📸 Get Noticed Using An Image Next To Google Search Result In Local Mobile Search!

TL;DR

1. Images in mobile Google search results can help your business stand out, but they don’t appear for every search query.
2. To get an image in the mobile search results, use a square image, place it near the top of the page, and set it as a featured image.
3. Avoid using images with too much text or stock photos, and consider including awards or coupons for better impact.
4. Google’s algorithm sometimes changes, so an image may not appear in search results consistently.
5. Using plugins like Yoast or RankMath with schema markup can trigger Google to display a chosen image without it being visible on the page.

For those of us who work in marketing, it’s really easy to get caught up in what we see on our desktop computers all day and forget what things look like in Google’s search results on mobile.  Google often shows images beside the search results on mobile devices that don’t show up in the same search made from a desktop. They are an easy way for a business to stand out in the SERPs and draw more attention to their website. We’ve previously discussed how images impact ranking, however, we haven’t talked about how to get an image next to your link in Google’s search results.

Not all mobile SERPs show an image next to Google search result

It’s important to note that not every keyword shows images in the search results on mobile devices.  We tracked tons of keywords using BrightLocal and looked at screenshots of how search engine results pages (SERPs) on mobile varied based on what was typed in.  For example, “car accident attorney Sebring” doesn’t show images but yet “car accident attorney Sebring, fl” does, despite the fact that these two search phrases are extremely similar.

To be clear, desktop search results show images too. Some queries produce an image in the desktop results but not on mobile and vice versa. In short, desktop SERPs and mobile SERPs are different.

The SERPs are also constantly changing. A query that includes photos today might not show them in six months. Regardless, the steps outlined in this post can help you get a photo into the search results, in those cases where Google decides to display an image.

Steps to get an image next to Google search result:

1. Make sure the image you use on the page is square.  If it’s a different ratio, Google will sometimes just crop it, and it could make the photo look dumb.  I often see attorneys showing up with their heads chopped off because of this.
   
   The actual dimensions you use on the photo don’t seem to matter much, as long as it’s a square.
2. Make sure the image is at the top of the page.  The placement of the photo matters, and Google is often looking to show the first image they scan on the page. (Excluding a hero or banner image that creates the background across the very top of the page.)
   We tested this on a client who wasn’t showing images in the mobile search results.  I noticed that the business had a carousel of photos that were all different sizes, so I moved it further down the page and put a smaller, square photo of the business owners right above it.  This caused them to get images in the mobile search results within a few days.
   
3. Set a featured image on a page or post that you want Google to use. Blake Denman from RicketyRoo pointed out that you sometimes don’t even have to include the image on the page. If you have a WordPress website and use a plugin like Yoast or RankMath, you can just set a featured image on a page or post that you want Google to use.  The plugins add the necessary schema markup for PrimaryImageOfPage which can trigger Google to display the image you’ve chosen.  For example, this plumber doesn’t even have the image listed publicly on his drain cleaning page.
   
   My colleague, Carrie Hill, warns that before utilizing this tactic, make sure the WordPress theme doesn’t use the featured image in the page template.  Some themes automatically display the featured image, and changing it could cause something on the page, such as the hero image, to update unintentionally.

Maximize your impact by using these essential photo elements for Google mobile SERP success

To make the most of this feature, make sure you use the following image types for your photo.

1. Don’t use too much text.  For example, this image is using tons of small text that is not readable on mobile devices.
   
2. Don’t use stock photos.  We found in our study on Google Posts that images that are stock photos result in a lot fewer clicks.
3. Use awards or coupons.  This can be a great way to stand out while including a unique selling proposition.
   

We have been doing a lot of testing around images in the last year at Sterling Sky.  You can read about the tests we did on geotagging photos, how images impact ranking, if adding images in GBP impacts ranking, and how to utilize the cover photo you select in Google Business Profile.

This study along with several others about images was presented at the LocalU event in August 2021.  Videos of the presentation are available for purchase here.

Do you have a question or story about how you have seen images impact small businesses on Google? Tell us about it over at the Local Search Forum.

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