The Google Business Profile Features Most Businesses Never Use — and the Leads They're Missing

You already have a Google Business Profile. You checked your hours, added a few photos, maybe replied to a review or two — and then left it alone. The trouble is that the features you're skipping are exactly the ones that turn a curious searcher into a phone call. Here's how to put the underused parts of your profile to work.

Why this beats your website some days

When someone in Regina pulls out their phone and searches “oil change near me” or “family dentist Moose Jaw,” Google often answers the whole question right there — before anyone clicks a single website. According to Think with Google, 76% of people who search for something nearby on their smartphone visit a business within a day, and 28% of those searches end in a purchase. Your Business Profile is what they see in that moment. BrightLocal’s research consistently finds the local “map pack” shows up in the vast majority of searches with local intent. So the profile isn't a nice-to-have listing; on many days it's the first — and sometimes only — impression your business makes. The good news: three of its most powerful tools are free and take minutes a week.

Google Posts: your free weekly spot on the results page

Google Posts — Google now calls them “updates” — let you publish a small card with an image, a line or two of text, and a button that shows up on your profile in Search and Maps. Think of it as a mini social post that lands exactly where customers are already looking for you.

What kinds of posts can I use?

There are three types worth knowing. “What's new” updates are general announcements — a new service, a staff hire, a seasonal reminder — and they roll off after about seven days, so they reward a steady rhythm. “Offer” posts highlight a promotion with start and end dates and a “View offer” button. “Event” posts stay live through the event's end date. For a Saskatoon auto shop, that might be a “Winter tire changeover — book now” offer in October, a “We're open Saturdays through the holidays” update, and an event post for a customer-appreciation day.

Do Google Posts actually help me rank?

Be honest with yourself here: posting weekly is unlikely to move you up the local rankings on its own. What Posts do is take up more space on the results page with your message and your call-to-action, and give a ready-to-act customer an obvious next step — “Call,” “Book,” or “Learn more.” Pair each post with a button that goes to the right page — a booking form, not just your homepage — and you shorten the path between “I found you” and “I booked.” You can see Google's own rules for posts in the Business Profile Help centre.

Products: the most overlooked space in your whole profile

The Products section lets you add items with a photo, a name, a price or price range, and a short description. Retailers use it for obvious reasons, but this is where most service businesses leave money on the table — and you don't need a store to use it. A body shop can list “Collision repair,” “Paintless dent removal,” and “Windshield replacement,” each with a photo and a sentence. A dentist can list “New patient exam,” “Teeth whitening,” and “Emergency visits.” These entries give Google — and increasingly its AI-generated summaries — clear, structured information about exactly what you offer, and they turn your profile into something closer to a browsable menu. When a customer can see you do the specific thing they need before they even click, they're far more likely to reach out.

Q&A: the section your competitors might be answering for you

The Questions & Answers section on your profile is public, and here's the catch: anyone can ask a question, and anyone can answer it. If you're not watching it, a well-meaning stranger — or a competitor — could be answering questions about your business incorrectly. The fix is simple and takes an afternoon. Seed the section yourself: post the ten or fifteen questions you hear most (“Do you offer courtesy vehicles?” “Do you take walk-ins?” “Do you service EVs?”), then answer them clearly from your business account. You control the information, you fill your profile with the exact phrases customers search for, and you spare your front desk from repeating the same answers all day.

Can't I still message customers on Google?

This one has changed, and it's worth being clear about. Google shut down its built-in Business Profile chat. Per Google's own announcement, customers could no longer start new conversations after July 15, 2024, and the messaging feature — along with call history — was removed entirely on July 31, 2024. If you remember a little “Message” button on your profile, that's why it's gone; don't waste time hunting for it. Instead, make your other contact paths effortless: keep your phone number current, add a booking or appointment link, make sure your website's own chat or contact form works on a phone, and lean on channels you control like WhatsApp, Facebook, or a website chat widget. The goal is the same as it always was — let a customer reach you the second they're ready, with as little friction as possible.

The Futura Services take

Most local businesses treat their Google Business Profile like a phone-book entry: set it once, forget it. But the profile is really a small, free storefront that Google shows to ready-to-buy customers dozens of times a day. The businesses winning in Regina, Moose Jaw, and Saskatoon aren't necessarily spending more — they're using the free tools their competitors ignore. Post something every week. Fill out your Products with real services and photos. Own your Q&A instead of letting it own you. Fifteen minutes a week on these three things will do more for your leads than another month of hoping the website carries the load. And because Google's own chat is gone, the businesses that make their remaining contact paths dead-simple will quietly capture the customers everyone else lets slip away.

Want to know which of these your profile is missing? Reach us at [email protected] or visit futuraservices.ca for a free digital visibility audit — we'll show you exactly where your Google Business Profile is leaving leads on the table, and the handful of changes that fix it.

Sources: Think with Google — How Mobile Search Connects Consumers to Stores; Google Business Communications — Update on Google Business Messages; BrightLocal — Local Consumer Review Survey 2025; Google Business Profile Help — Create & manage posts.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I post to my Google Business Profile?

Aim for at least once a week. “What's new” updates fade after about seven days, so a weekly rhythm keeps fresh content and a fresh call-to-action on your profile at all times. Consistency matters more than volume — a simple, useful post every week beats five posts in one day followed by silence.

Do I need an online store to use the Products feature?

No. The Products section works just as well for services. List your core services — like “Brake service” or “New patient exam” — each with a photo, a price or price range, and a short description. It gives Google and its AI summaries clear information about what you offer and helps customers see you do exactly what they need.

Someone posted a wrong answer in my Q&A — what do I do?

You can't delete another person's answer outright, but you can add your own correct answer from your business account and report anything that violates Google's policies. The best defence is to seed the section with your own questions and answers so accurate information is front and centre before anyone else weighs in.

Is Google Business Profile messaging really gone?

Yes. Google stopped new chats on July 15, 2024, and removed the built-in messaging feature and call history entirely on July 31, 2024. If you relied on it, move customers to your phone line, a booking link, your website's contact form, or a channel you control like WhatsApp or Facebook.

Will using these features help me rank higher on Google?

Posts, Products, and Q&A are mainly conversion tools, not direct ranking levers — they help you win the click and the call more than they lift your position. The things that move local rankings are a complete, accurate profile, steady reviews, and relevance to the search. Use these features to convert the visibility you earn, and pair them with the fundamentals.