November 16, 2022

6 Holiday Updates for Your Google Business Profile

By: Mary Hiers

These six holiday updates to your Google Business Profile can set you up for a stellar holiday season. Click on one for more information.

1. Update Holiday Hours if Necessary

2. Review and Update your FAQs

3. Add Relevant Photos and Videos

4. Add New Posts to Your Google Business Profile

5. Respond to Reviews Promptly

6. Review Your Google Business Profile Attributes

Your Google Business Profile matters 365 days per year. Depending on your business, it may matter even more during the holiday season. 

A study by Rio SEO and Forsta found that Google Business Profile searches and views rose significantly in the second quarter of 2022. An increase in conversions also accompanied this increase in searches and views! 

Updating your Google Business Profile for the holidays is wise whether or not you expect a seasonal boost to your sales. These updates can put you ahead of your competition if you’re counting on a strong holiday retail season. 

1. Update Holiday Hours if Necessary

Many businesses alter or expand their business hours during the holidays. The good news is that you don’t have to change them for the holiday season and then change them back later because Google has automated this. Here are the steps.

  • Sign into your Google Business Profile account, then go to business.google.com.
  • Click “Manage Profile” next to your business name.
  • Click “Edit profile” and choose “Business information.”
  • In the “Hours” tab, click on “Holiday hours.”
  • If your business will close for a whole day, be sure the box next to that date is unchecked
  • For modified hours, check the box next to a date, then enter your opening and closing hours.
  • Click “Save” when you finish making changes.

If your business is closed for longer than six days, you must mark it as “Temporarily closed” in your profile. Then you will have to choose “reopen” when you open up again.

Even if your holiday hours are the same as your normal ones, confirm those hours for the official holiday dates. Confirming your hours will make it clear to searchers that the hours listed are correct. 

2. Review and Update your FAQs

Messaging FAQs are great for answering customer questions without worrying about phone calls or chat messages. Updating them for a busy holiday season is a good idea. Here’s how. 

  • Click on “Customers” and then “Messages.”
  • Go to “Message settings” and then “Manage frequently asked questions
  • Click the button that says “+ Add a question.”
  • The box will prompt you to provide questions and answers

There are countless ways you can update these for the holidays. You can highlight special services like delivery or gift wrapping. Or you can let customers know when Santa will be visiting your store. It’s a great way to get information to many people easily and quickly.

3. Add Relevant Photos and Videos

Recent photos and videos can benefit your Google Business Profile year-round. But when you add relevant holiday photos and videos, you can help people get into the holiday spirit and get them excited about coming to your business. 

Choose high-quality photos and videos showing your business decorated for the holidays. Or you could add a few pictures of employees in holiday apparel. Be creative and show that you want to make customers’ holidays brighter. 

4. Add New Posts to Your Google Business Profile

Posts on your Google Business Profile are like photos and videos; they are beneficial all year long. They can also add another holiday boost that sets you ahead of the competition. 

You could post about your company’s float in the local Christmas parade. Or you could post about unique seasonal products that are arriving soon. 

The possibilities are endless, and posts demonstrate to customers that you have their interests in mind. 

5. Respond to Reviews Promptly

Responding to reviews is always important. However, during the holidays, responding to reviews is especially critical. 

With more online searches comes increased foot traffic, crowds, and bustling shopping hours. Unfortunately, crowds and busy staff can sometimes lead to miscommunication. The occasional customer may feel let down. They may write a review to this effect.

Responding promptly and honestly is essential. Ask for more information, and assure your customer you want to make it right. Offer to take the conversation offline so you can get more information via phone or email. Leaving a negative review hanging with no response is the worst thing you can do after a negative review. 

6. Review Google Business Profile Attributes

A busy shopping season means more people will search for businesses with particular attributes. For example, you may have more queries with interest in accessible parking spaces, wheelchair access, or the presence of elevators. 

It is essential to check your Google Business Profile attributes to make sure they are complete and accurate. These attributes can answer customer questions quickly and reassure people of the types of accommodations they can expect.

You can also use them to notify people of certain practices like social distancing, frequent cleaning, and other measures you take to assure customer health and safety.

FAQs About Updating Your Google Business Profile for the Holidays


Why should I bother updating my profile for the holiday season?


When you check and update your profile before the holiday shopping season, you reassure your customers and yourself that the information on your profile is accurate. If you change hours or offer special holiday services like gift-wrapping, you can show this on your profile.


What photos should I add to my profile for the holiday season?


Many businesses decorate their premises, giving the location a new, exciting look. Sometimes these decorations can help customers get into the season’s spirit, making them more likely to visit businesses they like. Photos depicting your seasonal decorations show that you want to make this time memorable for your customers.


Why are my business attributes vital during the holidays?


Many people have visitors during the holidays, including people who may require accommodations like ramps or elevators. When you claim business attributes on your profile, you make it clear how your business can accommodate people who need these attributes.


What do I do if I get a negative review during the holidays?


Anytime you get a negative review, you should reply professionally and tactfully as soon as possible. Ask for more details if you need them to understand the situation. If someone made a mistake, own it and do what you can to make it right. You can also ask the dissatisfied customer to discuss the situation one-on-one, by email or phone.

Regular Google Business Profile Checkups Matter

Optimizing your Google Business Profile is a good idea, even if your business doesn’t change much during the holiday season. And regular monitoring and updating of your Google Business Profile make excellent New Year’s Resolutions.

When the information on your profile is complete, accurate, and current, it is a marketing asset available 24 hours a day. The more you put into your Google Business Profile, the more benefit you will derive from it.

We know how important digital marketing is to businesses of all sizes. We also know that a robust Google Business Profile can be crucial to a sound digital marketing strategy. Every time we build a website for a customer, we complete their Google Business Profile if they don’t have one. 

Whether you’re getting ready for the holidays or are preparing to improve your digital marketing in the coming year, we can help. Set up a call with our team so we can discuss ways to ensure as many people as possible know about the great things your business does.

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