According to Google's own data, businesses with photos receive 42% more requests for directions and 35% more website click-throughs than businesses without photos. For trades, where the quality of your work is the product, photos serve two purposes simultaneously: they are a ranking signal and a conversion tool.
The average trade GBP has fewer than five photos, most of which are either stock images or low-quality images uploaded once at setup and never updated. That is a straightforward competitive advantage for any trade prepared to do slightly more.
What to Photograph and How
Completed jobs — your most important photos
A before-and-after photo of a completed job is the highest-converting photo type on a trade GBP. The before image establishes the problem; the after image demonstrates the solution. For every significant job you complete, take a photo before you start and after you finish. Label the album on your GBP with the job type and location: 'Bathroom installation, Wakefield, 2024'. The specificity makes the photo useful to potential customers comparing trades.
Your van and branded equipment
A photo of your branded van is a trust signal. It proves you are a real, established business rather than a sole trader working out of a personal car. It also builds brand recognition — customers who see your van in their street and then search for a trade in their area may recognise your logo from the GBP photo. Keep the photo current. A van from 2015 that no longer reflects your current branding is less useful than no van photo.
Your team at work
Photos of your engineers, tradespeople, or team members on the job humanise your business. Customers hiring a trade are letting someone into their home. A photo of the actual person who will turn up — in uniform, on a real job — reduces the uncertainty that prevents some customers from making contact. These do not need to be professional photos. A phone camera photo of your team on site is sufficient.
Accreditation certificates and logos
A clear photo of your Gas Safe certificate, NICEIC card, or Trustmark certificate on your GBP provides visual proof of qualification before a customer visits your website. Many customers make a decision at the GBP level without clicking through to the website. Having your accreditation visible in your photo gallery removes a barrier at the point where many potential customers are making their decision.
Update monthly, not once
Google tracks photo upload dates. Profiles that add new photos regularly — at least two to four per month — are treated as more active than profiles with static photo sets. The algorithm rewards activity. Building photo uploads into your workflow — taking a photo at the end of each significant job and uploading it the same day — is the simplest way to maintain an active, current photo presence without it becoming a burden.
What not to upload
Stock photographs of tradework are identifiable as stock and reduce credibility. Blurry or very dark photos are worse than no photos. Photos of people who are not part of your actual team are misleading and a policy violation.
Google also allows customers to upload photos to your profile. Monitor these regularly. Customer photos of poor-quality work or messy job sites can damage conversion. You cannot remove them unless they violate Google's content policies, but you can ensure your own photos outnumber and outperform them.