How do photos and posts work on a Google Business Profile?

How do I add a photo or video to my Business Profile?

Google's photo and video guidance says the Business Profile must be verified before uploaded media can appear on Google. On a computer, add media with this path:

1. Open Google Search or Google Maps.
2. Search for the business name and city.
3. Choose Photos, then Add photos.
4. Select the photo or video. You can select multiple files.

Google says the newest uploaded media appears first on the Business Profile. If an upload does not appear, check whether it is a duplicate before trying again. Google's Business Profile photo guidance gives the current menu path and upload rules.

What types of photos can I add?

Google documents three photo types for a Business Profile:

Add only media that accurately represents the location and the business. Google's policy overview applies its content rules to photos, videos, and posts, and says content that does not meet those rules may be rejected from publication.

What photo and video file requirements apply?

Google's current photo and video requirements are:

The photo should represent reality. Google says you can add photos and videos of a storefront, products, and services to help complete the profile and make it more attractive to customers. An exterior photo can help customers recognize the business when they visit. Google's photo and video requirements are the source for these file limits.

What does the policy update reported on October 6, 2026 mean for listings and posts?

The current Google rule distinguishes Business Profile listings from posts: promotional or commercial content in a listing cannot contain a time-bound promotion, pricing, or a direct call to action, while a post may contain a related offer or update but not unrelated contact details or links.

The wording change was reported on October 6, 2026 by Search Engine Roundtable. That is the report date, not a stated Google effective date. Google's Prohibited & restricted content policy contains the current advertising and solicitation rule.

Why is my Google Business Profile photo or video still pending?

After upload, Google reviews photos and videos against its media policies.

Google's photo guidance says Pending means the media is still uploading or processing, or the Business Profile is not currently verified. Pending media does not show to customers on Google Search or Maps. Google says photos and videos can take up to 24–48 hours to appear on the Business Profile, and media appears on Google only after the profile is verified.

Use the status and the file checks to identify the next step:

Pending and Not approved are different statuses. Pending media is in upload or processing, or is attached to an unverified profile. Not approved media was flagged for violating Google's policies and does not show on Search or Maps. Google's photo and video content policy applies to submitted and published media, and businesses remain responsible for making sure their posted content complies with applicable laws and regulations.

What should I check before uploading a pending photo again?

Follow this order so a processing delay is not mistaken for a file or policy problem:

1. Confirm whether the Business Profile is verified. Google requires verification before its photos and videos show on Google.
2. If the profile is verified, allow up to 24–48 hours for the photo to appear on the Business Profile.
3. Check the file: use JPG or PNG, keep it between 10 KB and 5 MB, use at least 250 × 250 pixels, and choose an image that is in focus, well lit, and represents reality. Google recommends 720 × 720 pixels.
4. If the photo is marked Not approved, compare it with Google's content policy. Correct any specific issue you identify before submitting one revised image.
5. If the photo cannot be found, check that it is not a duplicate. Then open Google Search or Google Maps, search for the business name and city, choose Photos, choose Add photos, and select the file.

Google's Business Profile photo and video guidance gives the status definitions, display window, file requirements, duplicate check, and computer upload path. Google's photos, videos, and posts content policy explains the policy boundary for submitted and published media.

Which Google Post type should I use: Update, Offer, or Event?

Choose the post type by what the customer needs to know:

Hotel profiles are an exception: Google's posts content policy says hotels cannot create Offer posts or publish posts that mention or link to deals, promotions, special offers, or discounts.

Hotels can still create local posts for relevant, timely information. Choosing Update or Event does not make a hotel deal or promotion acceptable, because Google's rule covers the post content as well as the Offer type. Google says the restriction keeps customers from getting confused about where to find organic and ad prices.

The Google post guidance lists these three choices. An Update fits a business announcement or information customers need before they act. An Offer fits a deal with a defined period. An Event fits something customers need to attend on specified dates.

How do I plan and publish a Google Business Profile post?

Choose the customer need first, prepare the type's required fields, check the content and links, then publish or schedule the post and inspect its status. Google's create-post guidance supports immediate publication, one-time scheduling, and recurring publication.

Use this planning-to-publication workflow:

1. Choose the post type. Use Update for general business information, Offer for a promotional sale or deal, and Event for a dated event. For a hotel profile, do not use Offer or put a deal, promotion, special offer, or discount in another post type.
2. Gather the required details. An Offer needs a title, dates, and time. An Event needs a title, start and end dates, and times. An Update can carry a description, photo, video, and an action button that links to a website where customers can book, order online, or learn more.
3. Run the pre-publish checks. Confirm the dates, destination link, contact information, media, and policy boundaries in the checklist below. Google may remove unverified phone numbers, email addresses, or social media handles; a Call now button uses the verified Business Profile phone number.
4. Open the composer. Go to the Business Profile, choose Posts, then Add post. Select Update, Offer, or Event, add the chosen elements, and enter the details.
5. Publish now or schedule. Choose Post for immediate publication. For a one-time later publication, turn on Schedule this post and select the date and time. For recurring publication, use Repeats and choose a weekly, monthly, or custom schedule. Google documents these as available controls, not as a required posting cadence.
6. Check what customers can see. After publication, inspect the post status. Live is public on Search and Maps. Pending and Not approved do not show there, so use the status meaning and the question mark beside Not approved to decide what to correct.

These scheduling controls are part of Google's own Business Profile flow. Google's Business Profile third-party policies define a third party as an authorized agency that manages profile information for a business it does not own. If a third party manages the profile, Google's owner-access guidance says the business should retain owner access.

