First impressions matter, especially in today’s digital age. As your local business grows digitally, your online presence is a key to shaping customer perception.

In most cases, your Google My Business (now known as Google Business Profile) listing is the first interaction your audience has with your brand. That’s why optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) profile is crucial. It needs to be engaging and informative to set your local business apart from competitors. 

But what does optimizing your GMB profile mean? 

Simply put, it means enhancing your profile with high-quality, relevant content to improve visibility, engagement, and search ranking. One of the most effective ways to do this is by incorporating high-quality visuals — both photos and videos. We discuss GMB photo and video optimization in more detail below.

Why Visual Content Matters

Visual content plays a crucial role in capturing attention and conveying information quickly and effectively. The brain processes images faster than text, making visuals a powerful tool for communication. Google My Business multimedia can:

• Increase customer engagement: Eye-catching images and videos can attract more clicks and interactions on your profile.
• Build trust: High-quality visuals make your business appear more professional and trustworthy. Google My Business multimedia works as social proof for potential customers who are considering your product or service.
• Showcase your offerings: Photos and videos give potential customers a clear idea of what to expect from your products or services. Think of it as a virtual storefront that entices and informs online visitors.
• Boost local SEO: Well-optimized Google My Business multimedia content can improve your search engine rankings, making it easier for customers to find you.

Need help improving your local search results? Explore how SingleInterface can help you get better results.  

3 Practical Tips to Optimize Your Google My Business Photos

Now, let’s talk action! Optimizing your GMB profile photos isn’t difficult. You just need to follow a few best practices to get started.

a) Choose high-quality images

We’ve heard that content is king. But posting random, substandard content won’t do.

The truth is quality matters immensely. Blurry or poorly lit photos can make your business look unprofessional. On the other hand, bright, high-resolution pictures help your brand stand out.

You can invest in a good camera or hire a professional photographer to capture your business at its best. This will ensure the images are well-lit, in focus, and high resolution.

Note: Don’t forget to update your GMB profile photos regularly. This not only invites more customers but also signals to Google that your business is active, potentially improving local search ranking. 

b) Follow GMB best practices

Now that you’ve invested in quality pictures, it’s also crucial to ensure they follow Google’s guidelines. This includes format, size, and resolution for your GMB profile photos. 

• Format: JPG or PNG.
• Size: Between 10 KB and 5 MB.
• Recommended resolution: 720 px tall, 720 px wide.
• Minimum resolution: 250 px tall, 250 px wide.
• Quality: Well-lit photo in focus, without excessive alterations or filters.

c) Highlight different aspects of your business

People love real stories. Your GMB profile photos are one way of showcasing your business’s journey and capturing the audience’s attention. That’s why it’s a good idea to include diverse pictures, including: 

• Products and services: This one is a no-brainer. Use photos to highlight your best-selling items, unique services, and new product launches to attract customers to your store.
• Team pictures: Personalize your local business by introducing your team. This will also make employees feel included and valued.
• Events and special occasions: Customers value authenticity. Showcasing pictures of local events, community initiatives, and other special occasions creates a stronger brand connection and fosters loyalty.

Linking your GMB Account with Google Merchant Center

Google Merchant Center (GMC) is a service that allows online buyers to discover new items and offerings from businesses. It is a free resource that increases your product’s visibility on Google, allowing you to reach a larger audience. 

Whether you have a website, a physical store, or even a booth, GMC is available for you. You can link it to your Google My Business account to make your products even more discoverable through stunning visual content like photos and videos. 

Once you link your Business Profiles to your Merchant Center account, remember to choose the right group for your local business. 

Note: It might take up to 24 hours for your business locations to sync into your Merchant account. To play it safe, wait 24 hours before uploading pictures of your inventory after linking the accounts.

3 Practical Tips to Optimize Your Google My Business Videos

 

Moving on to videos, here are our top three tips for GMB video optimization.

a) Create engaging (and relevant) videos

Videos are a great way to connect with your audience. Stats show that people watch an average of 17 hours of video content per week! With so much potential, videos are a great way to boost your local business’s reach. Consider creating GMB profile videos that:

• Introduce your business: This goes beyond the “What we offer” videos. These videos include virtual tours, behind-the-scenes, and customer testimonials that help build trust and credibility.  
• Offer tutorials or tips: For instance, if you own an automobile repair shop, you can post tutorials like “How to change a flat tire?” to provide valuable content to your customers. This also helps you build authority in your industry. 

b) Follow GMB best practices

Like pictures, Google also has GMB video optimization guidelines. These include:

• Duration: Up to 30 seconds long.
• File size: Up to 75 MB.
• Duration: 720p or higher.

c) Keep Videos Short and Informative

Attention spans are short, especially online. We’re talking about 8.25 seconds short. 

Aim to keep your videos between 30 seconds and a maximum of 1 minute in length. Additionally, ensure they are concise, focused, and deliver clear messages for maximum effect. 

Over to You

Enhancing your Google My Business profile with high-quality photos and videos is a strategic way to boost your online presence. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words, and a well-crafted video can be worth even more. That’s why GMB profile photos and videos are an investment to ensure you stand out.

To further amplify your reach and relevance, you can also highlight user-generated content (UGC) on your GMB profile. Customers trust other customers when it comes to product recommendations, making UGC highly effective. Additionally, this type of content provides authentic insights into your business, building community and trust in the long run.

Additionally, be sure to leverage the tools Google provides to enhance GMB visuals. For instance, you can use Google Posts to share updates, offers, and events with visuals. Also, respond to reviews with images where appropriate and use the Q&A feature to share visual answers to common questions.

Ready to make your GMB profile stand out? Partner with SingleInterface to transform your visual content into a magnet for new customers.