Most owners I talk to want to post on their Google Business Profile. They just hate writing. So they open an AI tool, type "write a post for my plumbing company," and get something that sounds like every other plumber in town. That post is not wrong. It is just empty.
There is a better way to use AI here. You bring the real details from the job. The AI does the typing. It takes a few minutes, and you never stare at a blank screen again.
Why generic AI posts fall flat
Anyone can ask a chatbot for "5 signs you need a new water heater." Your competitors can too. When every post reads the same, none of them stand out to the person scrolling your profile.
Google's own guidance on AI content for Search says to focus on accuracy, quality, and relevance. It also warns that using AI to generate many pages without adding value for users can break its spam rules. The lesson for a small business is simple. AI is fine as a tool. The value has to come from you.
What AI cannot make up is your week. The house with the leaking shutoff valve. The customer who was worried about the cost. The photo you took before you left. That is the part only you have.
The 90-second voice note method
You do not need to write. You need to talk. Right after a job, while you are still in the truck, record a short voice note on your phone. Answer four questions out loud:
- What did the customer call about?
- What were they worried about?
- What did you find, and what did you do?
- What should other people in the area know?
Keep it under 90 seconds. Do not try to sound polished. Rambling is fine. The small, true details are what make the post worth reading.
Many phones and apps can turn a voice note into text. Copy that text. Now you have raw material that no one else in your market has.
The prompt to paste into your AI tool
Paste your voice note text into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or whatever AI tool you already use. Then add a prompt like this:
"Turn these notes into a short Google Business Profile update for my [type of business] in [city]. Use plain words and short sentences. Keep my details and my way of talking. Do not add facts that are not in my notes. Do not include a phone number. End with one simple next step for the reader."
Two lines in that prompt do most of the work. "Do not add facts that are not in my notes" keeps the AI from making things up. "Keep my way of talking" keeps it sounding like you, not like a brochure.
Read what comes back. Fix anything that is not true. Cut anything that sounds like a sales pitch. The words should still feel like yours. The AI just cleaned up the grammar and the order.
Check the post against Google's rules
A few things from Google's own help pages are worth knowing before you hit publish:
- You can share updates, offers, and events. Each one can include a photo or video and an action button.
- Google's posts content policy says post text cannot include a phone number. Let the call button do that job.
- Google says posts older than six months are archived unless you set a date range.
- Posts show on your profile in Search and Maps. On a phone they sit in the Updates or Overview tab. On a computer they show in the "From the owner" section.
Add a real photo from the job. Not a stock image. A picture of the finished work builds more trust than any sentence the AI can write.
Pair every post with a review request
This is where the Local Guide Method comes in. Your customers do your SEO for you. Your post shows what you did. A review from the customer shows how it felt to them. Together, they tell the whole story.
So use the same voice note twice. Ask your AI tool for a short, friendly text that thanks the customer and asks for a Google review. Keep it personal. Mention the job. Send it the same day, while the work is still fresh in their mind.
In our experience across 2,300+ profiles, the owners who stay steady with both, real posts and real reviews, are the ones whose profiles keep looking alive month after month. It is not magic. It is just steady proof, built one job at a time.
A simple weekly routine
You do not need to post every day. Pick a pace you can keep.
- Record one voice note after your most interesting job of the week.
- Paste it into your AI tool with the prompt above.
- Check it, fix it, and add the job photo.
- Publish it on your Business Profile.
- Send that customer a review request the same day.
That is about ten minutes a week. Once the habit sticks, you can automate the boring parts, like saving voice notes to one folder or sending the review text. Do it by hand first so you know what good looks like.
Not sure where your profile stands right now? Get a free profile audit and see what to fix first.
Idea spark: Chris Koerner and guest Steph Spector on The Koerner Office podcast.
Quick answers
- Is it okay to use AI to write Google Business Profile posts?
- Yes, as a tool. Google's guidance for Search focuses on accuracy, quality, and value to users. Start from your own real details and check every fact before you post.
- Can I put my phone number in a Google post?
- No. Google's posts content policy does not allow a phone number in the post text. Use the call button on your profile instead.
- How long do Google Business Profile posts stay up?
- Google says posts older than six months are archived unless you set a date range.
- How often should I post?
- Pick a pace you can keep. One real post a week, paired with a review request from that same customer, is a solid start.