Holiday 2025: The New Google Business Profile Tactics That Will Increase Local Sales

The 2025 holiday season is set to be one of the most competitive periods for local businesses – yet also one of the most opportunity-rich. As consumer behaviour leans more heavily toward hyper-local search and AI-driven recommendations, your Google Business Profile (GBP) has become one of the most influential tools for attracting customers.

Whether you run a café, retail shop, trades business, service company, or event space, the way your Google profile is built and maintained will directly affect how many people choose you over a competitor during the holiday rush. Below are the key GBP trends for 2025 – and the practical tactics that can help you capture more local sales this winter.

1. “Local Shopping Windows” Are Changing Consumer Behaviour

Short, high-intent visits are now the norm

Shoppers are no longer spending full days browsing from store to store. Instead, they’re planning short, focused “local shopping windows” – quick 60-90 minute trips where they visit two to four businesses in one area. These bursts are driven almost entirely by Google Maps and “near me” searches.

To capture this kind of traffic, your Google Business Profile needs to:

Appear for category-based searches like “gifts near me”, “holiday brunch Hastings”, or “contractors in Hastings County”
Show accurate, up-to-date holiday hours so customers can trust you’re open when they arrive
Highlight seasonal offers, services, and events in your description and Posts

A well-optimized profile ensures your business shows up when customers are ready to spend money within a very tight time window.

2. High-Quality Seasonal Photos Are Driving More Engagement

People are deciding based on what they see in Google, not your website

In 2025, more than ever, customers are making choices directly inside Google. Many never click through to a website—they make decisions based on your photos, reviews, and hours displayed in your GBP.

Google is also giving more screen space to images in map results. Large, bright, high-resolution seasonal photos are outperforming old or generic visuals. That means you should be uploading:

Photos of your holiday-decorated storefront or interior
Images of seasonal menu items, gift bundles, or special products
Event posters for holiday dinners, workshops, or pop-ups
Authentic shots of your team and community involvement

Aim to add 15–30 new seasonal photos between November and December. The more “active” and current your profile looks, the more often Google is willing to show it.

3. Google Posts Are Getting Prime On-Screen Real Estate

Your offers can appear directly under your business name

One of the biggest shifts this year is the expanded placement of Google Posts. In many views, Posts now appear directly
under your business name—sometimes even before reviews. That makes them a powerful way to promote holiday-specific offers.

During the holiday season, your Posts should focus on:

Special menus and holiday features (brunches, dinners, tastings, etc.)
Gift card promotions and limited-time discounts
Seasonal hours and extended opening times
Events such as workshops, live music, or community nights
Clear calls to action like “Book now”, “Call today”, or “Reserve your spot”

Posting at least 2–3 times per week in November and December helps keep your content fresh and gives you
a better chance of being featured prominently.

4. Gift Cards, Booking Links, and One-Click Actions Convert Better

Make it easy for people to act in the moment

Holiday shoppers value speed and simplicity. Google is increasingly promoting one-tap actions—gift card links, booking tools, order buttons, and “call now” options—directly in your profile. If you enable these features, you shorten the decision process and capture more impulse purchases.

Consider enabling:

A “Buy Gift Card” link for cafés, restaurants, salons, and retail shops
A “Request a Quote” button for trades and service businesses
Reservation or booking tools for events and holiday meals
A prominent “Call Now” button for quick stock or availability questions

These tools are especially effective in the high-pressure weeks leading up to the holidays, when people are trying to finalize plans quickly.

5. Review Velocity Matters More Than Just Review Count

Fresh feedback signals trust to both Google and your customers

While the total number of reviews is still important, Google is placing more emphasis on review velocity—the pace at which you receive new, authentic reviews.

Encourage happy customers to leave a review right after their purchase or appointment. You don’t need hundreds of reviews overnight; even 5–10 new holiday-season reviews can give your profile a noticeable boost and help you stand out in the local pack.

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Support for Hastings-area businesses and beyond

If you’re not sure where to start—or if your Google Business Profile hasn’t been touched in months—don’t worry. We can help you make the right changes quickly and strategically.

For anyone in the Hastings area or beyond, I One Media is offering a no-cost, no-obligation 30-minute consultation to walk you through the exact steps to optimize your Google Business Profile for the 2025 holiday season.

We are champions of small business and have supported entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship at every level for the last
25 years. If you want to increase visibility, improve your local ranking, and drive more holiday traffic, just reach out—
we’re happy to book a call, with no pressure and no strings attached.

I One Media is here to help you turn this holiday season into your strongest one yet.