If your Google Business Profile looks like a witness protection file, you’re leaving calls, foot traffic, and easy Map Pack wins on the table. Photos are the fastest trust signal a local business can control. They show Google and real people that you’re open, active, and worth a visit. In this guide, you’ll get a practical photo plan you can actually follow: what to shoot, how often to post, captions that nudge clicks, how to spark customer photo uploads, and how to measure the impact. We’ll also cut through a big myth right away. Geotagging or EXIF hacks do not move rankings. Google strips that data on upload. Authentic, on-brand, and consistent visuals do the heavy lifting.
Why Photos Drive Map Pack Wins
Photos shape first impressions before anyone reads a word. They answer the top questions searchers have in seconds: Is this the right place, what does it look like inside, and can they do what I need? Profiles with strong visuals tend to convert better. One data point that gets our attention is this: profiles with photos see around 42 percent more direction requests and about 35 percent more website clicks, which aligns with what Mass Marketing Group has reported. Quantity also correlates with visibility and engagement. Businesses with 100 or more photos typically attract more views and actions compared to profiles with only a handful, as summarized by Your Local Strategy.
There’s also a freshness signal. Recent uploads suggest the business is active and responsive, which can improve relevance and click-through behavior. Independent tests and guides, including ZAG Interactive, highlight that profiles updated with timely photos tend to perform better. So yes, your weekly photo ritual is worth it.
Let’s address the elephant in the camera roll. You can stop geotagging images for GBP. Google removes GPS and EXIF data at upload, according to hands-on tests shared by practitioners in the Local SEO community, including threads like this one. The real local-relevance wins come from what’s visible in the frame and the context you write in your posts or product listings. Signage, landmarks, local team members, and service details beat hidden metadata every time.
What To Photograph
Your goal is a balanced photo library that proves legitimacy, shows the experience, and removes friction. Stake your claim with exterior shots first, then pull people inside, show the work, and humanize the team. For credibility, these recommendations line up with multiple sources like Rating Captain, Mass Marketing Group, and Your Local Strategy.
| Photo Type | Why It Matters | Best Practices |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior & Signage | Helps people recognize you in real life, builds trust on arrival. | 3 or more angles, including entrance and parking. Shoot in different lighting. Show nearby landmarks. |
| Interior & Atmosphere | Sets expectations. Reduces anxiety about what it’s like inside. | Show waiting areas, seating, decor, and traffic flow. Keep it clean, well lit, and accurate. |
| Products & Services | Proves you do what the searcher needs. Drives calls and bookings. | Capture signature products and service outcomes. Use before-after sequences when appropriate. |
| Team & People | Humanizes your brand. Builds trust quickly. | Show staff at work, smiling with customers, and quick headshots. Prioritize consent and safety gear where required. |
| Details & Amenities | Answers micro-questions that sway visits. | Feature restrooms, accessibility ramps, play areas, pet bowls, special touches people care about. |
| Logo & Cover | Brand recognition in Maps and Search results. | Upload a clear logo and a hero image. Google may choose a different default, but your cover often draws attention when shown. |
Exterior shots should include your door and approach path so travelers can spot you on the first pass. If there’s tricky parking or a back entrance, photograph and label it. For interiors, think like a new visitor. If your waiting area is small, set expectations with angles that show scale honestly. Overly wide-angle lenses can distort reality and cause disappointment later, so stick with natural perspectives when you can.
Products and services are your conversion photos. Roofers, painters, dentists, stylists, detailers, and fabricators all benefit from before-after series. Restaurant owners should show plated dishes, line-busting service windows, and allergy-friendly menus. Gyms can show the layout, peak-time energy, and quieter corners for folks who prefer a less crowded feel.
People photos fast-track trust. Introduce techs with their tools, chefs at the pass, or your front desk smiling and ready. If your business requires PPE, display it properly. If you serve kids or sensitive audiences, get consent. The aim is to show the care and readiness that a searcher can feel confident about.
