Google Business Profiles are known as business cards without any reason. Their design can indicate the professionalism, quality and credibility of a business, and as you know, you can only make a first impression once. An attractive profile with up-to-date information and high-quality photos increases interest in the advertised products or services. It is a powerful tool for creating a company’s image with its customers.
This obviously does not mean that managing a Google Business Profile is always easy and pleasurable. Indeed, a lot of managers struggle with the issue of inappropriate photos and videos posted by users.
This article will show you why unsightly material should be removed as soon as possible and how to do so. You will also explore the modern growAp service, which will give you back full control over the images published on your business card.
The images you add to your Business Profile on Google – profile picture, premises interior, surroundings and products – will have a huge impact on the image of your business.
Customers primarily form their opinion of a brand and its offerings based on what they see. Photos should therefore represent the business in the most favourable way possible. Unfortunately, there are many Profiles with unsightly photos added by Google Maps users – photos over which Profile owners have no control.
Which images can be considered unsightly?
The list of ‘unwanted’ images includes all content that does not comply with Google’s content policy. We list the most common ones below.
As a Business Profile manager, you should also remember that Google promotes high-quality content. This means that low-resolution photos may be considered unsightly by the algorithm or by users themselves.
Unsightly photos can deter users, discourage visitors to the location and decrease the overall level of trust for the brand. This is why it is a serious issue. The following article will show you what it results from and how to deal with it.
Why are there unsightly images appearing on Google Business Profiles?
Clearly, when you add photos to your business card or change the logo of your Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) yourself, you care about the high quality of the material you publish. So why does the problem of unsightly or illegal photos recur time and again? There are several reasons.
Those businesses with more than a few or a dozen business cards on Google Maps often encounter the problem of not having full control over the content published by users. Some Profiles for the premises you manage may have been created by Google or by users themselves, such as local guides.
As a consequence of such activities, you have no control over what information about your business will be found online. This is particularly true of the so-called Profile cover page which appears first on your business card. Sometimes Google’s algorithms choose an unattractive or misleading front-view photo.
Google Maps is intended to be interactive, so users can engage with the community by uploading images themselves. From the perspective of business image, such openness has as many disadvantages as advantages.
It may be that users who are visiting the premises decide to add low-quality photos that do not reflect the real quality of the service or present the offer in an unfavourable light. Such content may confuse potential customers or be harmful to your reputation.
Another reason for the appearance of unsightly images is the most prosaic. Many businesses focus on operations, completely forgetting the necessity to actively manage their business cards on Google Maps.
Out-of-date photos can relate to many aspects of the business, ranging from the design of the premises to the product or service catalogue. What can occur if the Profile manager does not respond quickly? Once prospective customers encounter unsightly or inaccurate photos, they may develop a misconception about the business and may even feel deceived.
Do you want high quality photos on the Profile you are managing? Then you have a lot of work ahead of you. We have prepared a summary of the most essential information in a nutshell, based on material published in the Google Help Centre.
If you are the owner or manager of a business and your right to a business card has been confirmed, you can add and change images directly on your business profile. In order to do so:
Remember! Businesses with more than 10 locations do not need to add images separately. They can do this using a spreadsheet.
The individual who published the photo can delete it at any time. How to do this?
Remember! This way, you can only delete photos that you have added yourself. If you want to get rid of an unsightly photo that another user has published, you will have to request Google Support to remove it.
There is no doubt that self-management of the images published on a Business Profile requires commitment and, often, regular contact with Google Support. While most managers and business owners can manage one or two business cards without any trouble, monitoring dozens of posts takes a lot of time.
Users add new images every day, and among them there may be some that negatively affect the company’s image. The identification and reporting process involves knowledge of Google’s procedures, which places an additional burden on businesses.
A far better alternative is to use growAp, a service specifically dedicated to companies that are active over a vast area and have multiple outlets on Google Maps. The growAp team consists of experts who specialise in the optimisation and complex management of Google Business Profiles, including – multimedia content management. Find out how they can help your business.
If your Business Profile and technical support contacts are managed by qualified professionals on your behalf, you will soon notice the difference.
The complex growAp service helps you to create a positive image among your customers and helps you avoid many worries. Moreover, thanks to growAp, you will win time that you can devote to business development. It is the best solution for businesses that already manage multiple Profiles and want to optimise the process.
If you would like to entrust the full service of your Google Business Profiles to professionals with several years of experience, please write or call us. We will be pleased to answer any questions and suggest a form of cooperation tailored to your preferences.
