At a time when many businesses are unsure of their daily hours, are only open for curbside service, or have closed their doors altogether, it is important for these business owners to be able to communicate with their customers about the status of their stores. While many have turned to social media, we must remember that not all customers are active on social media. For those that turn to Google to find their answers, Google My Business listings now have access to a new type of post geared towards announcements related to COVID-19.

COVID-19 Announcements for Google My Business

These announcements can include new operating hours, temporary closures, safety precautions, changes to regular services (take-out/delivery only), and in stock, low stock, or out of stock announcements for high demand products. The updates will appear at the top of the business’s profile in local search, so even if your business publishes other posts, the COVID-19 update will remain at the top for customers to see.

Creating a COVID-19 Update

Log on to Google My Business on a desktop computer. From the menu, click “Posts.” Choose the “COVID-19 Update” tab at the top of the page. GMB may ask for information like:

• Hours of operation and temporary closures
• Updates to how the location is being managed in relation to safety and hygiene
• Changes to operations, such as take-out or delivery only, call for details, etc.
• Requests for support

Choose “Preview” to see how your post will look before it is published. Click “Publish” to post the update.

Remember that Google My Business posts only remain published for 14 days, and the same rule applies for COVID-19 updates. If your information is still relevent after 14 days, it will need to be published again.

These COVID-19 posts are text-only and are available to all listings. They can only be published via desktop, but are visible in both desktop and mobile search.

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