Why Your Winery Can't Post Updates on Google (And What Actually Works)

If you've been trying to add updates, promotions, or event posts to your Google Business Profile and hit a brick wall, you're not alone. Wine businesses across Australia face a frustrating restriction that has nothing to do with your account setup or technical issues.

Here's what's really happening—and more importantly, how to work around it.

Why is Google blocking your winery's posts?

Google restricts the standard "Posts" and "Updates" feature for all alcohol-related businesses, including wineries, wine shops, breweries, and distilleries. This isn't a bug. It's intentional.

Because alcohol is classified as regulated content under Google's policies, any posts where alcohol products are the focal point get automatically rejected. This applies whether you post directly through Google or use third-party management tools.

The restriction is global and applies consistently. And unfortunately, there's no way to appeal it or work around it using standard posts.

What CAN you actually do on your Google Business Profile?

The good news: there's a workaround that Google explicitly allows and actually performs better than regular posts.

Tours & Activities is your solution.

Google's Tours & Activities feature is separate from the standard posts section and isn't subject to the same alcohol restrictions. Google makes this distinction deliberately: promoting the sale of a bottle of wine (a product) gets blocked, but promoting a wine tasting experience (an activity) is encouraged.

Wine tastings, vineyard tours, private tastings, food pairings, and educational experiences all qualify and display beautifully on Google Search and Maps in an attractive carousel format.

Benefits of using Tours & Activities for your winery

Tours & Activities listings display in a prominent carousel on Google Search and Maps results. Tourists actively searching for wine experiences in your region will find you here. You can add direct booking links to your website, so potential customers move straight into your booking system. These listings aren't blocked by alcohol content restrictions, so you can promote your tasting menu, tours, and experiences freely.

What IS allowed on your Google Business Profile

✓ Tours and activities (wine tastings, vineyard tours, private tastings, food pairings)

✓ Basic business information (name, address, phone, hours)

✓ Photos of your venue exterior, interior, and vineyards

✓ Atmosphere and customer photos (wine visible in context is acceptable)

✓ Team photos

✓ Responding to reviews

✓ Services section

✓ Business description

✓ Booking and reservation links

✓ Menu editor for wines by the glass or bottle (if categorised as Winery or Restaurant)

What is NOT allowed on your Google Business Profile

✗ Standard posts and updates

✗ Promotional posts featuring alcohol products

✗ Adding alcohol to the "Products" retail section (for bottle sales)

✗ Photos focused primarily on alcohol bottles

✗ Videos where alcohol is the main focus

✗ Offer posts promoting alcohol sales

How to maximise your winery's Google presence without posts

Since standard posts are off the table, focus your energy on the channels that actually work for wine businesses:

Add all your experiences to Tours & Activities. This is where wine businesses get real traction. List every tasting, tour, and experience available. These appear in search results and on maps.

Optimise your business description. Use local keywords like "wine tasting Central Coast" or "vineyard tours Sydney" so potential customers find you in search.

Build your photos strategically. Show your vineyard, tasting room, events, and team. Context matters; wine in a natural setting is fine.

Use your Services section. List tasting types, tour lengths, and what visitors get. This helps Google understand what you offer.

Respond to reviews consistently. This keeps your profile active and builds trust with potential customers.

Set up the Menu Editor if you're categorised as a Winery or Restaurant. This lets you display wines by the glass or bottle for on-site consumption (not retail sales).

The real opportunity for wine businesses: Your ecommerce website

Wine businesses have spent years frustrated by Google Business Profile posting restrictions. But here's what I've found working with wineries since 2014: the businesses winning on local search aren't the ones chasing workarounds for posts.

They're the ones using their Google Business Profile as the gateway—optimised with photos, description, reviews, and Tours & Activities—and driving customers to a properly configured ecommerce website where the real product showcase happens.

Your website is where Google's alcohol restrictions don't apply. If your website has proper age-gating in place (verifying visitors are 18+ before accessing wine product pages), you can showcase your full range, add detailed product descriptions, feature pricing, run promotions, and build an actual sales channel.

Google knows the difference between a restricted platform (like their own Business Profile) and a verified age-restricted destination (your website). Your Google Business Profile funnels customers. Your website closes the sale.

That's the strategy most wineries miss. They optimise the profile but leave their website bare, generic, or not optimised for local search. Your website should be a seamless extension of your profile—with local keywords, wine product content, tasting descriptions, online booking integration, and customer reviews all working together.

The complete picture for wine businesses looks like this:

Google Business Profile → Drives local awareness and foot traffic to your venue or tours.

Your age-gated ecommerce website → Sells bottles, builds email lists, captures customer data, and ranks for wine-specific keywords you can't target on Google Maps.

Local citations and backlinks → Signal authority and help both your profile and website rank better.

When these three work together, that's when wine businesses actually see results. Most stop at the profile. The winners connect it to a bigger strategy.

What should you do next?

If you're a winery or wine business in Australia, don't waste more time trying to post about your wines on Google. Instead, focus on what actually moves customers through the door: visibility on Google Search and Maps, an optimised profile that ranks for local keywords, and a website strategy that captures every customer journey—from discovery on Google to purchase on your site.

If your Google Business Profile isn't set up to do this work—or if you're not sure where to start with local SEO and website strategy—book a free 15-minute audit with me. I'll show you exactly what's holding you back and what to fix first.

Book Your Free 15-Minute Audit: We'll Identify the Quick Wins Holding Your Winery Back

I've spent over a decade helping wine businesses on the Central Coast and Sydney get found locally. I know this industry, I know these restrictions, and I know what actually converts.

Let's get your winery visible where customers are looking.