Show the business as it is
Use current, clear, well-lit photos of your actual location, team, work, or products, with permission. Avoid heavy filters, big edits, or AI changes that would mislead a customer.
Google Business Profile guide 04 · Management
Google Business Profile Photos, Posts, and Customer Actions
Use real, current photos and updates that help a customer recognize you and take the next step. Then test every button on your profile to make sure it goes where it should.
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Why this matters
Protect business control and the customer experience.
Photos and updates answer practical questions before a customer calls or visits. They cause problems when a photo no longer matches reality, an offer has expired, or a button sends people to the wrong number, page, or place.
Google decides how profile content appears. Picking a cover photo doesn't mean it will always show first. Posts may be reviewed before they go live, and the fields and buttons you get depend on your category and country.
Responsible practices
What responsible management looks like.
Choose a logo and cover photo
Pick a clear logo and a cover photo that represents you well. Google may still show a different photo depending on what the searcher is looking for.
Post updates with a real purpose
Use updates, offers, and events for current news. Check dates, terms, links, and photos first. Google archives posts after six months unless they have a date range.
Keep phone numbers out of post text
Google warns that phone numbers inside post descriptions may get the post rejected. Keep the profile's phone number correct and let customers use the call button.
Test every button on a phone
Open your profile on a phone and try the call, website, booking, menu, ordering, and directions buttons. Make sure each one goes somewhere you can deliver on today.
Don't plan around features Google removed
Some profile features no longer exist. Google turned off profile chat on July 31, 2024, so customers can no longer message you through the profile. Websites built with Business Profiles (business.site addresses) were turned off in March 2024, and their redirects ended June 10, 2024.
Google also retired its Q&A programming interface on November 3, 2025, while changing how questions work on profiles, and the old Q&A section has been disappearing. Check what your own profile shows today, and point customers to your website, phone, or booking link instead.
See the responsibility
Publish what is true, then test where every action leads.
Use current media that corresponds to the real business.
Before posting, check where each photo came from, that you have permission, that the owner approved it, and that any dates and terms are right.
Follow every customer action to where it leads.
Call, website, booking, and directions buttons only help if they work on a phone and lead somewhere the business can actually deliver.
What to do next
A practical profile checklist.
- 01
List your current logo, cover photo, photos, videos, posts, offers, events, and buttons.
- 02
Remove photos you control that are outdated, misleading, or unapproved.
- 03
Before each post, confirm the photo source, permission, dates, terms, and link.
- 04
Take down expired offers and events, and review posts before the six-month archive point.
- 05
Test every button on a phone and note where it goes and when you last checked.
Avoid these failures
Do not trade durable control for a short-term shortcut.
- Using stock, AI-generated, heavily edited, or borrowed images as if they show your business
- Telling customers to message you on Google, or linking to an old business.site website
- Leaving expired offers, wrong links, or broken buttons live
- Assuming that posting more often will raise your ranking
Google makes the final call on verification, features, display, restrictions, and ranking, so no one can guarantee results. What Google controls.
Questions business owners ask
Direct answers for this responsibility.
01Will Google always show my chosen cover photo first?+
No. Choosing a cover photo tells Google your preference, but it may show a different photo depending on the search and photo quality.
02How long do Google Business Profile posts stay visible?+
Google says posts older than six months are archived unless they have a date range. Still review events and offers so their terms and links stay accurate.
03Can I use AI-generated images on my profile?+
Profile photos should show reality. Google advises against big edits, heavy filters, or AI changes. Don't use generated or altered images that could mislead customers about your business, place, work, or people.
Primary guidance
Check Google's current rules.
Companion resource
Audit the whole profile with one practical checklist.
Keep ownership, facts, and expectations clear