If you’re looking to enhance your local search presence, one of the best things you can do is improve your Google business profile. And a great way to do that is by adding high-quality photos to your profile.

The importance of quality photos to your Google Business Profile is that they are no longer just a nice addition. They are becoming an imperative. For local businesses, higher-quality photos on their Google Business Profile lead to increased customer actions, which result in higher placement and rankings on Google local searches.

Reasons Why You Should Make Sure Your GBP Has High Quality Photos:

3-Pack Display Changes

If you’re a business owner who is concerned about your company’s online presence, you undoubtedly are familiar with the coveted 3-Pack Ranking on Google Searches.

The 3-Pack Display – which displays the three businesses most relevant to search terms typed into Google – has been updated to include more space for photos and less for text. This is good news for local businesses that want to ensure they are represented in the 3-Pack Display by regularly updating their profiles with high-quality photos. This can also boost their Google Business ranking and help communicate their brand to potential customers.

Regular Google image updates can significantly impact visibility in local search results.

However, many local business owners aren’t taking advantage of this free marketing opportunity by updating the photos on their Google Business Page.

Google makes it easy for business owners to change the photo on Google Business Profile, and even has several photo categories that they use to show your customers the most relevant photos of your business.

Google Photo Categories

1. Exterior Photos

Photos of the exterior of your business make it easier for your customers to find you when they are visiting your physical location. Uploading these is a simple way to update the Google Business Profile photo with useful content.
You can make it even easier for your customers to locate your business by uploading a variety of photos of the exterior, from different angles and even times of day.

2. Interior Photos

Potential customers will likely want to see the inside of your business before they decide to visit, so it is important that you have high-quality photos on your Google Business Profile.

If you’re taking pictures of the interior of your business, make sure to take some time and clean up the space before you start snapping away. You don’t have to go overboard, but a little sprucing up can make an incredible difference in your picture’s quality and professionalism.

3. Product Photos

Help your customers get an idea of the types of products that you offer at your business by uploading a variety of product photos! That way, if a customer is looking for a specific item, they can confirm that you have it at your business, which can result in increased sales!

4. Photos At Work

Showing photos of you and your team at work helps make it easier for customers to understand exactly what your business provides and how they can benefit from it.

5. Food & Drink Photos

Similarly to product photos, having a wide selection of photos of the various foods and beverages that your establishment provides can help make it easier for potential customers to decide to come try a bite. These are especially effective when updating the Google My Business Profile photo for food-based businesses.

6. Team Photos

Include plenty of photos of your team on your Google Business Profile to help personalize your business and foster a welcoming environment that will make customers more comfortable visiting for the first time.

Tips for Higher Quality Business Photos

When you’re taking photos for your business, it’s a good idea to follow a few simple guidelines in order to avoid making mistakes. Here are some tips for taking higher-quality photos.

Use The Right Camera

For many people, it can be tempting to simply use their smartphone camera when they need to take a business photo. However, if possible, you should invest in a professional camera instead so that you can ensure that your photos are as high-quality as possible.

When taking pictures for your business, use high-quality equipment such as professional cameras and lighting equipment. This ensures that your pictures are clear and professional-looking. A DSLR camera will provide you with much better quality than a camera phone or point and shoot camera. A DSLR camera will cost more than other types of cameras, but it is well worth the investment because you will get higher-quality images.

Make Sure You Get Enough Light

In addition to making sure the background is plain and in focus, try to make sure that there’s enough light in the room when you’re taking photos. If you’re taking photos at night or in a dark room, likely, you won’t be able to get an image that’s very high quality because there won’t be enough light coming into the camera while you’re taking the photo

One of the easiest ways to improve your business photography is to use natural lighting. Natural light gives you a few advantages. First, it’s free! So if you’re just getting started and don’t have a big budget, it’s a great option for you. Just open up your windows so that light can permeate your space and brighten up your photos.

One more thing: Remember that natural light comes in many different shades. You’ll need to adjust your white balance when shooting in sunlight compared with fluorescent light.

Mind Your Background

It’s not just about the subject of your photo, but also about the background of your photo. If you’re taking a photo of your product or any other subject, try to take it against a plain background. This will help the focus of the image go to what you’re trying to show off.

Make sure there is nothing in the background of your picture that is distracting from what you are trying to show in the photo. It’s best to avoid busy patterns and colors, as they can distract from the subject of your photo.

If you are taking a picture outdoors, try to use a plain background such as a fence or building that will not detract from your image. If you want to take the picture indoors, try using a solid colored wall, or even an off-white wall with no texture.

Better Photos Mean More Customer Actions

More than ever, people are relying on the internet to help them find the business they need. Great photos can catch a potential customer’s attention and make them want to click through to your website or to request directions to your business.

The worst thing that could happen is to rank highly in the 3 Pack but miss out on customers due to poor photo quality. Regularly updating Google Business Profile photos can help capture attention and drive more traffic.

Whether working with a professional photographer or managing it in-house, high-quality, relevant photos can increase Google Maps ranking and improve Google My Business Profile photo performance.

Get Help with Rankings & Photo Updates

Gone are the days where you can simply show up on Google and expect people to come to your website. In today’s world, you’re going to need more help getting in front of local customers.

Trying to rank well in search engines like Google is a long and hard process, but it’s an essential part of the digital marketing strategy for any business. If you want your business to be found by your ideal customers, you must have a strong presence in search engines, particularly Google. But you’re not alone in this quest for visibility — many other businesses are competing for attention from your potential customers.

Many companies will use local SEO services as part of their digital strategy because they want to gain that competitive edge over their competition. They know that having an established presence on Google is extremely important, and entrust a team of professionals to make that happen.

Map Ranks understands the importance of relevant photos and makes it easy for our customers to regularly update their Business Profile images. We also use EXIF tagging on all uploaded photos to increase your listing’s relevance in prominent keywords.

With Map Ranks’ local SEO services, you don’t have to worry about keeping up with new features or updates from Google, we’ll make sure that your business is always at the top of the search engines, increasing your number of leads and revenue. Whether you’re just starting out and need help getting started on Google or you’re already established and want to stay at the top of the search engines, Map Ranks will get you where you want to be.

Here at Map Ranks, we are experts in getting small businesses to rank on Google Maps and Google Business Profile. Leave all of the hard work to us!

Contact Us

Give us a call or send us an email today to get started. You can also use our free listing scan tool to check your current performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How often should Google Business Profile photos be updated?

Photos should be refreshed at least every few months to reflect current offerings and keep the listing active in Google’s algorithms.

2. What types of photos get the most engagement on Google Business Profiles?

Images of products, team members, food (for restaurants), and the interior and exterior of the business tend to get the highest engagement.

3. Can changing photos on a Google Business Profile improve local SEO rankings?

Yes, regularly updating and optimizing images can contribute to improved local visibility and engagement metrics.

4. What’s the best way to update Google Business Profile photos?

Use high-resolution images that are well-lit, properly tagged with relevant keywords, and uploaded in the correct categories via your Google Business dashboard.

5. Why does Google prefer high-quality images in business profiles?

Clear, well-composed images enhance user experience and help Google understand and categorize your business better.

Map Ranks

Map Ranks is a local SEO agency that helps businesses get found fast on Google Maps and local pack. Our team specializes in Google Maps Marketing, SEO, and optimization strategies designed to boost your visibility, attract nearby customers, and grow your local presence. We make sure your local business stands out right where it matters; on the map and in front of the people searching for you.