Start with the decision the customer is making
A salon customer wants to see real results and the space. A plumber customer may want to see the type and quality of completed work. A restaurant customer wants food, atmosphere and a recognisable entrance.
Choose photos because they answer a useful customer question, not because you are trying to hit an arbitrary posting number.
Show reality rather than over-editing it
Google’s current photo guidance says images should be in focus, well lit and should not have significant alterations or excessive filters or AI. The image should represent reality.
That is good commercial advice as well as a platform rule: a customer should not arrive and feel that the business, food, treatment or result looks completely different from the listing.
Useful photo types depend on the business
Google recommends category-specific photos and gives examples such as exterior, interior and team images for businesses where those are relevant.
For a service business without a shop front, real completed work, equipment, team and service context can be more useful than pretending there is a customer-facing location.
Keep the strongest recent work easy to find
If your latest work is all on Instagram while Google shows years-old images, a new customer may meet an older version of the business first.
You do not need to upload every photo. Use the ones that best explain the services and experience you provide now.