Today businesses around the world are looking for ways to promote their content on Google and earn more traffic for their business. Generally, we concentrate our efforts on SEO, email marketing, Google Ads and social media and often overlook Google My Business. Uploading your photos on Google My Business is important not just to add additional colour, but also to provide your company with a competitive advantage in local SEO.
Let’s say you’re a gymnasium/health centre in one of the suburbs that’s been getting traction – some fitness enthusiasts are finally ready to hit the gym after the long halt of Covid. They find you on Search using the keyword ‘fitness centres near me. You’re getting calls from your GMB but while they are interested in what you offer, some people are wary of how your interiors look or the quality of machines you have.
And understandably so – people who’d be spending money to buy your membership want to know if the place is hygienic and if will they be in a safe place.
Advantages of photos for your business
This is where photos come in and they offer three primary advantages:
- Improve brand awareness | When you include your company logo and a cover photo, customers will recognise you.
- Increase engagement | Customers can get a better idea of your establishment by looking at inside and exterior images, for example.
- Build trust | In reality, using photographs that represent your business enhances a customer’s trust in you.
So, if you want to achieve all of that and get more people to buy your gym membership it’s a good idea to upload some photos of your business.
What Does the Data Say?
With Google accounting for over 80% of all searches and 78 percent of local mobile searches resulting in offline purchases, it’s no surprise that Google My Business (GMB) Photos can help you boost your online exposure. Making a strong first impression when someone visits your GMB listings is now more crucial than ever.
To get the most out of your GMB Photos, make sure that your company listings are validated first. Google will allow you to submit photos, user-generated content, and videos once you’ve been confirmed.
What kind of photos should you upload on Google My Business?
Exterior Photos | Capture a photo from each direction so that it will be easier for customers to recognize your establishment. Another recommendation is to upload photos that show your business at different times of the day.
Interior Photos | Capture photos that show what it’s like to stand inside your business as a customer, and also show the atmosphere of your business in your photos.
Product Photos | Showcase the items that are most popular for your business.
Photos at Work | Capture photos of your team providing different types of service to customers.
Food & Drink Photos | Showcase your most popular food items.
Common Areas | Add photos of your common areas to showcase the atmosphere
Rooms | Showcase all the different types of rooms that you offer to guests.
Team Photos | Show yourself and any staff to highlight your personalities and give potential clients a feel for what you’re like.
What Should You Do for Google My Business Photos?
To summarise, start uploading – but don’t just post anything. There’s a method to uploading Google My Business images, and we’ve got some pointers for you if you want to make the most of this aspect of your page.
1. Use ‘real’ images
When uploading a photo to your Google My Business listing, make sure it’s clean and crisp with minimal filters.
In other words, share images of your store. Consider it a case of “what you see is what you get” – only better. This does not imply that you must engage a professional photographer to picture your area (though if you have the funds, it is fine). But don’t go overboard with the post-production. Excessive photo alteration is strongly discouraged by Google since it may mislead clients and, as a result, cause them to lose trust and confidence in your company.
2. Make use of photo categories
Did you realise that each photograph falls into one of several categories? That will help you pick which ones to upload and which ones to ignore (remember, don’t just upload anything). To get you started, Google has created a list of categories, however, we recommend uploading the following types:
Interior | amenities, lobbies (for accommodations), store aisles
Exterior | storefront from different angles, some landmarks with your store in the shot
Services | some of your staff performing services (TV repairs, paver installation, back massages)
Products | the wares you sell on stands or aisles, the food on your menu
Team | staff in the office or a meeting or participating in company-hosted events
Please keep in mind that interior and exterior photographs are only applicable to certain companies. You don’t have to add office shots if you’re in a service area that doesn’t have consultations with consumers in your location, but some personnel photos would be helpful!
Restaurants can also post photographs of their menu to GMB; make sure the writing is clear and readable.
For additional information on photo categories and other standards and recommendations, read our fast and easy guide on Google My Business Photos.
3. Download Google Street View
To make the gorgeous panoramic views you see on Google Maps and Earth, you don’t need a Google Car or a 360° camera. You may make these photographs for your own GMB listing with simply your smartphone and the software for Android and iOS.
This is particularly useful when you want your consumers to get a better sense of the location in which your company is located, as well as nearby landmarks and other variables that may influence their decision to visit you.
Consider it free advertising if your neighbour is using Google Street View and you’re in the shot.
4. Have your customers upload for you
Customers can add images to Google My Business on their own or when they leave a review. This is especially beneficial for other customers because it gives them a more authentic view of your business. After all, most customers who post images do so from their phones. And, if you don’t have any new images ready to submit, this is a great way to get more shots because new stuff is constantly coming in.
However, there is a small danger involved. While you may not always be able to regulate what customers add to your GMB listing, you can flag and report inappropriate photos. Although photo moderation can be inconvenient, Google will assist company owners in resolving such difficulties.
5. Use Shergroup
Google My Business photos enable you to rank better on search results but sometimes monitoring everything in this section can be tedious. Shergroup’s marketing team can help you organise all your photos while looking at valuable data that can improve your local SEO. We’ve also got a team that’s more than ready to help you optimise your listing while you focus on other aspects of your business.
Summing-up
While your Google My Business profile is ranked independently of your business website, a strong listing can have a cascading effect because Google is interested in user behaviour metrics. If your photographs are assisting in user engagement, and those users visit your website to learn more about your products or services, this can signal value to Google and help your site rank higher.
Your exposure and brand will improve if you are proactive about following all of these golden standards on a regular basis. The investment will be well worth it even if you can only devote 15 minutes every week to your GMB images. You’ll be significantly ahead of the game if you can give clients a reason to think twice about your business.
If you need help Shergroup is there to help you list out your photos on Google My Business and create a strong listing that gets you more traffic that can be converted to sales.
Speak to our business solutions advisors today to know more.
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