How to Set Holiday Hours on Your Google Business Profile Before Customers Find a Locked Door
Few things cost a local business goodwill faster than a customer who drives across town on Christmas Eve and finds the door locked, even though Google said you were open. It only takes a few minutes to set holiday hours on your Google Business Profile, and doing it before the season starts saves you from angry calls, disappointed customers, and the bad reviews that sometimes follow.
Why Holiday Hours on Google Matter
When someone searches for your business on Google or opens Google Maps, the hours they see come from your Business Profile, not your website or the sign on your door. Your regular hours stay in place until you tell Google otherwise. So if you close early on Thanksgiving or take Christmas Day off and don’t update your profile, Google will keep telling people you’re open.
How to Set Holiday Hours, Step by Step
Google calls these “special hours.” According to Google’s help page on business hours, here’s how to add them:
- Go to your Business Profile.
- Select Edit profile, then Hours.
- In the Business hours section, next to Special hours, select Edit.
- Choose the date. You can review a date Google suggests, or add your own with Add a date.
- Enter your hours for that day. If you’re closed all day, check the Closed box. If you’re open, make sure Closed is unchecked and enter your opening and closing times.
- Select Save.
Special hours are meant for short changes. Google’s help page says that if you’ll be closed for seven or more days in a row, or for an unknown length of time, you should mark the business as temporarily closed instead.
Confirm Your Hours Even When They Don’t Change
This step is easy to skip. Google’s help page recommends confirming your hours for official holidays even when they’re the same as your regular hours. That way customers know the hours they’re seeing for that day are accurate. If you’re open your normal hours on the Friday after Thanksgiving, say so. People shopping that day want to be sure.
The Holidays to Set This Season
Here are the dates most local businesses should look at between now and New Year’s:
- Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 26
- Black Friday: Friday, November 27
- Small Business Saturday: Saturday, November 28
- Christmas Eve: Thursday, December 24
- Christmas Day: Friday, December 25
- New Year’s Eve: Thursday, December 31
- New Year’s Day: Friday, January 1
If you’re staying open later for holiday shoppers, add those extended hours too. Longer hours are a reason for someone to choose you, but only if they know about them. Our Black Friday marketing ideas and Small Business Saturday plan can help you make the most of those days.
Tell People Everywhere Else, Too
Google is often the first place people check, but it isn’t the only one. Once your Business Profile is updated, make the rest match:
- Post on social media. A simple graphic with your holiday hours, posted the week before and pinned to the top of your page.
- Update your website. Add a short notice near the top of your homepage and on your contact page.
- Put a sign on the door. Customers who stop by in person will see it before the holiday.
- Email your customers. Fold your holiday hours into your next email so regulars can plan ahead.
- Update other listings. Apple Maps, Yelp, Facebook, and any directory you’re on should say the same thing as Google.
For more ways to stay visible this time of year, see our 25 holiday marketing ideas for local businesses.
Check That It Worked
After you save, search for your business on Google from your phone and look at the hours for one of the dates you set. If something looks wrong, go back and fix it before the holiday arrives. If your business doesn’t show up at all when you search, that’s a bigger problem; here’s why a business might not show up on Google Maps.
While you’re in your profile, the holidays are a busy time to collect new feedback too. Here’s how to ask for reviews with simple scripts you can use today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to set holiday hours if I’m open my regular hours?
It’s a good idea. Google recommends confirming your hours for official holidays even when they don’t change, so customers can trust what they see.
What if I’m closing for a week or more?
Google’s help page says special hours are for closures of up to six days in a row. For seven or more days, mark your business as temporarily closed instead.
Let Us Keep Your Profile Up to Date
Holiday hours are one of a dozen small updates that keep a Google Business Profile working for you all year. Digital Maestro keeps Google Business Profiles current and posts on social media for local businesses, so your customers always know when you’re open.
