Why Are Your Photos Being Rejected on Your Google Business Profile?

Adding photos to your Google Business Profile is one of the best ways to connect with new customers. Unfortunately, the process doesn’t always go smoothly. Seeing the dreaded “not approved” tag means your photo was rejected. But why are your photos getting rejected on Google Business Profile? This FAQ can help you understand what is happening and how to fix the problem.

Why Is Google Rejecting My Business Photos?

The main reason some Google Business Profile images get rejected is because they don’t show the real picture. Google wants your company’s profile to have genuine images of employees, building exteriors, store spaces, and products. That way, potential customers searching on Google Maps get an accurate impression of your business.

If one of your photos gets rejected, briefly run through this checklist:

• Did you try to add a promotional image from Shutterstock, Pixabay, or another site?
• Did you use AI to generate the picture?
• Did you edit the image in Photoshop, getting rid of unflattering details?
• Does the photo use a filter to make the colors more intense?
• Did you take a screenshot of another picture or a video?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, Google is likely to reject your image. To avoid this problem, keep photos as “fresh” as possible and upload them straight from your device.

Can I Crop or Adjust Pictures for My Google Business Profile?

Cropping images that are too large is a good thing. Google requires photos for your business profile to be under 5 MB, and trimming images can help you stay within that size limit.

Google Business Profile pictures are square, so it’s common to crop smartphone images. Plus, Google lets you crop images as part of the uploading process. Photoshop, Photopea, or other editors can help, too.

It’s also OK to crop pictures to attractively show off relevant information. For example, there’s nothing wrong with cutting out extra sky or parking areas to center attention on your building.

Be careful when adjusting image color. Correcting overexposed outdoor images on a sunny day is one thing, but applying filters to make food look more appetizing is another. If the image is rejected, try uploading an unedited version.

How Can I Fix ‘Not Approved’ Google Business Photos?

If Google is rejecting your business photos, the issue isn’t always that pictures are misleading. Google can also flag images for quality, content, and copyright issues.

Problems With Image Quality

Low-quality images don’t do your business or customers any favors. Google doesn’t accept pictures that are:

• Blurry or out of focus
• Grainy or pixelated
• Too dark
• Too small
• Too far away
• Not oriented correctly (e.g., upside-down or sideways)

Don’t take outdoor photos with excessive contrast or shade. Turn on plenty of lights indoors and avoid pointing your camera toward windows; shoot “across” or away from them instead.

Size Issues

To meet Google Business Profile requirements, photos must always be at least 250 pixels by 250 pixels. Aim for at least 720 by 720 pixels. An image with 1000 by 1000 pixels is under 4 MB, so it would still fit Google guidelines. Anything larger is likely to be rejected.

The pixel resolution changes when you crop an image. Instead of cropping a zoomed-out picture, it’s better to snap a closer image.

The Wrong Format

Google Business Profile only supports JPG or PNG files. These are common formats for smartphones and internet applications.

If you use a digital camera to take pictures, however, you may run into RAW or DNG files. You must first convert these large image files to JPG with Photoshop or a similar application.

Speaking of Photoshop, another common mistake with image formats is editing pictures and saving them as a PSD (Adobe Photoshop) file. Instead, export the image as a JPG and upload it to your Google Business Profile.

Too Much Text

Aside from your logo picture, Google doesn’t want business profile pictures to have excessive text or promotional content. Aim for less than 10% text, and keep it near the bottom. There are plenty of better places on your Google Business Profile to describe your products and services.

Copied or Copyrighted Content

Google can reject your business photos for several types of copyright issues:

• Employees are wearing T-shirts with branding (e.g., REI or Nike)
• The photo is watermarked
• The image comes from another website
• There are large logos in the background
• You’re trying to use stock photography

Duplicate photos are another reason why Google may reject your business photos. If you’ve used the same image in other website content, don’t add it to your business profile.

Inappropriate Content

Google’s guidelines for user-generated content prohibit:

• Violence
• Hate speech
• Illegal, restricted, or dangerous items
• Nudity

Your photo can get rejected if any of these elements are present. Gun shops, fireworks vendors, bars, liquor stores, and similar businesses have to carefully choose store images.

Personal Information

Remove any images that capture personal information without consent because they are prohibited on your Google Business Profile. This includes full names (not employee name tags), financial information, and biometric details, such as faces.

Google encourages taking pictures of your employees for your profile, but the same doesn’t apply to store customers. Of course, if someone agrees to smile for the camera, that’s fine.

How Long Do I Have To Wait To Add Images to My Google Business Profile?

If you just claimed your business on Google Maps, you need to wait a few weeks before uploading images. This grace period gives Google time to verify your ownership and prevent deceptive content.

Find Out Why Your Google Business Profile Photos Are Getting Rejected

Images are a huge part of your brand identity. They showcase the friendly, down-to-earth team behind your company and help people trust you.

It’s worth taking the time to figure out why your photos are being rejected on your Google Business Profile. At BKA Content, we can help you discover what’s going on. We’re experts at local search optimization, including creating an attention-grabbing profile with stellar content, images, and keywords. Reach out for help today.

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