Module 3

Managing Your Photos

Your photos need ongoing attention. New photos should be added, outdated ones removed, and customer-uploaded photos monitored. Here's how to manage your photo library effectively.

Adding New Photos Regularly

What to do

Keep your listing fresh by adding new photos over time, not just at setup.

Step by step

  1. Aim to add photos monthly. You don't need to add many — even 2-3 new photos per month keeps your listing looking active.
  2. Seasonal updates: Update photos to reflect seasons. Summer outdoor seating, Christmas decorations, spring flowers. This shows your business is current and active.
  3. New products or services: When you launch something new, photograph it and add it to your listing.
  4. Recent work examples: For service businesses, add photos of recent completed jobs (with permission). Shows you're actively working.
  5. Events and special occasions: Did you host an event, win an award, or celebrate a milestone? Add photos.
  6. Team changes: If you hire new staff (especially customer-facing), add photos of them to your listing.

Examples by industry

Add photos of recently completed jobs — a bathroom installation, a boiler fitting, a complex repair. Shows you're actively working and the quality of your work.
Seasonal menu changes, new dishes, events you've hosted, interior updates. A café that hasn't updated photos in a year looks stale.
New equipment, refurbished rooms, new team members, any awards or certifications. Shows the practice is modern and active.
New team members, office updates, community involvement. Less frequent updates are acceptable for professional services.

Removing Outdated Photos

What to do

Some photos become outdated or harmful and should be removed.

Step by step

  1. Former staff: If someone has left and you don't want them representing your business, remove photos featuring them.
  2. Old products/services: Discontinued items shouldn't still be shown. Remove photos of things you no longer offer.
  3. Pre-renovation interiors: If you've significantly updated your space, remove photos showing the old version.
  4. Seasonal mismatches: Christmas photos in August look odd. Consider removing strongly seasonal photos after the season.
  5. Poor quality photos: If you uploaded some photos early on that now look poor compared to newer ones, remove them. Quality matters.

How to Delete Your Photos

What to do

Here's how to remove photos you've uploaded to your listing.

Step by step

  1. Sign in to business.google.com and go to your listing.
  2. Navigate to the Photos section. Find the photo you want to remove.
  3. Click on the photo to open it in a larger view.
  4. Look for the delete option — usually a trash can icon or a three-dot menu with "Delete" or "Remove".
  5. Confirm deletion. The photo will be removed from your listing.
  6. Note: This only works for photos you uploaded. You cannot delete photos uploaded by customers — see below for how to handle those.

Managing Customer-Uploaded Photos

What to do

Customers can upload photos to your listing. You can't delete them, but you can manage them.

Step by step

  1. Check customer photos regularly. Review what customers have uploaded at least monthly.
  2. Most customer photos are fine. Genuine photos from real customers add authenticity. Even if they're not professionally lit, they show real experiences.
  3. Report inappropriate photos. If a customer uploads something inappropriate, irrelevant (wrong business), or offensive, you can report it to Google.
  4. To report: Find the photo on your Google Maps listing (not in business.google.com). Click on it. Look for a three-dot menu or flag icon. Select "Report a problem" or similar. Explain why it should be removed.
  5. Google reviews reports and decides. They don't automatically remove photos just because you reported them. The photo needs to actually violate guidelines.
  6. What you can report: Photos not of your business, inappropriate content, spam, photos violating someone's privacy, defamatory photos.
  7. What you probably can't remove: A photo that's unflattering but genuinely shows your business. A slightly dark photo a customer took. Google generally sides with authentic customer content.

Encouraging Good Customer Photos

What to do

You can encourage customers to upload positive photos, which helps outweigh any negative ones.

Step by step

  1. Make your space photogenic. Good lighting, Instagram-worthy spots, attractive presentation. If customers naturally want to take photos, they'll share them.
  2. Ask happy customers to share. "If you enjoyed your visit, we'd love it if you shared a photo on Google." Simple and effective.
  3. Create photo opportunities. A feature wall, interesting signage, beautiful food presentation — things customers want to photograph.
  4. Respond to reviews that mention photos. If a customer mentions their experience and might have photos, reply thanking them and mentioning you'd love to see photos added.

Examples by industry

After completing a nice job, ask if you can take a photo for your portfolio. If the customer is happy, suggest they might share it when leaving a review.
Make food Instagram-worthy. Nice plates, garnishes, good lighting. Customers will photograph it and some will add to Google.
"After" photos of cosmetic work (with permission) can be powerful. Ask delighted patients if they'd be willing to share their experience.
Customer photos are less common in professional services. Focus on your own photos instead.

Understanding Photo Insights

What to do

Google provides data on how your photos perform. Use this to improve your photo strategy.

Step by step

  1. Find your photo insights in business.google.com. Look for "Insights" or "Performance" sections that show photo views.
  2. Photo views tell you engagement. More views means customers are looking at your listing and photos. Compare to competitors if that data is available.
  3. See which photos get attention. Some interfaces show which specific photos are viewed most. Your cover photo typically gets the most views.
  4. Use insights to guide updates. If photo views are low, you might need more or better photos. If certain photos never get views, consider replacing them.

Monthly Photo Audit

What to do

Run through this quick audit monthly to keep your photos in top shape.

Step by step

  1. Check your listing as a customer would. Search for your business and look at your photos. First impressions?
  2. Are your cover photo and logo still appropriate? Still the best representation of your business?
  3. Any outdated photos to remove? Former staff, old products, pre-renovation shots?
  4. Any new photos to add? Recent work, new team members, seasonal updates?
  5. Check customer-uploaded photos. Anything inappropriate to report? Anything great you should thank them for?
  6. Compare to competitors. Do their photos make yours look inadequate? Time to up your game?

Ongoing photo management: