What You Need To Know About Google+’s New Image Galleries

Google’s giving business owners a say in how their brand is represented in search and map results. Through an upgrade to Google My Business, Google+ page managers can select which image will appear when guests search for your property through Google.

Not only can you determine which photo should show up in search results to best represent your brand, there are now galleries to help you show off your property to potential guests. There are seven new galleries to help convey what your business is about: identity, interior, exterior, food & drink, common area, room, and team photos. For most of the categories you’ll need to add at least three images for that gallery. You can always add more to help your guests understand your brand better as visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text. When possible, we're using at least 10 images per gallery to show off the experience at the property and garner website clicks. 

Google makes it very easy to access and upload photos to these galleries. First, you need to be logged in to your Google My Business account and managing the business page. Click manage photos to access these new galleries.
 

You’ll now be in a photo management tool that has your seven galleries. Try to utilize high quality images that accurately show what your property looks like now. Google even has a few tips for getting started with each gallery:

  • Share photos that truthfully show what it’s like to be inside your business
  • Help your customers recognize the exterior of your building from different directions and different times of day
  • Add at least one photo from each common area or amenity, such as the breakfast room, business center, gym, sitting area or foyer
  • Show off your innkeepers and front desk staff! Make your brand more personable with photos of the employees and highlight personalities

For properties that serve breakfast or have an attached restaurant for dinner, we recommend taking advantage of the food and drink photo gallery to show off your breakfast spread or popular menu items.

An example property using exteiror shots, food and drink, and the common area galleries:

Your identity photos section shows how you appear online to searchers. Clicking the three dots in the right hand corner allows you to determine which photo shows up in search results and in Google Maps, either your profile picture, logo, or cover image. We're recommending using a logo as your identity image to help with your online branding efforts. 

What do you think of the upgrade to Google My Business? Tell us in the comments section below!