How to add and manage photos on your Google Business Profile

Including images on your business’ Google Business Profile is a great way to shape the first impression your prospective customers get. This guide will help you add photos if you’ve never done so before and teach the steps needed to manage the existing images. To get more advanced techniques for optimizing your GBP, make a free Widewail Academy account.

If you want your GBP to have some personality, some life; include a variety of photos of your business to make sure your prospects have a clear picture of you before they make contact. 

Distinguishing between the kinds of images you can add is key. You don’t want them showing up in the wrong places.

Adding a GBP Cover Image

Your logo (if submitted) will typically appear in Google's search engine results page (SERP) right-hand knowledge panel, separated from your image gallery.

You can also set a larger, banner-style cover photo that you think best reflects your business. If you offer a main product, feature it there. If you perform a service, make sure you highlight this service in visual action. If you have a physical storefront, a photo of your building could also be useful as a cover photo. Or even a group photo of your employees. Here is a longer list of Google Business Profile cover image best practices: 

1. Optimal Image Size: Typically, a cover photo size of 1024 x 576 pixels with a 16:9 aspect ratio will look decent. This ensures the image fits well on both desktop and mobile devices, maintaining high resolution.
2. Desktop vs. Mobile: Due to obvious device screen size differences, your cover image may still appear differently on mobile. Test and resize as needed until you're happy with the visual experience. everywhere. 
   
3. Image Types: Choose photographs that quickly identify your business, such as shots of the storefront - or interior if it better represents your services. Ensure the images are well-lit and avoid excessive filters to maintain authenticity.
4. File Format and Size: Use JPG or PNG files between 10 KB and 5 MB to meet Google's requirements.
5. High-Quality Images: High-resolution images reflect professionalism and can increase consumer confidence. Consider using a professional camera or photographer for the best results.
6. Authenticity: Avoid stock images. Use real photos of your business, team, and products to provide social proof and build trust with potential customers.
   
   

Adding a Business Image Gallery

Other business photos can be split into a few categories; Google distinguishes between exterior photos, interior shots, product images, photos at work, food and drink photos, common areas, rooms for hotels or hospitality businesses, and team photos. Adding approximately three images per category is recommended. 

As is clear from Widewail’s own business profile, there are other images displayed beside the ones we added ourselves.

Automatically imported from Google Maps and featured on your profile are a map with your pinpointed location and a helpful street view. Google suggests adding other exterior shots of your business so that prospective customers can find your business easily. 

To add new images:

1. Sign in to the Google account you used to create your Google Business Profile.
2. You can find your Business Profile by searching on Google for your exact business name. Alternatively, you can search for “my business.”
3. Click Promote -> Add Photos.
4. Choose and add your photo.

You may find yourself in a position where you need to remove images. If you’ve changed locations or updated your product, you should take down old images and upload new ones.

To remove existing photos:

1. Go to your Google Busines Profile
2. Select Photos -> By Owner 
3. Choose one of your images that you want to delete
4. In the top right, select the trash icon -> Delete

Some tips on how to look your best

No one wants to see blurry pictures, and Google won’t be able to upload pictures that are too large. Make sure your photos meet a few basic standards:

• Keep your images in JPG or PNG format. 
• Make sure their size is between 10KB and 5 MB. If you need to shave off a few KB, we recommend running images through tinypng.com for lossless compression.
• We recommend keeping the resolution at 720 px tall, 720 px wide, but the minimum resolution is 250 px tall, 250 px wide. Keeping it closer to 720 px will be better if prospects want to enlarge the images and potentially zoom in on the juicy details. 

Once your images are uploaded, just search for your business again to double-check that everything looks good. The right images are crucial in making your business look attractive and trustworthy to a new prospect searching the web. 

For more insights on optimizing your online presence, check out Widewail Academy’s GBP 101 and GBP 201 Courses - totally free to access.