8 Tips For Adding Photos & Videos To Your Google Business Profile

Google encourages us to add photos to our business profiles, but does the type and quality of the photos matter? Google AI can now read photos, meaning what you post affects how Google AND customers see your brand. Here are 8 tips on adding photos & videos to your Google My Business (GBP) profile.

☑️ First, learn how to add photos to your Google Business Profile

Contents

1. Understand why photos are important to GBP

2. Quality over quantity

3. Post photos often

4. Don’t use stock photos

5. Keep your photos bright

6. Make sure your photos are straight

7. Post before & after photos (if applicable)

8. How to Post Videos to Your Google Business Profile

Understand why photos are important to GBP

Google recognizes the importance of photos when purchasing a product or using a service. It makes your business appear more professional and trustworthy, making customers more likely to visit your website or storefront.
Google Business Profile Help lists tips for adding different photos to your profile and how customers perceive each type. You can find the complete list of tips at the link above, but here is a shortened version of what Google is saying about business-specific photos:

• Exterior photos help the customer know what to look for when they arrive at your business in different ways (i.e., do you have one or two entrances? Can people find you easily? What sign do they look out for?)
• Interior photos help the customer determine the “feel” of your business. For example, is it cozy, modern, bohemian, fresh… etc?
• Product photos allow the customer to see what your products or services look like. This is where before & after photos might come in handy.
• Photos at work show the customer what you do.
• Food & drink photos should be appetizing and sway the customer to try it out.
• Common area photos (such as a hotel lobby) are essential to travelers and business people.
• Rooms (such as a hotel room) show the potential customer the style, cleanliness, comfortability, and room amenities.
• Team photos help make your GBP personal. Customers love a tight-knit business and want to see who’s behind the product and service.

Quality over quantity

Google shares that customers are more likely to ask for driving directions to a business if their GBP has photos than not.

But let’s take a second and think about it! The majority of consumers, including yourself, would be more likely to visit a restaurant with 2 or 3 high-quality meal photos than a restaurant with 10+ pictures of food on their menu that are blurry, crooked, and potentially “messy” looking. Of course, both restaurants make excellent food, but where would you be more likely to visit for dinner?

So, prioritize the quality of your photos over how many you post. Remember that creating your GBP is a process that does not need to be 100% optimized on the first day. Instead, take your time and post meaningful, quality photos.

Post photos often

Posting photos at least 1x a week shows both Google and potential customers that you’re actively in business. It shows that you’re attentive and cares about updating your customers, and also keeps things consistent, which the Google algorithm likes.

Don’t use stock photos

Google has a specific policy regarding the usage of stock photos in GBP. If you don’t own the photo and if it doesn’t accurately and genuinely reflect your particular product, service, or business, then don’t post it. If you use stock photos, you risk being flagged and your Google My Business not showing up to customers at all.

Stock photos are those photos found on websites like iStock & Shutterstock, where you can purchase the rights to use a photo that is not yours on your website, blog, or project without a watermark. While these can be great for websites and other purposes, they ultimately do not reflect who you are as a company. Google wants relevant content ONLY!