Google Business Profile Spring 2026: Seasonal Updates That Increase Local Traffic
• Wednesday, 22nd April 2026 • Marketing Lokalny •
Google Business Profile – formerly Google My Business – is a tool that many local businesses set up once and then forget for months or years. The profile sits there with winter opening hours, photos from two years ago and an empty "Updates" section. And that is exactly why competitors who update theirs regularly are scooping up the results.
Spring is one of those moments in the year when Google particularly rewards current, rich profiles in local results. Search patterns change, customers look for seasonal services and products, and Google’s algorithm appreciates businesses that show they are active. This article is a concrete list of actions a local business should take now, over the next few weeks.
Why Seasonal Updates Matter Algorithmically
Google does not reveal all the ranking factors for local results, but data from numerous studies and observations points clearly: activity on the profile correlates with better positions in Google Maps and the local pack (Local Pack).
Activity means, above all:
- How often you add new photos and posts
- How up to date the information is (hours, attributes, description)
- Replying to reviews
- Publishing seasonal offers and promotions
A business profile that has not been updated for half a year sends a signal – perhaps unwittingly, but it does send it – that the business is less active or less engaged in contact with customers. Google interprets that. And a customer who sees in the results a profile with current spring photos and a last post from a week ago next to a profile with a winter background and a post from six months ago will instinctively choose the first.
Step 1: Photos – Refresh the First Impression
Photos are the first thing a potential customer sees on your profile. Autumn or winter photos look out of date in spring, even if the service or product has not changed at all.
What to update:
- Cover photo: change it to a current, spring one. A natural, bright image with natural lighting. It does not matter that you take it with a smartphone: a photo with a good framing, good lighting and a clear subject works better than a cold studio shot from a year ago.
- Product/service photos: add 3-5 new photos showing the spring offer. A gardener should now show seedlings, an orchard in blossom and working tools. A caterer should show the spring menu, the terrace and outdoor table decorations.
- Interior/surroundings photos: if your premises have an exterior view, a spring photo of the entrance with flowers or new seasonal decoration is a good touch. It shows that the business is alive and well kept.
- "Behind the scenes" photos: photos of people at work, the production process and seasonal preparations. Authenticity builds trust.
Technical tips: Google prefers photos with a minimum size of 720 x 720 pixels, although the higher the resolution, the better. JPG or PNG format. Do not use graphics with a lot of text, as Google limits their visibility. Avoid stock photos: Google can recognise them and promotes unique content.
Step 2: Google Posts – Regular Activity
The Posts section is one of the most underrated features of Google Business Profile. It lets you publish content directly in Google results, visible to customers without clicking through to a website.
Post types available to businesses:
Updates (What's new): general posts, company news, curiosities, educational entries. Visible for 7 days. In spring: information about an expanded offer, the opening of the outdoor season, new products.
Offer: a promotion with a price and an expiry date. You can add a discount code. In spring: a discount on a first outdoor session, a spring promotion, a "season start" package.
Event: an announcement of a specific event with a date, time and link. In spring: an open studio, a tasting, an open day, workshops.
Product: a presentation of a specific product or service with a price (optional) and a description.
Recommended publishing frequency: At least one post a week. With intensive activity, 2-3 posts a week. Consistency matters more than frequency.
Step 3: Opening Hours – Seasonal Changes
This is a trivial point that causes problems with customers for many businesses. If your business changes its hours in spring and summer, for example you open a seasonal garden, extend opening times in the tourist season or change appointment hours, update this now.
Incorrect hours are one of the biggest causes of negative reviews: "I came at 6 pm and they were closed". Google penalises such businesses with reduced visibility and a lower rating.
Check and update:
- Regular hours (Monday to Sunday)
- Special hours for the long May weekend (1-3 May 2026)
- Special hours for other spring holidays
- Information about reservations (if an appointment is required)
Step 4: Attributes – Invisible Filters That Decide the Click
Google Business Profile offers an extensive system of attributes: tags that describe features of a business. Customers filter results by attributes, and Google uses them to match a profile to queries.
Spring and summer attributes worth checking and completing:
- Outdoor terrace / seasonal garden: key in spring for hospitality and catering
- Parking: important for services that require travelling to you
- Family friendly: particularly important before the May long weekend and the holidays
- Accessibility for people with disabilities: if applicable, fill it in
- Payment options: check that the current payment methods are marked
- Online services: if you offer remote consultations or online ordering, mark it
The list of available attributes depends on the business category. Check in the Google Business Profile dashboard which attributes are available for your category and fill in all those that match your offer.
Step 5: The Description Section – A Spring Refresh of the Text
The business description on Google Business Profile is 750 characters in which you can present what you do, for whom, and why people should choose you. Many owners write the description when setting up the profile and never return to it.
Spring is a good moment to refresh the description, for several reasons:
Seasonal keywords. In spring customers type different phrases than in winter. If you run a gardening business, adding spring keywords (e.g. "planting seedlings in spring", "garden design for the season") can improve visibility for specific queries.
Updating the offer. If your spring offer differs from your winter one, the description should reflect that. An events business should mention outdoor events, a catering business barbecues and the May long weekend.
Call to action. Add a prompt to act, such as "Ask about our spring offer" or "Book a date for May". Google limits aggressive advertising, but a subtle CTA is fine.
Step 6: Reviews – Active Moderation and Encouragement
Google reviews are one of the strongest ranking factors in the Local Pack. The number of reviews, their freshness and the numerical rating directly affect the profile’s position.
Reply to all reviews, positive and negative. Google appreciates activity. A reply to a positive review does not have to be long; "Thank you, and we invite you to see our new arrivals this spring!" is enough and naturally weaves in seasonal context.
Encourage people to leave reviews. After a customer has had good service, it is worth simply asking: "We would be grateful for a Google review, it helps us reach new customers". Most satisfied customers will gladly do it if you ask.
QR codes for spring. If you have physical contact with customers (a stall, the entrance to your premises, the till), place a QR code leading directly to the review form. Spring and new seasonal displays are a good moment to install such a solution.
Step 7: Q&A – Questions and Answers
The questions and answers (Q&A) section on Google Business Profile is rarely managed by business owners, which is a mistake. Google lets anyone ask questions on a business profile, and answers can be written by both the owner and other users.
A spring Q&A strategy:
- Check whether new questions from users have appeared on the profile and answer them
- Add questions yourself that customers often ask by phone or email, and answer them. This is a form of FAQ directly on your Google profile
- Spring questions for different industries: "Are you open at weekends in May?", "Do you offer delivery of spring products?", "How do I book a date for June?"
Spring GBP Update Checklist
A summary of all the steps as a checklist to complete this week or next:
- Add 3-5 spring photos (products, services, surroundings)
- Change the cover photo to a current, seasonal one
- Publish a post with a spring offer or news
- Check and update opening hours (including the May long weekend, 1-3 May)
- Review attributes and tick new ones that fit your spring offer
- Refresh the business description (add seasonal phrases and the current offer)
- Reply to all unanswered reviews
- Check the Q&A section and add at least two new questions with answers
- Check that the phone number, address and website link are correct
For a well-run business, this whole process takes 2-3 hours once a season. The effects are measurable: more profile views, more phone calls from the profile, more directions requests to your premises. Google Analytics and GBP’s built-in statistics show these numbers directly. Get in touch if you would like to learn more about managing a local profile effectively and about digital marketing for a small business.