Finally, do not sleep on details. If you have stroller parking, a private nursing room, clean restrooms, air filtration, or a customer-favorite feature wall, capture it. These little things remove doubt and inspire visits.
Technical Specs That Matter
Google plays better with clean, sharp, and realistic images. The combo we like: JPG or PNG, sized for clarity without bloat, and authentic color. SEMrush notes that standard photo formats are ideal and that heavy filters or watermarks can suppress trust or visibility. On resolution, a practical floor is roughly 720 by 720 pixels, with better clarity around 1200 by 900 or higher, as outlined by Your Local Strategy. Keep files within a reasonable range, often between about 10 KB and 5 MB, to avoid sluggish loads, per Content & Marketing.
Use simple, descriptive filenames like exterior-main-entrance-elm-street.jpg. It helps your internal organization and can assist indexing hints, which ZAG Interactive also encourages. Avoid text overlays and logos stamped across the photo. Your brand goes in your logo image and your cover, not plastered on every upload. On GBP specifically, there is no alt text field for photos. Save alt text for your website gallery where it matters for accessibility and image SEO.
Cadence And Planning
Local listing photography is not a one-and-done task. A steady rhythm tells customers and Google you are active. A weekly or biweekly upload schedule works well for most businesses, supported by recommendations from Rating Captain. In peak season or when you run promotions, add more updates. Seasonal photos help searchers understand what’s available right now, like patio seating in spring, early-bird services in fall, or gift-ready packaging in December.
Build a quarterly shot list so you are never guessing. Month one could focus on exterior and signage refresh. Month two on services and projects. Month three on staff, customer candid moments, and amenities. Repeat with seasonal twists. If you attend or host events, plan photo coverage for set up, the action, and post-event highlights so your profile reflects your community presence.
For multi-location brands, standardize a repeatable set: 3 exterior angles, 5 interior angles, 5 service or product photos, 3 team shots, and 2 detail or amenity shots per location each month. Local managers can submit from their phones if you provide clear examples and quality standards.
Captions That Convert
Here’s a quick interface distinction that matters. When you upload photos directly to the Photos section of GBP, there is no public caption field. When you publish an Update or Offer post, or add photos in Products or Services, you can include text that appears with the image. Use those text areas to add context and drive action. The same writing tips apply to image-heavy posts across your GBP surfaces.
Use geographic cues naturally. Name the neighborhood, cross street, or a recognizable landmark when relevant. ZAG Interactive suggests weaving in city and service terms without stuffing. For example: Finished deck refacing near Bellevue Botanical Garden. Free estimate by Friday. That line clarifies the service, location, and call to action in a single shot. Aim for short, human, and helpful. If a customer quote sums it up better, use it: Jenna just said, This is the cleanest waiting room in Capitol Hill.
Match your captions to the photo and next step. If it’s a product, mention availability, price range, or how to order. If it’s a service, mention response times and booking instructions. If it’s a facility feature, say what it solves: Accessible ramp at our north entrance by the pharmacy lot.
Prompt More Customer Photos
Customer photos are conversion rocket fuel. They show real use, real angles, and build social proof at a glance. The best way to get them is to ask, and to make the ask effortless. Place a small sign at checkout or near a photo-friendly spot with a QR code that links to your profile. The prompt can read: Share a quick photo on our Google profile and we’ll feature a favorite every week. If you run promotions, keep them compliant and tasteful. Think monthly drawing for a gift card or a wall-of-fame feature for the best snapshot.
Use email or SMS follow-ups after service. Your template can say: Thanks for choosing us. If you have a minute, add a photo to our Google profile and help neighbors see what we do. Include a short link to your GBP. On social, repost your favorite customer photos to highlight the community and quietly encourage more of the same. You can also add a small photo moment in store, like a selfie wall or a clean background near your logo. People love a low-effort prompt.
