Google Business Profile Posts for Restaurants & Pubs: The 52-Week Method That Drives Bookings

Why GBP Posts matter in hospitality

Hospitality isn’t like e-commerce. People don’t compare ten tabs and deliberate for hours. Most “near me” decisions happen fast: a glance at photos, rating, distance, and whether you look like the right vibe for the occasion. GBP Posts sit inside that decision moment.

Used properly, posts act as fresh proof: what’s on this week, what you’re known for, what’s changed, why it’s worth booking now. They also give Google more context about what you offer (brunch, roasts, live music, private dining) which supports relevance when people search those intents.

Used badly, posts become noise: generic “come join us” messages with no detail, no offer, and no link to the page that converts. This guide gives you a method that’s realistic for a busy venue—repeatable, measurable and tied to bookings.

The method in one page: 7 rules that drive bookings

The #1 mistake: posting without a destination

A GBP Post should always answer three questions:

That “next” step must land on the best matching page. Your homepage is rarely the best page. If the post is about brunch, link to your brunch page or brunch section. If it’s about football, link to your football/event hub. Seasonal hubs are covered here: Seasonal & Event SEO for Pubs & Bars.

The 5 post types that consistently perform

1) Occasion posts

Occasion posts win because people search by occasion. Examples: “Sunday Roast,” “Bottomless Brunch,” “Date night,” “After-work drinks,” “Pre-theatre dinner,” “Private dining.” These posts should include one concrete detail: the serving window, a highlight dish, a deposit rule, or a booking note.

2) “What’s on this week” posts

Perfect for pubs and bars. A weekly fixtures post with times + what you’re showing + how to book reduces uncertainty and prevents a flood of “Are you showing it?” calls. Link to a stable event hub you update weekly.

3) Offer posts (with rules)

Offers only work when you state the rules: days/times, what’s included, and whether booking is required. If you hide the rules, guests get annoyed, and reviews suffer. Protect reputation with the approach in Reviews & Reputation SEO.

4) Proof posts

Proof posts are reassurance: a real customer quote, a photo of a busy Saturday, a hero dish that looks like the picture. These posts often lift click-through from Maps because they reduce uncertainty.

5) Operational clarity posts

These are underrated. Bank holiday hours, kitchen times, parking changes, temporary menu changes, refurb news—clarity prevents wasted trips and bad reviews. Treat these as reputation insurance and a customer service tool.

Copy formula: how to write posts that convert

Use this simple structure. It’s short, specific, and naturally keyword-aligned (because it uses real terms people type):

[Headline: Occasion + area cue]
[2–3 lines: specifics + proof]
[CTA: Book / View menu / Call / Get directions]

Example: “Sunday Roast in Moseley” → “Serving 12–6. Beef, porchetta + veg Wellington. Book ahead for 2pm+.” → “Reserve”.

GBP is a decision layer, not a storytelling layer. Keep it tight, lead with the detail that helps someone choose, then let the landing page do the selling.

To keep copy consistent across a team, create a mini “venue rules” doc: tone (warm/premium/casual), banned phrases, and 5 approved CTAs. This matters even more for groups—see Multi-Location SEO.

Photos: what to shoot and how to crop

GBP is visual-first. The best posts use real images that match what guests will experience. Stock photos often underperform because they feel generic.

Crop for mobile and avoid heavy text overlays. Most users won’t read overlay text, and it can make the image feel like an ad. Put your detail in the caption.

UTMs + link targets (so you can measure)

This is where GBP posts become a measurable growth channel. Every post link should go to the most relevant destination and include UTMs so you can attribute outcomes (bookings, enquiries).

Recommended baseline UTMs:

?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gbp_post

For multi-location, add:

&utm_content=venue_slug

Then measure outcomes properly using Restaurant Tracking & ROAS. Without this, you’re guessing which posts actually move bookings.

Best link targets by post type:

• Menu highlight → menu section / menu page (HTML preferred; see Website SEO & UX)
• Event/fixtures → event hub (see Seasonal & Event SEO)
• Private dining → private dining page (with enquiry CTA)
• Offer → the page that explains the rules (not the homepage)
• Operational update → location page (hours, parking, etc.)

The 52-week posting method (repeatable)

The venues that win don’t post randomly. They run a simple cadence that’s easy to maintain and hard to break. The best “method” is one your team can execute during a busy month.

Then layer seasonal peaks on top. Publish early so Google and guests have time to see it. For the event system that compounds year to year, use Seasonal & Event SEO.

