In the fast-paced world of local business marketing, staying relevant and visible to your customers is crucial. One of the most effective tools at your disposal is your Google Business Profile (GBP), formerly known as Google My Business. This free platform allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google Search and Maps, helping potential customers find you easily.

However, simply setting up a profile is not enough. To truly maximise your visibility and attract customers throughout the year, you need to adopt seasonal marketing strategies tailored to your GBP. Seasons bring changes in consumer behaviour, search intent, and demand. By aligning your profile with these changes, you can boost engagement, improve your local search rankings, and increase sales during key periods.

In this blog, we will explore practical and actionable seasonal marketing strategies for your Google Business Profile that will help your business thrive no matter the time of year.

Why Seasonal Marketing Matters for Your GBP

Before diving into specific strategies, it’s important to understand why seasonal marketing is so effective for your Google Business Profile.

1. Changing Customer Intent: People search differently depending on the season. For example, searches for “Christmas gifts” spike in December, while “garden maintenance” surges in spring and summer. Tailoring your profile to these trends ensures you appear in relevant searches.
2. Increased Competition: During peak seasons, many businesses ramp up their marketing efforts. Standing out with seasonal updates on your GBP can give you an edge over competitors who neglect this aspect.
3. Improved Engagement: Fresh, timely content and offers keep your profile engaging and encourage customer interaction, which Google values for ranking.
4. Enhanced Trust: Keeping your profile accurate and up to date, especially with seasonal changes, builds customer trust and reduces confusion.

1. Update Your Business Hours for Seasonal Changes

One of the simplest yet most critical updates you can make is adjusting your business hours to reflect seasonal schedules. Many businesses alter their opening times during holidays or peak seasons-for example, closing earlier on Christmas Eve or opening later during summer months.

Ensure your GBP reflects these changes accurately. Customers rely on your profile for this information, and incorrect hours can lead to frustration and lost sales. Moreover, Google rewards profiles that maintain accurate, up-to-date information by boosting their local search rankings.

2. Use Google Posts to Promote Seasonal Offers and Events

Google Posts are a fantastic way to share timely updates directly on your business profile. Use this feature to announce seasonal promotions, special events, or limited-time offers.

For example, if you run a retail store, create posts highlighting your Black Friday deals, Christmas sales, or summer clearance events. For service businesses, promote seasonal services such as winter heating checks or spring garden clean-ups.

Make your posts visually appealing by including images or videos, and always include a strong call to action like “Book Now,” “Call Today,” or “Shop Online.” Regularly posting fresh content throughout the season signals to Google that your business is active and engaged, which can help improve your search visibility.

3. Optimise Your Profile with Seasonal Keywords

Search behaviour varies throughout the year, so your keyword strategy should too. Incorporate seasonal keywords into your business description, posts, and Q&A section to capture relevant traffic.

For instance, a florist might optimise for “Mother’s Day bouquets” in spring and “Christmas wreaths” in winter. A café could highlight “summer iced coffees” or “winter warming soups.” Use tools like Google Trends to identify popular seasonal search terms in your area.

Including these keywords naturally in your profile helps Google understand your relevance to seasonal searches, improving your chances of appearing in local results.

4. Adjust Your Business Categories to Reflect Seasonal Services

Your primary business category plays a significant role in how Google classifies and ranks your profile. Consider adjusting it seasonally if your business offers different services at different times of the year.

For example:

• A landscaping company might switch from “Landscaping Services” in spring and summer to “Snow Removal Service” in winter.
• An HVAC business could change from “Air Conditioning Contractor” in summer to “Heating Contractor” in winter.
• A retailer might add “Christmas Store” during the festive season.

Changing your category to match seasonal demand helps you appear in the most relevant local searches and can increase your visibility during peak times.

5. Refresh Your Photos and Visual Content Seasonally

Visual content is a powerful way to engage visitors to your GBP. Update your photos and videos to reflect the season and showcase relevant products or services.

For example, a restaurant could share images of its summer terrace or winter festive menu. A retail shop might display photos of seasonal window displays or gift wrapping services.

High-quality, seasonal visuals not only attract attention but also signal to Google that your profile is actively managed, which can positively impact your rankings.

6. Leverage the Q&A Section to Address Seasonal Questions

The Q&A feature on your GBP is an often-overlooked tool that can help you proactively address common seasonal queries.

Think about questions customers might have during certain times of the year, such as:

• “Do you offer gift wrapping during the Christmas season?”
• “Are you open on public holidays?”
• “Do you provide winter servicing for boilers?”

Answer these questions clearly and pin the most important ones to the top of your profile. This builds trust, reduces barriers to purchase, and improves the overall customer experience.

7. Encourage Seasonal Reviews and Manage Feedback

Customer reviews are vital all year round but can be especially impactful during busy seasons when shoppers are comparing options.

Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews mentioning your seasonal products or services. For example, after a successful Christmas party event, ask attendees to share their experience.

Respond promptly and professionally to all reviews, including negative ones. Demonstrating excellent customer service during peak times enhances your reputation and encourages more customers to choose your business.

8. Create a Sense of Urgency with Time-Limited Offers

Seasonal promotions often benefit from urgency. Use your GBP posts and descriptions to highlight limited-time offers with phrases like “Only available this week,” “Limited stock,” or “Book before the end of the month.”

Urgency encourages customers to act quickly rather than procrastinate, boosting conversions during critical sales periods.

9. Utilise Google’s Event Feature for Seasonal Activities

If your business hosts seasonal events such as workshops, sales, or community activities, use Google’s Event feature on your profile to share detailed information including dates, times, and ticketing links.

Events displayed on your GBP can attract local customers searching for things to do and increase foot traffic to your business.

10. Analyse Your Seasonal Performance and Adapt

Finally, use the insights provided by your Google Business Profile dashboard to track how your seasonal updates perform.

Monitor metrics such as:

• How many views your profile receives
• Customer actions like calls, website visits, and direction requests
• Engagement with your Google Posts

Analysing this data helps you understand what works best for your business and refine your seasonal marketing strategies year after year.

Conclusion

Seasonal marketing is not just about decorating your shop window or offering discounts; it’s about strategically adapting your Google Business Profile to meet the evolving needs and search behaviours of your customers throughout the year.

By keeping your business hours accurate, promoting timely offers through Google Posts, optimising for seasonal keywords, adjusting categories, refreshing visuals, leveraging Q&A, encouraging reviews, creating urgency, and tracking performance, you can significantly enhance your local search presence and customer engagement.

Seasonal marketing on your GBP ensures your business stays relevant, visible, and competitive no matter the time of year. Start planning your seasonal updates today and watch your local business flourish with every season.

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