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Google Business Profile Photos for Contractors: What Google Asks For

Google asks service businesses for at least three photos of their work, in focus and unedited. What to shoot on every job, and how to add it in two minutes.

By Goanna Digital5 min read
Short answer

Google asks service businesses to add at least three photos that show the work they do, and at least three of their team. It wants them in focus, well lit, and without heavy edits, filters or AI. In Google’s words, the image should represent reality. Take before, during and after photos on every job, and add the best ones to your Business Profile the same week. Your newest photos show first.

What Google asks for

Google’s Business Profile help pages set out a minimum for each type of photo. For a contractor, two types matter most:

  • Photos at work: at least three that represent the services you offer. Google suggests showing your team doing different types of work, plus any specialty jobs you do.
  • Team photos: at least three of you and your staff. Google suggests keeping them a little less formal, so people get a feel for who will turn up.

Two things to know before you start:

  • Photos only show on your profile once your business is verified.
  • Google reviews every upload first. It can take 24 to 48 hours for a new photo to go live.

Why real job photos beat stock photos

A homeowner choosing between three contractors has never met any of you. Your photos are the closest they get to seeing your work before they pick up the phone.

Google’s own quality standard is that a photo should be in focus, well lit, and free of significant alterations, excessive filters or AI. A stock photo of a smiling plumber doesn’t show your work. A photo of the water heater you replaced on Tuesday does.

There’s one more reason to keep your own photos coming. If the cover photo you choose is low quality, or other sources suggest it isn’t the best photo of your business, Google may show a customer’s photo instead.

What to shoot on every job

Four photos, about thirty seconds:

  • Before: the problem as you found it.
  • The fix, up close: the part, the joint, the repair.
  • After, wide: the finished job, clean and in good light.
  • You or your crew at work: this one also counts toward Google’s team photos.

Fix 01: Take the photos before you pack up

Once the van is loaded, the photo isn’t happening. Make it the last step of every job, before the tools go away.

  • Wipe the lens. Phone cameras pick up grime fast on a job site.
  • Get light on it: open the blinds, turn on the work light.
  • Shoot it straight on, and step back for the wide shot.

Any recent phone shoots well above Google’s recommended size of 720 by 720 pixels.

Fix 02: Add them to Google the same week

  1. On your computer, open Google Search or Maps, signed in to the account that manages your profile.
  2. Search for your business name and city.
  3. Select Photos, then Add photos.
  4. Choose your photos. You can pick several at once.

Files need to be JPG or PNG, between 10 KB and 5 MB. Your newest photos show first on your profile, so a few photos every week does more than a big batch once a year.

Fix 03: Ask before you show someone’s home

Your customer’s home is in the photo, and their trust is part of the job.

  • Ask before you take photos you plan to post. Most homeowners say yes.
  • Leave out house numbers, license plates, family photos and faces, unless the owner says it’s fine.
  • If they say no, shoot the part or the repair up close instead.

This week’s checklist

  1. Pick your three best jobs from the last month and add their photos to your profile.
  2. Add at least one photo of you or your crew at work.
  3. Make photos the last step on every job from now on: before, the fix, after.

Common questions

How many photos should a contractor have on Google?Google suggests at least three photos of your work and at least three of your team. After that, keep adding new ones. Your newest photos show first.

What size should Google Business Profile photos be?JPG or PNG, between 10 KB and 5 MB. Google recommends 720 by 720 pixels, with a minimum of 250 by 250.

Can I use stock photos or AI images on my Google Business Profile?Google’s guidance is that photos should represent reality, without significant alterations, excessive filters or AI. Use real photos of your own work.

How long do photos take to show on Google?Google reviews each photo first. It can take 24 to 48 hours for it to appear on your profile.

How Goanna Digital handles this

On every Goanna Digital plan, your Google Business Profile is set up and managed for you, photos included. Finish a job, open the app, add a few photos and a one-line description, and your real work becomes content for your website and your Google presence. No stock photos, ever.

Want this handled for you? Goanna Digital runs your website, your Google presence, your lead inbox, quoting and invoicing from one app on your phone. Book a free 15-minute call and we’ll show you how it would work for your business.

Book a free 15-minute call

Want this handled for you?

Goanna Digital runs your website, your Google presence, your lead inbox, estimates and invoicing from one app on your phone.

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