Photos are one of the first things people notice on a Google Business Profile. They show who you are, what the clinic looks like and whether it feels like a place they could walk into.
Used well, they build trust. Used carelessly, they can break the advertising rules or breach someone’s privacy.
Photos worth adding
- The exterior and entrance. Helps people recognise the building and know where to go.
- Reception and waiting area. Shows what it feels like to arrive.
- Treatment rooms and equipment. Shows the clinic is clean, modern and well run.
- Team photos. Real, recent portraits of practitioners and staff, with their consent.
- Parking and access. Photos of accessible entrances and parking help people plan.
Photo quality
- Use bright, sharp, recent images.
- Show the real clinic, not stock photos.
- Update them when you renovate or your team changes.
- Aim for a steady stream rather than one batch every few years.
Photos to avoid
- Patient photos. Without clear, informed consent, avoid showing patients at all.
- Before-and-after images. Only with consent, with both photos taken in the same lighting, angle and pose and not edited. Cosmetic procedures carry extra conditions.
- Images that name or show prescription-only treatments. They can breach the advertising rules.
- Heavily filtered images. They can create unrealistic expectations.
- Photos with visible patient information. Screens, charts and appointment books can show details by accident.
Photos uploaded by others
Customers can add their own photos to your profile. If they show clinical detail or something misleading, you can report them to Google. Check your photos regularly.
Cover and logo
Use a clean logo and a representative cover photo, and check how they look on mobile, since that is where most people will see them.
Questions we hear
- How many photos do we need? There is no magic number. Cover the main areas well and keep adding fresh ones.
- Can we add videos? Short clips of the clinic and team can work well, with the same consent and compliance checks.
- Should photos have text on them? Generally no. Clean images look more trustworthy and are easier to read on mobile.
A simple photo plan
Start with about ten photos: the exterior, the entrance, reception, the waiting area, two treatment rooms and a few team portraits. After that, add something new each month, such as a new piece of equipment, a seasonal touch or a team event, and refresh the set whenever the clinic changes.
A consent checklist
- Get written consent from every person who appears in a photo.
- Explain where the photos will be used.
- Let people withdraw consent and remove their photo on request.
- Keep patients out of shots, and check backgrounds for screens, charts and appointment books.
Common mistakes
- Using stock photos that could be any clinic.
- Leaving photos from before a renovation.
- A cropped or illegible logo.
- Photos that show patient information by accident.
- Images with text overlaid.
- Pictures that don’t match your website.
How often to review
Check your profile monthly for photos added by customers, and after any renovation or change in staff. Refresh the set each quarter, and review consent with your team once a year so it stays current.
Our photography service produces images designed for this, and our Google Business Profile work keeps your listing fresh.