If you have a Google listing, you may have noticed photos appearing on it that you didn’t post or don’t like. This could be due to a customer adding a photo or another reason. Fortunately, Google provides ways for you to remove or flag these photos if you want to get rid of them.
On the other hand, you may want to remove a photo that you added to your listing. In either case, knowing how to delete or flag photos on your Google listing can be useful. In this article, we will discuss the steps you can take to remove unwanted photos from your Google listing.
How to Remove a Photo from Your Google Business Page
For Desktop Users
To remove a photo from your Google Business page, desktop users can follow these steps:
- Visit the Google My Business website and sign in to your business account. Note that you must be signed in to the same Gmail account you use to manage the account.
- Select the business listing you want to delete a photo from.
- Click on the “Photos” option on the left side of the navigation.
- Choose the photo you want to delete in full-screen view.
- Click the trashcan icon in the top-right corner. Note that this icon will only appear for photos you’ve added.
For Mobile Users
Mobile users can follow these steps to remove a photo from their Google Business page:
- Open the Google My Business app on your mobile device. Note that on iOS, the app is named “My Business.”
- Tap on “Profile” at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap on “Photos.”
- Find the photo you want to remove by scrolling.
- Tap the three-dot menu icon located in the upper right of the photo.
- Tap “Delete photo” when it pops up from the bottom.
If you’re an Android user, you can open the mobile app by following the link provided.
It’s important to note that these steps only apply to photos that you posted. If you want to remove customer photos, please see the next section.
Remove Customer Photos from Google My Business
Google’s Guidelines on Content
To maintain the quality of content on Google My Business, Google has provided guidelines that prohibit the posting of fake, copied/stolen photos, off-topic reviews, defamatory language, personal attacks, and inaccurate content. Business owners are encouraged to report any content that violates these guidelines.
How to Remove Customer Photos from Google My Business
As a business owner, you cannot directly delete customer photos from your Google My Business listing. However, you can flag them for removal by following these steps:
- On iOS or iPadOS devices, open the Google My Business app, tap on “More Photos,” select the photo you want to flag, and tap “Flag Report photo” in the top right corner.
- On Android devices, open the Google My Business app, tap on “More Photos,” select the photo you want to flag, and tap “More Report photo.”
- On a computer, sign in to Google My Business, open the location you want to manage, click on “Photos,” select the photo you want to flag, and click on the flag in the top right corner.
It’s important to note that the process of removing flagged photos is not immediate, and Google may not remove the photo if they determine it to be an accurate representation of your business.
How to Flag Customer Photos in Google Maps
If you want to influence which photo appears on your Google Maps listing, you can flag customer photos by following these steps:
- On iOS or iPadOS devices, open the Google Maps app, search for your business name, tap on “Photos” in your Business Profile, select the photo you want to flag, and tap “More Report this photo” in the top right corner.
- On Android devices, open the Google Maps app, search for your business name, tap on “Photos” in your Business Profile, select the photo you want to flag, and tap the flag icon in the top right corner.
- On a computer, open Google Maps, search for your business name, click on the photo you want to flag in your Business Profile, and click on “More Report a problem” in the top left corner or the flag icon in the top right corner.
Business owners should regularly check their listings to ensure that customers or anyone else has not uploaded negative or irrelevant photos. To remove photos added by the business, click on “Photos” in the Google My Business dashboard, select the photo, and click on the trash can icon. For photos added by customers, there will be a flag icon instead of a trash can.
In summary, business owners cannot directly delete customer photos from their Google My Business listing, but they can flag them for removal by following the steps outlined above. It’s important to adhere to Google’s content guidelines and regularly monitor listings to ensure that customer photos accurately represent the business.
Damage Control
To mitigate the negative impact of unflattering photos on a Google My Business (GMB) listing, posting a plethora of new business photos can be a viable solution. By doing so, the negative photos will be overshadowed by the abundance of positive images. This is a simple and effective way to improve the online reputation of a local business.
Managing Your Google Business Photos Online is Important
Quick Tips for Managing Your GMB Photos Online
When it comes to managing your Google Business photos online, there are a few quick tips that you should keep in mind. First and foremost, it’s important to ensure that your identity photos, including your logo and cover photos, are set up correctly. Beyond that, there are some additional steps you can take to make sure your photos are helping your business stand out online.
One important thing to keep in mind is that your photos don’t necessarily have to be business-specific. However, they should still be relevant in some way. For example, team photos can be a great addition to your Google My Business listing.
Another key tip is to focus on authenticity rather than perfection. While high-quality photos are always nice, it’s more important to showcase your business in a real and relatable way. The types of photos that tend to do well on social media can also be effective on your Google Business listing.
When taking photos, be sure to use the square aspect-ratio. This will make it easier to repurpose your photos across multiple platforms. Additionally, consider using PNGs for photos with a lot of text or line graphics (such as your logo), and JPGs for other types of photos.
Finally, take the time to name your photos before uploading them. This is an important step in helping Google understand what your photos and your business are all about. Use clear, descriptive names that make it easy to identify what’s in each photo.
For example, if you’re a roofing contractor, you might name a team photo with the name of the roofer, separated by dashes for readability. By following these quick tips, you can help ensure that your Google Business photos are working for you and your business.