Quality matters. While anyone can upload, you can influence the baseline by reminding customers to keep faces in frame only with consent, avoid sensitive information, and keep the image clear. If something off-brand slips in, you can flag it for removal within GBP if it violates guidelines.
Measure Quality And ROI
Start by benchmarking your current photo views and actions in GBP Insights. Track photo views as a percentage of total profile views, then watch what happens after you add a new batch. Look at actions that matter: website clicks, direction requests, and calls. If your goal is more walk-ins, direction requests paired with day-of-store traffic is a great directional signal. If you want more bookings, track call volume and on-site conversions after post days.
Keep an eye on your Map Pack presence for your top service plus city phrases too. While photos alone are not a magic ranking lever, better engagement and credible visuals can help your overall local relevance. Ask every new lead how they found you and log Google or Maps when you hear it. If you run promos, note the publish date and any lift in actions. Over time, you’ll spot patterns like this: exterior refresh photos published on Wednesdays led to a 12 percent bump in direction requests over the next 7 days. Even simple spreadsheets will show you what sticks.
Skip the EXIF rabbit hole. As shared by local pros in places like this Local SEO thread, Google strips EXIF and GPS metadata. Put your energy into visible location signals, tight copy, and consistent cadence. You will feel the impact faster and avoid busywork that does not move the needle.
Pitfalls To Avoid
Blurry, dark photos. Dim shots look sketchy and destroy trust. Take a breath, clean the lens, and shoot again. Heavy filters or giant watermarks. They can trigger lower reach and simply look less authentic, which SEMrush warns against. Stale galleries. If your top photos are from two years ago, you are signaling low activity. Repeats with no context. If you post the same angle every week, users stop paying attention. Overly wide lenses that mislead. Keep scale realistic so expectations match reality. Missing people. An empty shop can feel lifeless. Add human context when possible, with consent.
Quick Wins You Can Copy
Restaurant with confusing parking. Add three exterior photos that show the approach, the shared lot entrance, and the host stand inside the door. In your next Update, write: Park in the east lot off Maple Ave and enter through the patio door. Same-day direction requests climb because the friction vanished.
Home services contractor with seasonal swings. During spring ramp-up, post three before-after decks each week, labeled by neighborhood. Example caption in an Update: Finished cedar refacing near Crossroads, Bellevue. Quote turnaround in 24 hours. You show location relevance, service proof, and a clear next step in one move.
Family dental office battling old photos. Replace the top six interior angles with clean, bright shots, add a friendly team photo, then publish a Product entry for a new patient special with a supportive image and short description. Calls and clicks tick up within two weeks, and the old, dim images no longer define the experience.
Copy And Paste Checklist
Use this short list to keep your GBP photo engine humming.
- Exterior: 3 or more angles with entrance, parking, and a landmark in frame.
- Interior: lobby, seating, key rooms, and traffic flow, all well lit and accurate.
- Services or products: show outcomes, include before-after when relevant.
- Team: at-work shots and simple headshots with consent and proper safety gear.
- Details: accessibility, restrooms, kid-friendly features, and other amenities.
- Logo and hero: clear logo plus a clean cover image that reflects your brand.
- Specs: JPG or PNG, around 1200 by 900 or higher, under 5 MB, no heavy filters.
- Filenames: descriptive and simple, like exterior-main-entrance.jpg.
- Cadence: weekly or biweekly uploads, with seasonal and event spikes.
- Captions: use Update or Product text to add service plus city context and a call to action.
- Customer photo prompts: QR sign at checkout, SMS or email follow-ups, and social shoutouts.
- Measure: track photo views, clicks, directions, calls, and note publish dates.
- Myth check: skip EXIF-geotag hacks. Focus on what people can actually see.
Need A Photo Plan That Prints Calls?
If you want help building your local listing photography system, creating customer photo prompts that actually get used, and writing captions that convert, a quick strategy sprint can get you from zero to publishing in 2 weeks. We’ll map your shot list, set your cadence, and wire up tracking so you can see which photos ring the phone.
