Google Business Profile posts get sold as a local SEO trick. Google’s own help page frames them differently: as a way to help customers decide to visit.
That framing suits dentists. A patient who finds your profile in Search or Google Maps is close to choosing a clinic, so the words and button they see matter.
Many clinics skip Google Business Profile posts altogether or fill them with generic tooth-care tips that never prompt a booking.
This guide covers which post types are best for a dental clinic and what to put in them. It also shows how to stay inside AHPRA’s rules and track the bookings your posts bring.
What Google Business Profile Posts Actually Do
A post is a short update that appears on your profile in Google Search and Maps. On mobile, patients find it under the Updates or Overview tabs. On a computer, it sits in the “From the owner” section.
You may still hear them called Google My Business posts, which is the older name for the same feature.
Google checks every post against its posts content policy before it goes live. As of October 2026, posts older than 6 months are archived unless you set a date range.
Which Post Type Fits Your Goal
Google offers three post types, and each does a different job.
- Update: Use it for new services, changed hours and open appointment days. It can carry a button, and Google says the button should lead to a page where patients can finish the action, such as booking.
- Offer: This suits a genuine promotion. It needs a title and dates, and Google adds a View Offer button automatically. Read the AHPRA section below before you use it.
- Event: Choose it for an open day or community event. It needs a title and start and end dates, and an event with no set times shows as lasting 24 hours.
What to Post to Drive Bookings
Give every post one call to action, and make it a booking where you can. For example, these five formats suit most clinics:
- A service spotlight. Pick one treatment, say who it suits in a sentence and link the button to that service page.
- New availability. Announce open days or extended hours, such as Saturday appointments, when they’re real.
- Online booking news. Tell patients when you add or change the way they can book.
- Team and clinic updates. Welcome a new dentist or hygienist in a few lines, with a real photo.
- Community events. Use an Event post for a school visit or local sponsorship.
Put the key detail in the first line. Then link each button to the page that matches the post, so the patient lands where they can act.
How to Post on Google Business Profile Step by Step
The process takes a few minutes, and Google lets you schedule posts ahead, so you can batch a month of GBP posts in one sitting.
- Open your Business Profile, select Posts, then Add post.
- Choose Update, Offer or Event.
- Add a photo or video, a clear title and a short description.
- Add a button and link it to your booking page.
- Turn on Schedule this post to pick a publish time, or use Repeats for a weekly or monthly rhythm.
- Select Post, then check the status on the Posts screen.
Leave phone numbers out of the description. Google may reject a post if it can’t link the number to your business, and anyway your number already sits on your profile.
Related: Google Business Profile for Dentists: Hidden Features Most Clinics Aren’t Using
Keep Your Google Business Profile Posts AHPRA-Compliant
A post that promotes your clinic counts as advertising, so the National Law applies. AHPRA’s summary of advertising obligations sets out the main rules.
- Offers need terms. Advertising that offers a gift or discount must state or link to clear terms that are easy to find. Use the offer post’s terms field, and link to the full terms on your site.
- No testimonials. Advertising can’t use positive statements about the clinical side of a service, so don’t quote patient reviews in your posts.
- No pressure. Avoid wording that pushes patients toward treatment they may not need.
- Stay inside Google’s limits. Google restricts content about some regulated products, including pharmaceutical products and health and medical devices. Keep posts to your clinic and services.
So when a post feels borderline, ask your compliance reviewer before it goes live.
Track Which GBP Posts Bring Bookings
A post only drives bookings if you can see it happening. So add UTM parameters to each button link. These are short tags that label where a visit came from.
Google’s guide to campaign URLs says to set source, medium and campaign together and keep the naming consistent. For example, use the same source and medium for every post, then change the campaign name for each one, such as a Saturday hours post.
Each month, check Google Analytics and your booking page conversions. Then keep the post types that bring bookings, and drop the ones that only bring views.
Ready to Make Your Google Business Profile Work Harder?
Google Business Profile posts work best as a small, steady booking tool: one clear goal, a matching button, compliant wording and tracking you can read.
Let’s help your clinic get more from its profile. At Dental Rank, we specialise in dental marketing across Australia. Our local SEO services cover the Google Business Profile work that supports your bookings.
Schedule a free consultation today if you’d like help planning your posts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Often Should a Dentist Post on Google Business Profile?
Google doesn’t set a required schedule. Because older posts are archived after 6 months unless they have a date range, a steady rhythm keeps your profile current. A fortnightly post is realistic for most clinics, and your tracking will show whether to post more or less.
Do Google Business Profile Posts Improve Local SEO Rankings?
Google’s help page presents posts as a way to help customers decide to visit, and it doesn’t describe them as a ranking factor. Treat them as a conversion tool. Measure the bookings and booking-page visits they bring, rather than expecting a rankings lift.
Can I Post an Offer on My Dental Profile?
Yes, but AHPRA says advertising offering a gift or discount must state or link to clear terms and conditions. Google’s offer posts include a terms field for this. Keep the wording factual, and avoid language that pressures patients into unnecessary treatment.
Why Was My Google Business Profile Post Not Approved?
Google reviews each post against its content policy, and a “Not approved” status shows which policy it breaks. Common causes include a phone number in the description, content about restricted products, and unprofessional or auto-generated text. Edit the post, then republish it.
Can I Use Patient Reviews in My Posts?
No. AHPRA says advertising must not use testimonials, meaning positive statements about the clinical aspects of a service. Advertisers must remove them from channels they control, and a post you publish is one of those, so leave patient reviews out.
