When someone searches for your business on Google, the first thing they see isn’t your website — it’s your Google Business Profile. And inside that listing, the first thing they notice is the photos.

The problem with phone photos on Google Business

Most business listings in Tenerife have photos taken quickly with a phone: badly lit, crooked, with messy backgrounds. It’s not the owner’s fault — nobody has time to be a photographer on top of running their business.

But the impact is real: Google has published that listings with high-quality photos receive up to 42% more direction requests and 35% more clicks through to the website than listings with no photos or poor ones.

What kind of photos your listing needs

Not all photos have the same weight. These are the ones that matter most:

  • Cover photo: the first one the user sees. It has to be flawless.
  • Profile photo: your logo or a recognisable storefront.
  • Business interior: builds trust before the client walks in.
  • Team and process: humanises the brand.
  • Product or result: what you sell, presented well.

A restaurant needs photos of dishes and atmosphere. A real estate agency needs interiors with correct lighting. A hotel needs rooms and common areas that invite booking. The category changes — the need for quality does not.

How many photos is enough

Google doesn’t penalise for having a lot of photos, but it does reward activity. Listings that add photos regularly get more local-map visibility. A solid starting point:

  • 10–15 well-made photos when launching the listing
  • 2–4 new photos per month to keep the listing active

What about photos uploaded by customers

Google allows any user to upload photos to your listing. Sometimes that’s good — authentic visual reviews. Other times they’re poor quality or from a bad day. You can’t delete them, but you can dilute them with a volume of your own quality photos.

The practical result

When you work a Google Business listing with professional photography, the pattern is consistent: more clicks, more calls, more direction requests. Not because Google “prefers” pretty photos — but because the user trusts what they see more.

If you want your Google Business listing to work for you, tell us what kind of business you have and we’ll tell you which images you need.