Setting Holiday Hours on Google So Customers Don't Show Up to a Locked Door

Special hours let you set different hours for specific dates without changing your regular weekly schedule. You can mark a day as closed, or set shorter or longer hours. After the date passes, your profile goes back to your normal hours automatically.

You'll find the option in the hours section when editing your Business Profile. Many businesses never notice it.

The obvious reason is customer experience. People trust Google's hours, and when they're wrong, the customer blames you, not Google.

There's another reason. Google sometimes asks businesses to confirm their hours before holidays, and it may show a note on profiles that haven't confirmed. Keeping hours accurate is part of keeping a profile complete and trustworthy, which supports how you show up.

Thanksgiving gets attention, but the day after often doesn't. Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are frequently partial days. Many service businesses also change hours the week between Christmas and New Year's. Set special hours for every day that differs from normal, not just the big ones.

If you're opening extra hours, like a retailer staying open late for Small Business Saturday, set those too. More hours shown accurately can mean more visits.

If you're open normal hours on a holiday, you can confirm that as well. Customers often assume businesses are closed on holidays, so showing that you're open can bring in people who need you while competitors are shut.

Google isn't the only place customers check. Update your website, your Facebook page, Apple Maps through Apple Business Connect, Bing Places, and Yelp if you use them. Mention holiday hours in a Google Business Profile post and on your social accounts too.

If you offer emergency service on holidays, say so clearly, and make sure your phone is answered. A holiday emergency call is often one of the most valuable calls you'll get all year, and the business that answers wins it.

Open your profile today and set special hours for every date through New Year's Day. It takes five minutes. If you'd like a full review of your profile before the busy season, our free audit covers it.