If you want customers to find the right details over the festive period, set your Google Business Profile Christmas opening hours now, while it’s still November. Once December starts, people search “open near me” constantly. A listing that shows normal hours on Christmas Eve, or says nothing about New Year’s Eve, sends customers to whoever has it right.

This guide walks through the changes worth making, in the order we’d do them. It’s written for pubs, salons, restaurants and shops in Welwyn Garden City, Hertford, St Albans, Harpenden and across Hertfordshire, but it works anywhere.

Why your Google listing matters more in December

Your Google Business Profile is the free listing that appears when someone searches for your business or for something like “hair salon near me”. It shows your hours, phone number, photos, reviews and website link.

In the weeks before Christmas, people are short on time. They check a listing, see “Open” or “Closed”, and decide. They rarely click through to your website to double-check. If your listing is wrong, you lose the visit, and you may also get a bad review from someone who turned up to a locked door.

If you’d like the background on why this listing matters at all, we’ve covered it in Should We Care About Google Listings?.

Step 1: Set special hours on your Google listing

Special hours are one-off changes that override your normal weekly hours on specific dates. They’re the right tool for bank holidays, early closes and one-off late nights. You don’t have to edit your regular hours and then remember to change them back.

To add them, search for your business name while signed in to the Google account that manages the listing, or use the Google Maps app. Choose to edit your profile, find the hours section and add special hours for the dates that differ.

Go through the whole festive calendar rather than just Christmas Day:

  • Christmas Eve (many businesses close early)
  • Christmas Day
  • Boxing Day
  • The days between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve, if your hours change
  • New Year’s Eve (late opening or an early close)
  • New Year’s Day
  • The first few days of January, if you’re closed for a break

If you’re closed for several days, mark each date as closed rather than leaving it blank. A blank date falls back to your normal hours, which is exactly what you’re trying to avoid.

Also check your phone number and website link while you’re in there. It takes a minute and catches more errors than you’d expect.

Step 2: Post festive offers and events

Google Business Profile posts are short updates that appear on your listing. Think of them as a noticeboard in your shop window. They won’t transform your results alone, but they show customers you’re active and give them a reason to choose you.

Good festive posts are specific and useful:

  • Pubs and restaurants: Christmas menu dates, party booking deadlines, Christmas Eve and Boxing Day hours
  • Salons and barbers: last Christmas appointment dates, gift vouchers, party-season styling slots
  • Shops: late-night shopping evenings, gift ideas, last order dates for personalised items

Keep each post short, add a clear photo, and use the button option where it fits, such as “Book”, “Call” or “Learn more”. If an offer has an end date, set it, so you’re not advertising a deal that finished on the 20th.

Posts take a few minutes each. Plan three or four across November and December rather than doing one big burst. If you already share festive content on Instagram or Facebook, much of it can be reused here. If keeping up with that is a struggle, our social media management service is built for exactly that.

New Year’s Eve is when a lot of venues fill up, and people often decide late. Make it easy to book straight from your listing.

Check three things:

  1. Your booking or appointment link. Where your profile allows it, make sure the link goes to a page where someone can book, not just your homepage. If you take bookings by phone only, make sure the number is correct and prominent.
  2. A New Year’s Eve post. Include what’s on, the time, how to book and any deposit or ticket details. Say clearly if you’re fully booked or only have a few tables left.
  3. The page behind the link. If the link opens a page that’s slow, out of date or awkward on a phone, people give up. Most of these searches happen on mobile.

If you’re taking bookings through messages and spreadsheets, a simple online booking page can save a lot of hassle. Our websites and booking software are designed for small businesses that want a straightforward way to take bookings.

Step 4: Check photos, services and descriptions

Special hours and posts get attention, but the rest of your profile has to back them up. Spend ten minutes on these:

  • Photos: Add a few recent images. A decorated front window, your Christmas menu, a festive cocktail, a styled gift display. Customers like to see that the place looks as they expect. Remove anything clearly out of date.
  • Services or menu: Update your services list or menu so it matches what you actually offer in December. Add party packages, gift vouchers or seasonal items if they apply.
  • Business description: If you mention your opening times or offers here, make sure they’re not contradicting your special hours.
  • Attributes: Check details like outdoor seating, wheelchair access, takeaway or booking required. Customers use these to decide.
  • Questions and reviews: Reply to recent reviews, and answer any questions people have left on your profile. A quick, polite reply shows you’re paying attention.

Step 5: Do a last check as a customer would

Once you’ve made your changes, search for your business on your phone. Look at the hours shown for Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve. Click the website and booking links. Look at your photos as a stranger would.

Google can take a little time to show changes, which is another reason to do this in November rather than on 23 December. Add a reminder for early January to remove old posts and check your normal hours are showing again.

Where to go from here

Once the festive rush is sorted, it’s worth thinking about how the listing performs the rest of the year. Regular posts, fresh photos, review replies and accurate details all add up over time. That’s the day-to-day work behind Google listing optimisation.

If you’d rather not do it yourself, our listing packages are Basic at £49 a month, Pro at £99 a month and Ultra at £149 a month. There are no contracts, so you can cancel any time. We can’t promise a number one spot on Google, because nobody honestly can. What we do promise is the work, clear reporting and the reasoning behind every change.

FAQs

How far in advance should I set my Christmas opening hours on Google?

Early November is a sensible time, and a few weeks before Christmas is the latest we’d leave it. Special hours can be scheduled for future dates, so you can set them once and forget about them. It also leaves time to fix anything that doesn’t show correctly.

What’s the difference between normal hours and special hours?

Normal hours are your regular weekly pattern. Special hours apply to specific dates only and override the normal hours on those days. Use special hours for bank holidays and one-off changes, so your usual hours stay untouched.

Do Google Business Profile posts help me rank higher?

We can’t promise they’ll improve your ranking, and we’d be wary of anyone who does. Posts do give customers up-to-date information, such as offers, dates and booking details, right where they’re deciding. That alone makes them worth doing.

What if I’m closed on certain days over Christmas and New Year?

Mark each of those dates as closed in your special hours. Don’t leave them blank, as Google will assume your normal hours apply. It’s also worth a short post saying when you reopen.

Can I update my listing from my phone?

Yes. You can edit hours, add photos and publish posts from the Google Maps app or by searching for your business while signed in to the right account. If you can’t find the option, check you’re using the account that owns the listing.

Need a hand before the party rush?

If you’d like someone to check your listing, set up your festive hours and tidy the details, get in touch and we’ll point you in the right direction. We’re based in Welwyn Garden City and work with local businesses across Hertfordshire and North London. You can also see what else we do on the Groove Marketing homepage.