Quick answer
Google Business Profile post views are now reported globally across Search and Maps for all post types, with an 18-month window and no API access. A view is exposure, not a customer. Run eight UTM-tagged posts over 30 days, record views alongside clicks, profile actions and qualified leads, then decide by funnel stage rather than by view count.
- Views combine Search and Maps; 18-month window; no API
- Eight posts, two per week, UTM-tagged from day one
- Judge by clicks, profile actions and qualified leads
Post views are the metric local business owners have asked for since Google Posts existed. Now that they are reported, the temptation is to treat a rising view count as proof that posting works. It is not proof of anything except that the post was seen.
This is a test plan, not a theory. Thirty days, eight posts, fixed measurement fields, and decision rules written before you look at the data.
What is confirmed, and what is not
Search Engine Roundtable documented a test of this reporting on August 20, 2026. Search Engine Journal then reported Google's September bulletin confirming the rollout. From that bulletin:
- Global rollout, not a limited test.
- An 18-month data window.
- All post types included.
- Search and Maps views combined into one figure.
- No API availability.
What is not available, and should not be inferred:
- A split between Search views and Maps views.
- Who saw the post, or what they searched for.
- Whether a view led to any action without your own tracking.
Because Search and Maps are combined, a change in the total cannot be attributed to either surface. Say so in the report rather than guessing.
The 30-day test
Eight posts, two per week, four post types repeated twice so each type has a pair.
| Week | Post A | Post B |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service explainer for your highest-margin service | Offer or seasonal promotion with a clear deadline |
| 2 | Proof post: a completed job, before and after, or a review quote | Question post answering the objection you hear on every call |
| 3 | Service explainer, second service line | Offer, different framing of the same value |
| 4 | Proof post, different neighbourhood or job type | Question post, second most common objection |
Keep everything else steady. Do not change hours, categories, photos or the website during the window, or you will not know what moved the number.
UTM plan
Every post link carries the same structure so the spreadsheet and analytics agree:
- utm_source = google
- utm_medium = gbp_post
- utm_campaign = postviews_sep2026
- utm_content = post type plus number, for example proof_02
Point every link at a page that already exists and already converts. A test is not the moment to introduce a new landing page as a second variable.
Measurement fields
One row per post, filled on a fixed day each week:
| Field | Source | Funnel stage |
|---|---|---|
| Post views (Search and Maps combined) | Business Profile | Exposure |
| Sessions from the UTM link | Analytics | Interest |
| Calls, direction requests, website clicks | Business Profile | Intent |
| Form submissions and phone enquiries | Analytics and phone log | Lead |
| Qualified leads | CRM | Pipeline |
Because there is no API, this is manual entry. Put it in one person's calendar rather than assuming it will happen.
Decision rules, written in advance
- Views up, intent actions up. The post type earns more of your calendar. Repeat the format, vary the subject.
- Views up, intent actions flat. The post is seen and ignored. The problem is the offer or the call to action, not the frequency.
- Views low across all types. Exposure is the constraint, which is usually a profile completeness and category issue rather than a posting issue.
- Intent actions up, qualified leads flat. You are attracting the wrong enquiries. Tighten the wording on service scope and price expectation.
Vancouver context
Two local realities shape how you read the results. First, Vancouver service areas cross municipal boundaries that customers do not think in, so a post naming Burnaby, Richmond or the North Shore often performs differently from one naming Vancouver alone. Second, seasonality is sharp here for trades and outdoor work, so a September test result is a September result. Re-run in a different season before treating it as a rule.
Our own current profile figures for this period are not being published here, and we are not reusing older numbers as if they were current. Search volume, difficulty, CPC, ranking and local performance data for this topic are unavailable, so none appear.
After the 30 days
- Rank the four post types by intent actions, not by views.
- Keep the two strongest, replace the weakest, and run a second cycle.
- Move the winning post copy into your local SEO plan and onto the matching service page.
- Check the copy length and clarity of the winners with our SEO Content Analyzer.
- Fold the fields into your standing monthly report so the next cycle starts with a baseline.
Want this test run for you?
Book a free 30-minute consultation. We will set up the posting cadence, the tracking and the reporting so the result is a decision, not a view count.
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