Customers decide quickly on Google Maps. A clear storefront photo helps them find your door, and photos of your work or products help them decide to call. This guide follows Google's own help pages and builds on our guide to Google Business Profile and Maps for Gulf businesses.
1. Verify first, or nothing shows
Google says photos and videos show on your Business Profile only after you verify the business. Until then, uploads are listed as pending and customers cannot see them. If your profile is not verified yet, do that before spending time on photos.
2. Photo and video requirements
| Item | What Google asks for |
|---|---|
| Photo format | JPG or PNG |
| Photo size | Between 10 KB and 5 MB |
| Photo resolution | Recommended 720 px tall and 720 px wide; minimum 250 px by 250 px |
| Photo quality | In focus, well lit, no significant alterations or excessive use of filters or AI. The image should represent reality |
| Video length and size | Up to 30 seconds and up to 75 MB |
| Video resolution | 720p or higher |
3. Logo, cover photo and business photos
Google lets you add three kinds of photos. The logo helps customers recognise your business. The cover photo sits at the top of your profile; Google notes that choosing one does not guarantee it will be the first image people see, and a user-submitted photo may be chosen instead if your cover photo is low quality. Business photos show the features of your business that help customers decide.
If your logo does not appear, Google says to check that your profile has the name, a valid location with a street address, categories, a phone number and opening hours.
4. What to photograph for your business type
Google publishes a guide to category-specific photos, with a suggested minimum for each type. In plain words:
| Photo type | Suggested minimum | Google's tip |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior | At least 3 | Shoot from each direction customers approach, and at different times of day |
| Interior | At least 3 | Show truthfully what it is like to stand inside as a customer |
| Product | At least 3 | Show your most popular items, evenly lit |
| Photos at work | At least 3 | Show your team providing different services |
| Food and drink | At least 3 | Show the most popular items, evenly lit |
| Common areas | At least 1 of each area | For example a spa, gym or breakfast room |
| Rooms | At least 3 | Show the different room types guests can book |
| Team | At least 3 | Show something less formal to give a personal side |
Not every type applies to every business. A clinic in Riyadh will focus on exterior, interior, team and photos at work. A shop in Dubai will focus on exterior, interior and products. Pick the types that match your category.
5. After you upload: what the status means
- Pending: still uploading or processing, or your profile is not verified. Customers cannot see it.
- Not approved: flagged as breaking Google's policies. It does not show on Search or Maps.
- Live: customers can see it on Search and Maps.
Google says it can take 24 to 48 hours before photos and videos show on your profile. If you cannot find an upload, check that it is not a duplicate and try again.
6. Who does what
- You or your staff in the Gulf: take the photos and short videos on a phone, in good light, of your real premises, products and team. A remote team cannot photograph your shop.
- A remote team: checks the size and format, names and sorts the files, uploads them from a profile where you are the owner, and checks the status a day or two later.
- Always you: approve photos that show customers or staff, and make sure everyone shown is happy to appear.
Red flags
- Stock photos or photos of another business. Google says the image should represent reality.
- Heavily filtered or edited images.
- Anyone promising that more photos will guarantee a higher Maps position. Google says there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking.
How Futurum Works handles this
Futurum Works is a remote-first digital agency serving Kerala, Bangalore and the GCC. We build websites and custom software and run SEO and Google Ads for businesses in the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain. Our marketing plan is the Complete Digital Growth Package at ₹2,999 a month, which includes Google Business Profile management with a clear monthly scope. Website and app builds are quoted separately. Message us on WhatsApp and we will tell you what fits. Next: how to read your Business Profile and Search Console numbers.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my Business Profile photos not showing?
Google says photos and videos show only after the profile is verified. Uploads can also be pending, or not approved if they break policy, and it can take 24 to 48 hours to appear.
What size should Business Profile photos be?
JPG or PNG, between 10 KB and 5 MB. Google recommends 720 px by 720 px and sets a minimum of 250 px by 250 px.
How long can a Business Profile video be?
Google says up to 30 seconds and up to 75 MB, at 720p or higher.
Can a remote team take the photos?
No. Photos must show your real premises, products and team, so someone on site takes them. A remote team can prepare, upload and check them.
Sources: Google Business Profile Help: Tips for business-specific photos on your Business Profile; Google Business Profile Help: Manage your Business Profile photos & videos; Google Business Profile Help: Tips to improve your local ranking on Google.