Quarterly themes (easy planning)

If you want to connect posting to where you actually need more bookings, use Postcode Coverage and pick the offers/occasions that pull demand from your target areas.

Multi-location: scale without sounding generic

Multi-site groups often copy/paste the same post everywhere. That creates two issues: it looks robotic, and it ignores local differences that drive bookings.

Use this method:

This is the same thinking behind scalable estate SEO: Multi-Location SEO.

Using AI safely (to speed up, not to spam)

AI is excellent for drafting variations and keeping cadence consistent, but it must not invent facts (prices, allergens, times, inclusions). Use AI to produce drafts, then edit with your venue facts open.

Safe workflow:

1. Create a monthly list of “facts” (menus, hours, booking rules, event schedule).
2. Generate 10–12 drafts in one go (two posts per week plus seasonal extras).
3. Human-edit for accuracy, tone and local detail.
4. Schedule and measure outcomes (UTMs + GA4 conversions).

If you want prompt templates that won’t create spammy output, use AI & ChatGPT for Hospitality.

What to measure each week (so it improves)

Track outcomes, not activity. The signals that matter:

• GBP actions: calls, directions, website clicks (trend matters more than one week).
• GA4 conversions from GBP UTMs: bookings/enquiries attributed to GBP posts.
• Post-type performance: which posts correlate with bookings (event vs menu vs proof).
• Review velocity and average rating: these affect click-through and confidence (see Reviews & Reputation SEO).

If posts are getting clicks but not bookings, don’t post more—fix the landing page and booking path first using Restaurant Website SEO & UX.

Common mistakes that kill results

• Linking everything to the homepage: it adds friction and lowers conversion. Deep link to the best-matching page.
• Vague copy: “Join us this weekend” doesn’t answer anything. Specify times, inclusions, and why it’s good.
• Offers without rules: unclear terms create complaints and poor reviews.
• Posting with no measurement: without UTMs, you’ll never know what works.
• Inconsistent cadence: bursts followed by silence. Keep the weekly minimum.

The simplest fix is also the most powerful: pick two post types you can sustain (e.g., menu + event) and run them every week for 8 weeks. Then refine based on bookings, calls and directions.

20 copy/paste GBP post templates

Replace bracketed text with real details. Keep it short and specific.

Occasion templates

1) [Brunch] in [Area] — served [times]. Highlight: [dish/drink]. Book ahead: [link].

2) Sunday Roast this week — [serving window]. Options: [meat/veg]. Reserve here: [link].

3) Date night idea: [signature dish] + [cocktail/wine]. Book a table: [link].

4) Private dining available — groups [size range]. Menus from [£]. Enquire: [link].

5) After-work drinks — [offer] from [time]. Walk-ins welcome.

Event/fixtures templates

6) Showing [match/event] at [time]. Screens: [detail]. Book here: [link].

7) Live music: [act] on [day/time]. Tables recommended: [link].

8) Quiz night: [day/time]. Teams of [size]. Reserve your spot: [link].

9) Big final on [date] — sound on, early arrival advised. Book now: [link].

10) This week’s fixtures — updated schedule + booking: [link].

Menu/proof templates

11) New dish: [name]. Available from [date]. View menu: [link].

12) Cocktail spotlight: [name]. Best with: [snack]. Book a table: [link].

13) “Best [dish] in [area]” — thanks for the review! Try it this week: [link].

14) Fresh photos from this weekend — thanks for coming. Book for next week: [link].

15) Seasonal menu now live — highlights: [1], [2]. View menu: [link].

Operational clarity templates

16) Bank holiday hours: [times]. Kitchen serving until [time]. Book: [link].

17) Terrace open (weather permitting). Walk-ins welcome.

18) Parking note: [car park / street]. Nearest station: [station].

19) Dog-friendly areas: [where]. Please book if bringing pups: [link].

20) Last-minute tables tonight — book online or call: [link].

Tip: if you post an offer, state the rules plainly. It prevents confusion and protects reviews.

FAQs

How many posts is “too many”?

If quality drops, it’s too many. For most venues, 1–2 per week is the sweet spot, with extra posts during key seasonal peaks.

Should posts link to the homepage?

Only if the post is truly general. Most posts should deep-link to the best matching page (menu, booking, event hub, private dining).

What if we don’t have an event hub page yet?

Create one. Stable event hubs are how seasonal content compounds. Use Seasonal & Event SEO for the blueprint and Schema to mark it up correctly.