Photos and images in Google My Business listings

Fine feathers make fine birds, don’t they? Yes, they do. Painfully so. When we rate a place, a company, or other users, we all pay attention to photos and images published online.

Did you know that people can recall up to 80% of what they have seen but less than 20% of what they have read?

If a business hopes to manage its Google My Business listing properly, its profile must contain high-quality photos and graphics.

It’s not as easy as it seems. In this tutorial, we will share some advice and guidelines on choosing, editing, and publishing photos on your business listing.

Types of images and photos used on Google My Business listings

There is a range of photos and images that could be uploaded onto your listing. Google has also set strict guidelines regarding graphics and photo parameters. Keep that in mind, as photos that fail to comply with the policies will often be automatically cropped.

Before you begin creating the visuals for your business listing, familiarise yourself with the following restrictions. This will help you prepare photos, images, and other graphics in accordance with Google My Business’s terms.

Logo as your profile photo — a true keystone

It may seem obvious, but a listing that doesn’t display a profile photo is far less attractive and, worse yet, less credible. We trust you know this: your company logo will be the first image that enriches your business profile.

It will help your business stand out in the comments section and increase its recognisability among users. This will be the first step in building a coherent visual identity on GMB.

Add a cover photo

This photo will be visible at the top of your profile. The photo is of immense importance as your profile photo is the preferred image to appear with search results.

For this reason, it should be a photo that faithfully represents the nature of your business or brand. Be aware that your cover photo is the first thing any customer will see – so there is no pressure there. 

360 images

Spherical panorama images, or 360-degree images, are becoming increasingly popular. They’re an interesting tool that many users find exceedingly attractive. You could also use 360 photos to create a virtual tour. This might be a valuable resource if you plan to show your customers the insides of your business location.

Product photos

If possible, feature products in your GMB listings’ visuals. Product photos will help you showcase your offer. Naturally, this does not involve taking pictures of every item you have in stock. Cherry picks a few products and promotes them online. Google recommends you select a minimum of three products. Consider hiring a professional photographer, as the photos simply must be outstanding.

Interior photos 

According to Google, 62% of users favor listings that display photos of a company’s interiors. That’s a significant majority; accordingly, it’s essential to prepare an array of such photos. Google My Business is a platform users turn to in search of information about your business; make sure you provide them with plenty.

Storefront photos

The insides are covered; let’s look outside. Contrary to popular belief, exterior photos are a desired feature of Google My Business listings. Such images provide a reference to customers looking for your location and may well help them reach the place should they have problems finding you.

Photo dimensions for GMB listing or mind the size

Photo size does matter. Google recommends uploading photos between 10kb to 5MB in size. This gives you a wide enough margin not to cause any troubleshooting. However, if you decide to use a larger photo or image for your GMB listing, you can always use a variety of software or online services to compress the file free of charge.

For example, you could use a web service called I Love IMG. It’s an easy way to quickly compress photos and more. Functionalities there are numerous.

Resolution guidelines for GMB

Photo dimensions are equally important. Optimal photo resolutions are:

• 250 × 250 pixels for your profile photo,
• 1080 × 608 pixels for a cover photo,
• 720 × 720 pixels for standard photos.

Make sure photos are in focus and well-lit. Additionally, avoid applying multiple filters, as Google tends to notice this. In other words, the images should be true and faithful.

How to choose your photo format

Google endorses certain formats, too. We can choose between two formats: JPG or PNG. It’s advisable to adhere to the recommendation, so if you have files in a different format, please convert them. You can use the online service mentioned above; I love IMG to do that.

Photos published with Google My Business posts

To manage your listing well and make it stand out online to entice potential customers, you will need to publish posts regularly. Such posts should also contain images.

An ideal photo should be 1200 × 900 pixels and fit a 4:3 image ratio.

The effort you put into editing your visuals to fulfill the requirements set by GMB will pay off later. Images and photos factor in ranking, but most of all, they help you build an active, interesting profile. 

Customers are bound to appreciate your efforts, so quit stalling, go grab a camera, and get to work!