Though Google placed a temporary hold on certain Google My Business features (specifically publishing reviews, review replies, and Q&As) toward the end of March due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the search engine shifted its priorities to reviewing updated information for businesses affected by COVID-19. This information includes:
- Any changes to hours of operation
- Service delays
- Extra services a business is offering the community
- Marking a business as temporarily closed
Google has not placed any holds on the Google My Business posting feature, and now any Google My Business listing can create a new type of post that’s specifically designed for sharing announcements related to COVID-19.
How to Add a COVID-19–Related Announcement Post to Your Google My Business Listing
Like any Google My Business post, your COVID-19 announcement should be a high-quality post without misspellings, distracting content, links that lead to viruses or phishing, and obscene language or visuals. It’s Google My Business, so keep it professional.
1. Sign In to Google My Business
On your computer, sign in to your Google My Business account. If your business has multiple locations, select the location you want to create the post for.
2. Create Your Post
Once you’ve signed in, go to the top menu and click “Posts.” From there, select the “COVID-19 update” tab. Google My Business may prompt you to update the following information:
- Updated operating hours
- Temporary closures
- Extra health and safety precaution a business is taking
- Changes to service (i.e., changing from dining in to delivery- or takeout-only options)
- Updates to a business’s inventory for high-demand items
You can include images or videos in the post. Media must be at least 10 KB and 400×300 pixels in dimension and less than 25 MB and 10,000×10,000 pixels.
3. Preview and Publish Your Post
Before publishing your post, click “Preview.” If you want to go back and clean up your post, click “back” in the top left corner to edit it. If you’re pleased with what you have, click “Publish” in the top right hand corner.
