Many businesses already have a profile created by Google or by users. Before creating a new one, search to see if it exists:
If you find it, you’ll usually see an option to claim/manage it once you’re signed in.
Go to Google’s Business Profile setup and enter the required details (business name, category, contact info, etc.).
If you serve customers at their location (for example, plumbers, cleaners, mobile services), you can set up a service-area business and hide your street address while specifying the areas you serve.
Verification proves you’re authorized to manage the listing. Google decides which verification methods you’re offered, based on business type, region, and other factors, and you can’t manually choose any method you want.
Common verification methods include:
Some businesses may need more than one verification step.
Keep your Google Business Profile active and visible without the manual effort.
Here’s how to schedule posts, events, and offers on GMB directly from Planable.
2. Click the Compose button and select the Google My Business tab.
3. Write your post, adding an offer, event or a CTA button.
4. Click Select Date and Time to schedule your Google My Business post.
❗To publish Google My Business posts, your page needs to be verified. You can find more information on Google’s support page.
Planable is a social media management tool that helps teams plan, review, approve, schedule, and publish content from one workspace.
As a business owner, it’s in your best interest to control what information is displayed on the Internet. With the help of Google My Business tools you get to put your company on the map.
Google Business Profile is free, and it can directly support local growth by helping you:
Posting updates on your GMB profile and keeping details current helps customers trust what they see.
If you publish updates frequently, you can plan and schedule posts with a content calendar or a Google Business Profile **scheduler.
Some teams use a general social media scheduler, while others prefer a GBP-focused tool such as Planable.
Now that you know why creating a Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is worth it, let’s walk through the core features and what each one does for your visibility in Google Search and Maps.
Category
Your primary category helps Google understand what your business is and which searches you’re eligible to appear for.
Category choices can influence local visibility, so it’s worth getting the primary category right and using additional categories only when they truly apply.
Best practices
Description
Your business description is a conversion tool, not a ranking lever. Use it to explain what you do, who you serve, and what makes you different. Follow Google’s content guidelines to avoid policy issues.
Best practices
Google Local Pack (the “map + 3 results” section)
The Local Pack is the set of business listings shown for many location-based searches.
Being included can significantly increase calls, direction requests, and site visits because it’s highly visible on the results page.
Knowledge Panel (the business info box)
The Knowledge Panel is the information panel that appears when someone searches for your specific business.
It surfaces key details like hours, phone number, website, directions, reviews, and photos.
Attributes are labels that describe features of your business (for example, “wheelchair accessible,” “outdoor seating,” or “Wi-Fi”).
They appear across Search and Maps, and in some cases can help you show up when people search for places with specific attributes.
Two common attribute types
Google allows users to suggest edits to Business Profiles. This is designed to keep listings accurate and reduce spam, especially for names, categories, and other fields that can be abused.
What this means for you
Q&A used to be a high-visibility section near reviews. As of 3 November 2025, Google discontinued the Q&A API and the Q&A feature has been gradually disappearing from many listings.
What to do instead
Google Business Profile provides built-in performance reporting (often called Performance or Insights).
You can see how people find your profile and what actions they take on Search and Maps.
Common metrics include:
Google Business Profile insights are useful, but they’re not as detailed as dedicated analytics platforms.
If you need deeper reporting, more visual dashboars or complete workflows, consider using a specialized Google Business Profile analytics tool such as Planable.
Now that your Google Business Profile is set up, the next step is optimization.
These best practices help you improve visibility in Google Search and Maps and turn profile views into calls, visits, and bookings.
A fully completed GMB profile helps Google understand what you offer and match your listing to relevant local searches.
Accuracy matters. Don’t add services, categories, or locations that you can’t genuinely support.
What to fill out first (highest impact basics)
Does Google Business Profile help SEO?
It can improve local visibility by increasing your relevance for local searches, which is one of Google’s core local ranking factors (along with distance and prominence).
⚡ Keyword tip: Use customer language naturally in your services and description. Tools like SE Ranking can help you spot how people phrase searches in your area, but keep wording readable and accurate.
Use Posts/Updates to share announcements, offers, and events directly on Search and Maps.
This is especially useful for changes that affect customer decisions, like holiday hours, limited-time offers, and new services.
Common post types
Google frames Posts as updates that can include announcements, offers, updates, and event details (availability can vary by business type).
What to post regularly
If you publish frequently, a GBP scheduler can help you plan posts and keep a consistent cadence.
Photos help customers recognize your business and understand what to expect before they visit.
Include a mix of: exterior signage, interior, team-in-action, best-selling products, and seasonal highlights.
Google’s photo requirements (official)
Reviews influence trust and can affect whether customers choose you over a competitor. Responding shows you’re active and customer-focused.
Review best practices
If multiple people work on your Google Business Profile, the simplest way to avoid missed updates and publishing mistakes is to use a shared workflow for planning, approvals, and scheduling.
Planable supports team-based Google Business Profile collaboration through a shared workspace, where teammates, clients, and stakeholders can review content together, leave comments directly on posts, and approve content before it goes live.
Planable’s Google Business Profile integration is available, so you can try team collaboration, approvals, scheduling, and analytics in one workflow.
Create an account to test it!
Horea is a software reviewer and tester, content writer, and tech geek. He loves to fiddle with MarTech solutions to find what each software is best for and help you decide which one might be your best fit. His content is allergic to fluff and eats research for breakfast. If you’re on the fence about whether you should commit to a particular platform, Horea probably already wrote about it.
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