Which Photos to Put on Your Google Listing

A real picture of your counter, your truck or your chair is worth more than a clever caption. People are not looking for polish. They want to see that you are real, that you are open, and that your place looks like the place they are about to drive to. This guide takes about 45 minutes.

You need: a phone, and a few minutes of decent light.

Real beats clever

Skip the stock images. Skip the fancy filters. Take the photo on your phone, in normal light, as things really look. A customer who arrives and finds the place they saw in your photos trusts you a little more. A customer who finds something different does not. Google also asks that photos be in focus, well lit and not heavily altered or filtered.

Step 1. Take four photos to start with

1. The outside, so people can find your door. Include the entrance and the sign, from the street if you can.
2. The inside, so they know what to expect. The counter, the dining room, the waiting area or the shop floor.
3. Your work, the thing you actually sell or do: a finished plate, a finished haircut, a finished repair.
4. Your team at work, if they are fine with it. Ask first. Anyone who prefers to stay out of the picture can stay out of it.

If you have all four, you have the basics covered.

Step 2. How to take them on your phone

• Pick a bright spot, near a window or outside in daylight.
• Hold the phone steady with both hands, and take a few shots of each scene.
• Tidy the frame first. Move the clutter, wipe the counter, straighten the sign.
• Look at the background before you post. Remove anything private, like paperwork, license plates, house numbers or a customer's face.
• Skip filters that change how the place looks.

You do not need a studio. A clear, honest phone photo is what people want.

Step 3. Check the file

Google accepts JPG and PNG files from 10 KB to 5 MB. The smallest size it accepts is 250 by 250 pixels, and it recommends at least 720 by 720. A normal phone photo is bigger than that, so you will not need to resize it.

Step 4. Upload them

On a computer:

1. Open Google Search or Maps and search for your business name and city.
2. Click Photos, then Add photos.
3. Select your photo or video. You can choose several at once.

For your logo and cover photo, click Photos, then Add a logo or Add a cover photo. To replace one later, use Change logo or Change cover. To delete one of your own, go to Photos, select it, click Delete and confirm. Menus change now and then, so look for the closest match. Google's page is Manage your Business Profile photos and videos.

Step 5. Add a few at a time

You do not have to do it all in one afternoon. Add a few photos now, then one or two every few weeks: a new dish, a finished job, a seasonal change. A profile that keeps getting new real photos looks open and cared for. When something changes, like a new paint color, a new menu or a new sign, replace the old photos so the pictures match the place.

Photos from customers

Customers can add photos of your business too. Take a look at what is on your profile now and then. Google says a customer's photo may be shown as your cover if yours is low quality. If something is out of date or misleading, add a better one of your own. If a photo breaks Google's rules, you can request that it be removed.

Check your work

• You have an outside, an inside and a work photo, all from this year.
• Your logo and a cover photo are set.
• Nothing private shows in the background.
• You put a date on your calendar to add new ones next month.

If you would rather hand this off

Photos are one of the easiest parts of marketing to skip when the business is busy, which is a good reason to have a plan. We keep your Google profile, website and social accounts current and matching, and write and publish your posts on schedule. See our Google Business Profile Management page, or get started.