Google SGE now uses photos and reviews from Google Business Profile listings

Google’s new Search Generative Experience, which began rolling out a few weeks ago, now can use Google Business Profile data to help it create its AI-generated snapshot answer. SGE also uses data “from the reviews, photos and Business Profile details that people have submitted to Google for more than 200 million places in the real world,” Google wrote.

What it looks like. Here is a video showing how Google pulls reviews and photo data from Google Business Profiles and displays them in the AI-generated snapshot answer in the new Search Generative Experience.

I was even able to replicate it for my own Google Business listing for my company. I asked [who is RustyBrick], and it returns photos directly from my Google Business Profile listing. The images below the text pull directly from the photos I uploaded to my Business Profile in Google.

Here are more examples I found on Twitter of this in action:

Yep, I'm seeing SGE pull in Google reviews and photos from Business Profiles. If you focus on travel (or local in general), a big heads-up to check out the new SGE functionality just announced: pic.twitter.com/TQimETEDRX

— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) June 14, 2023

What Google said. Google wrote:

“We’ve added new capabilities to SGE for local and travel searches, so if you ask detailed questions about a place or destination in Search, you’ll see an AI-powered snapshot that brings together the most helpful information available — not only from across the web, but also from the reviews, photos and Business Profile details that people have submitted to Google for more than 200 million places in the real world. And with all these links and resources right at your fingertips, it’s easy to dive deeper on relevant sites and hear perspectives from a wide range of creators.

For example, you might ask if a certain restaurant is good for large groups or whether they’re vegetarian-friendly. Or maybe you want to know when people recommend visiting a particular landmark, so you can avoid the crowds. With this improved experience in SGE, you’ll get useful insights to guide you along the way, so you can spend less time planning and more time enjoying the plans you’ve made.”

Why we care. This gives you yet another reason, if you didn’t have enough reasons, to ensure your photos on your Google Business Profile listings are complete, good quality and representative of what your customers and prospects want to see of your business and organization. Also, ensuring you have good reviews, since SGE can use those, is also important.

This also shows that Google is ready and able to use more and more data sources it has at its disposal within its SGE AI-generates snapshots.