Uploading photos to a Google Business Profile is easy. Getting the right ones to actually show up prominently, in the map pack and at the top of the profile, is a little less predictable, but it's not random either.
The cover photo isn't always the one you set
Google sometimes surfaces a different photo than the one manually set as the cover, particularly if it judges another uploaded photo, or even a customer-submitted one, to be more representative or higher quality. Setting a strong cover photo helps your odds, but it isn't an absolute guarantee.
Customer photos count too
Photos customers upload directly to your listing become part of the same pool Google draws from, for better or worse. This is one more reason a business's own photo library should stay current and strong: it competes for prominence against whatever customers happen to post.
Category-relevant photos perform differently
Google tends to favor photos it can confidently categorize: exterior shots, interior shots (if applicable), team photos, and photos of the actual work or product. A photo that's ambiguous or hard to categorize is less likely to be surfaced prominently, regardless of quality.
Recency plays a role
A profile with only old photos, even good ones, reads differently to Google's systems and to customers than one with recent uploads. Adding new photos periodically, not just once at setup, keeps the pool fresh. See what to post on Google Business Profile, and how often.
Quality still matters
Blurry, poorly lit, or oddly cropped photos are less likely to be chosen for prominent placement even if uploaded consistently. The same basic photography principles that apply to the website apply here. See phone photography tips for showing off finished work.
Questions
Can I remove a bad photo a customer uploaded?
You can flag inappropriate or clearly wrong photos for removal, but you can't unilaterally delete a customer's legitimate photo simply because you don't like how it looks.
How many photos should I upload initially?
Enough to cover the basics: exterior, interior if relevant, team, and several examples of actual work. There's no fixed minimum, but a profile with only one or two photos looks sparse next to a well-populated competitor.
Does photo count directly affect ranking?
Google hasn't confirmed photo count as a direct ranking factor, but a well-populated, active profile is treated as a stronger overall signal, and photos are part of what makes a profile look active and trustworthy to both Google and customers.