Google's Create and manage posts guidance also lets you edit or delete a post after publication. Keep event dates, offer details, and links current when circumstances change.

What should I check before publishing or scheduling a post?

Use this checklist after choosing the post type and before selecting Post:

• Hotel rule: If the profile is for a hotel, confirm that the post does not mention or link to a deal, promotion, special offer, or discount. Do not select Offer. Google's Business Profile posts content policy allows hotel local posts but sets this hotel-specific boundary.
• Dates: An Offer needs a title, dates, and time. An Event needs a title, start and end dates, and times. If an Event has no start or end time, Google displays it as lasting 24 hours on its event dates.
• Contact information: Google may remove unverified phone numbers, email addresses, or social media handles. Use a Call now button when customers need the verified Business Profile phone number.
• Links: Link only to websites you trust. Google does not allow links leading to malware, viruses, phishing, or pornographic material.
• Expired offers: Confirm that the offer dates still match the period when customers can use the deal. Google archives posts older than six months unless a date range is set, so a date range can keep an older post available.

After publication, check the status. Live means the post is public on Search and Maps. Pending and Not approved posts do not show there.

Where do Business Profile posts appear?

Google says customers can find posts in these places:

• the Updates or Overview tabs of the Business Profile on mobile Search and Maps;
• the From the owner section of the Business Profile on computer Search and Maps; and
• featured posts added directly to the Business Profile on mobile. Google says this feature is currently available in English for single-location food and drink businesses in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Google says posts older than 6 months are archived unless a date range is set. Use the date fields on time-bound offers and events so the post reflects the period customers can act on.

Why was my Business Profile post rejected?

Google reviews a post after publication to make sure it meets its posts content policy. The post status tells you whether customers can see it:

Google says a phone number in a post description might be rejected when it cannot verify that the number is connected to the Business Profile where the post appears. For products or services subject to local legal controls, do not use a phone number or email address to arrange a purchase.

Google's Create and manage posts guidance says a phone number in the post description might be rejected when Google cannot verify that connection. Google's restricted-content policy bars purchase-contact phone numbers or email addresses for restricted goods or services. Google's Business Profile photos, videos and posts content policy also says Google may remove posts with unverified contact information, including phone numbers, email addresses, and social media handles.

The contact-information check is not limited to one post type. Apply it to whichever type the profile can use: Update, Offer, or Event. For hotel profiles, Google prohibits Offer posts and posts that mention or link to deals, promotions, special offers, or discounts.

If customers need a verified way to call, attach a Call now button. Google's Business Profile photos, videos and posts content policy says the button uses the verified Business Profile phone number, so it provides Google's documented alternative to putting an unverified number in the description.

Before publishing, check the following:

1. Confirm that any phone number in the description is connected to the Business Profile where the post will appear.
2. Use Call now when the goal is to let customers call through the verified profile number.
3. Remove phone numbers, email addresses, social links, or other website links that are not related to the business. Google's Maps User Generated Content policy allows business-related contact information but prohibits unrelated contact details in posts.
4. If the post concerns a product or service subject to local legal controls, do not include a call to action or offer for its sale, a purchase link, a purchase-contact phone number or email address, or a promotional offer such as a deal, coupon, price, or other promotion. Google's restricted-content policy excludes incidental depictions, such as a menu image or alcohol that is not the main focus.
5. Keep the message focused on one customer reason, one proof, one image, and one action. Treat this as a planning rule, not a Google requirement.

Google's Business Profile policy overview says content must accurately represent the location and follow Google's policies. Google's Create and manage posts guidance lists misspellings, extra characters, text that adds no value, distracting content, unsafe links, inappropriate or offensive material, and sexually suggestive or explicit content among the issues to check.

Check these issues first:

• misspellings, extra characters, text that adds no value, or distracting content;
• inappropriate or offensive language, images, or videos;
• links to malware, viruses, phishing, or pornographic material;
• calls to action, purchase links, purchase-contact phone numbers or email addresses, or promotional offers for products or services subject to local legal controls. Incidental depictions, such as menu images or alcohol that is not the main focus, are excluded from that rule; and
• sexually suggestive or explicit content.

After publishing, inspect the status. A Live post is public on Search and Maps. A Pending or Not approved post does not show there, and the question mark beside Not approved identifies the policy involved. Use that notice to revise the post, then publish the corrected information.

How should I review photos and posts after publication?

Review the profile at least monthly as a practical editorial cadence, and review it immediately when an offer, event date, link, or customer-facing detail changes. Google does not prescribe a universal posting schedule. Google does say that posts share up-to-date information with customers and that posts older than six months are archived unless a date range is set.

At each review, check the following:

• Confirm that current photos and videos still represent the business and that new media has the expected Live, Pending, or Not approved status.
• Check active Offers and Events against their dates, times, terms, and destination links.
• Review older posts for the six-month archive rule. A date range is the documented exception.
• Edit a changed post from Business Profile, Posts, More, then Edit. Delete a post from the same path with Delete.
• Record material changes in your change log, then use the monthly Google Business Profile routine for the next review.

Posting on a weekly, monthly, or custom schedule can organize timely customer information. It is not a ranking guarantee. Google's local-ranking guidance says local results are mainly based on relevance, distance, and popularity, and says there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking.

For the wider profile, start with the Google Business Profile guide. For map visibility, use the Google Maps optimization guide and the guide to ranking higher with local SEO. Questions about customer feedback belong with how Google reviews work.