Adding fresh photos and videos to your Google Business Profile helps your business stand out in local search and gives potential customers a better sense of the quality of your work. This guide walks you through how to do it.
Before you begin
You need to be signed in to the Google account connected to your business, and that account needs manager or owner access to add photos and videos. If you are not sure whether you have the right access, check with whoever manages your Google account, or reach out to our team and we can help.
How to Upload Photos and Videos
Step 1: Open Your Google Business Profile
Go to google.com and search for your full business name as it appears on Google, including your city. Searching a general term like the brand name on its own can bring up the corporate page instead of your profile.
If you are signed in to the correct Google account, a panel titled "Your business on Google" appears with options such as Edit profile, Read reviews, Photos, and Posts. Click Photos.
Click Photos in the panel that appears.
Do not see a screen like this?
If the panel and options do not look like the one in Step 1, you are most likely not signed in to the Google account connected to your business, or that account does not have access to manage the profile. Sign in with the correct account and try again. If you do have access to manage the account and still need a hand, reach out to our support team and we will help.
Step 2: Click Add Photos
Once you click Photos, you land on the Photos and videos screen. From here you have two ways to start:
Click the Add photos button near the top of the page, or
Click the Add photos of your business box in the middle of your photo grid.
Click Add photos at the top, or the Add photos of your business box in your photo grid.
Step 3: Choose Your Photos or Videos
A window titled "Add photos and videos" opens. You can drag photos or videos straight into the box, or click Select images and videos to browse your device and pick the files you want. Once you choose them, they begin uploading to your profile. Near the bottom you will see "Posting publicly as" followed by your business name, which confirms your files are going to the right profile.
Drag your files into the box, or click Select images and videos to choose them from your device.
Uploading From Your Phone
If your photos or videos are on your phone, you can upload them right from there. Open the Google app or your mobile browser, sign in with the account connected to your business, and search your business name. Tap Photos, then Add photos, and choose the files from your photo gallery. The steps are the same as on a computer, and most photos and videos taken on a phone upload directly.
If You Have Multiple Locations
If you manage more than one location, go to business.google.com instead. Select the location you want to update from your list, or use the search bar at the top to find it by name. Once that location's profile is open, follow the same steps above.
Photo and Video Requirements
Most photos and videos taken on a smartphone upload without any changes, but Google does have a few limits worth knowing.
Photos: JPG or PNG format, between 10 KB and 5 MB in size. For the best quality, aim for at least 720 by 720 pixels.
Videos: up to 30 seconds long, under 75 MB, and 720p or higher. Most videos recorded on a phone, such as MP4 or MOV files, upload fine. Google looks at the length, size, and resolution rather than a specific file type, so keep your clips short.
Quality: keep your photos and videos clear, well lit, and true to your business. Use real shots of your completed work, your team, your vehicles, and your equipment. Google may reject blurry images, heavy filters, stock photos, or images with text or phone numbers added on top.
When your photos and videos appear
Photos usually show on your profile soon after uploading. Videos and some photos can take up to a day or two to appear while Google reviews them, so do not worry if a video shows a "Pending" label at first.
Another Option: Send Photos to Our Team
If your service professionals or office staff take photos on the job, have them upload the files to your Digital Shift upload folder. There is no file size limit when you send files to us this way, so larger photos and longer videos are fine. We will take care of adding the best ones to your profile and using them across your marketing. If you need the upload link resent, reach out to our support team and we will get it to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will adding more photos and videos help me rank higher on Google Maps?
Fresh photos and videos are worth adding. They help customers see the quality of your work, keep your profile complete and active, and can be the reason someone chooses you over the next business in the results. That said, photos are not what mainly decides where you rank on the map. The bigger factors are how close your business address is to the person searching, which is why where your address sits within the areas you serve matters, along with how steadily you earn and respond to reviews. For the full picture of what carries the most weight, see What are important Google Maps ranking factors?
Additional Resources
Need Help?
If you run into any issues or have questions about your Google Business Profile, feel free to contact our team at Digital Shift. We are happy to help.