Okay, I just had to share this with you all because it's seriously going to change how we manage our Google Business Profiles!
Google has finally launched their "What's Happening" feature, and honestly, I couldn't be more excited about what this means for small business owners like us.
So What's the Big Deal?
If you've been managing a Google Business Profile, you know how frustrating it can be to get your promotions and updates noticed. Well, those days might be over.
The new "What's Happening" section gives us a prime spot to showcase our current happenings—whether it's a flash sale, a new menu item, or an upcoming event. The best part? These updates now appear front and center when people view your business on Google Search or Maps.
I was scrolling through Google Maps yesterday looking for a local coffee shop, and boom—there it was! A "What's Happening" section showing me their new seasonal drinks. I clicked through immediately. That's exactly the kind of instant engagement we're all after.
How It's Different From the Old Google Posts
I've been using Google Posts for years, and let me tell you, this is a major upgrade:
- Your updates are way more visible—no more hiding in some hard-to-find tab
- The content appears in a more eye-catching format that actually gets noticed
- Early reports suggest these updates might stick around longer than the usual 7-day limit
A friend who runs a boutique downtown started using it last week and texted me: "My profile views are up 20% since I posted about our spring collection!" That's the kind of real impact we're talking about.
How I'm Planning to Use It (And You Should Too)
Here's my game plan for making the most of this feature:
- Weekly specials: I'm going to highlight something fresh every week to give people a reason to keep checking back.
- Behind-the-scenes peeks: People love seeing what's happening in real-time at your business.
- Limited-time offers: Creating some urgency with 48-hour flash promotions that people don't want to miss.
What I love is that this update takes almost no extra time—we're already creating this content anyway, but now it gets the spotlight it deserves.
Is This Available for Everyone?
Google is rolling this out gradually, so don't panic if you don't see it yet in your dashboard. I checked three of my clients' accounts yesterday—two had it, one didn't.
To check if you have access:
- Log into your Google Business Profile
- Look for the "What's Happening" section in your dashboard
- If it's there, you're good to go!
Why This Matters for Your Bottom Line
Think about it—when was the last time you made a quick decision about where to eat or shop based on what you saw on Google? Probably pretty recently.
With "What's Happening," we can influence those split-second decisions by putting our most exciting, current information right in front of potential customers at the exact moment they're deciding where to go.
It's like having a mini billboard in Google's search results, except this one you can update whenever you want, for free!
In my 10+ years of local marketing, I've rarely seen a Google update this practical and immediately useful for small businesses. If you haven't checked your Google Business Profile lately, now's the time.
What would you share in your "What's Happening" section? I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments!
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