Why photos here are worth real money
The Google Business Profile (formerly "Google My Business") is often the first point of contact for local businesses — it appears in Google Maps and local search. And there, people don't just read, they look: profiles with good, real photos feel more trustworthy and get clicked more often than those with an empty or generic image area. Photos here aren't decoration but a conversion factor.
Which photos belong in the profile
- Logo — square, for recognition.
- Cover photo — 16:9, the big first impression; the most representative shot.
- Exterior view — so customers recognize the business from the street. Especially important for storefronts.
- Interiors — atmosphere, cleanliness, ambience.
- Products / services — what you offer, shown concretely.
- Team — people build trust, real faces more than symbolic images.
The dimensions
Google recommends at least 720 × 720 px, the cover photo at 16:9. JPG or PNG, file size roughly between 10 KB and 5 MB. In practice you do well with 1600–2048 px on the longest edge, compressed to a few hundred kilobytes — sharp enough for large displays, small enough for fast loading. Use the resize and compression tools for that (browser-local).
Real photos beat stock images — always
The most important content advice: no stock images. An interchangeable symbolic image of a smiling team or a generic restaurant is quickly seen through and undermines exactly the trust the profile is supposed to build. A real photo of the actual shop, the actual food, the actual workshop matches what customers will find on site — and that's the point. For good interior and exterior shots the same rules apply as with real-estate photos: daylight, tidy, straight, from the corner for more room.
Currency and regularity
A profile with current photos (seasonal offers, new products, renovations) feels alive and cared for. It pays to add one or two fresh images regularly — the profile isn't a one-off project but a shop window you maintain. Customer photos (from reviews) supplement your own material and feel especially credible.
Don't forget privacy
- Recognizable people: don't depict customers without consent; with the team it's usually settled, but ask when in doubt.
- Metadata: photos carry GPS data. For a business the address is public anyway, but clean files are still good practice — the metadata editor checks and removes them browser-local.
Frequently asked questions
Which photos does a Google Business Profile need?
At least a logo, a cover photo, and several photos showing the business: an exterior view (for recognition), interiors, products or services, the team. Real, current photos feel more trustworthy and are often supplemented by customers with their own.
What size should the photos be?
Google recommends at least 720 × 720 pixels, preferably more; the cover photo at a 16:9 ratio. As JPG or PNG, each roughly between 10 KB and 5 MB. Too-small images look blurry, too-large ones load unnecessarily slowly — 1600–2048 px on the longest edge is a good compromise.
Why real photos instead of stock images?
Because the profile is a trust signal for local customers. An interchangeable stock image of a smiling team is quickly seen through; a real photo of the actual shop, the actual food or work convinces and matches what customers will find on site.
Do I have to think about privacy with profile photos?
Yes, in two places: photos shouldn't show recognizable customers without consent, and the image files carry GPS metadata. Before uploading, a look into the metadata editor is worth it — for a business the address is public anyway, but clean files are good practice.
Sources
Google — Business Profile help · Google — Add photos and videos.