How to Create a Short Video for Your Google Business Profile Using Canva
- Jul 20
- 5 min read
Adding a short video to your Google Business Profile is a great way to help people understand your business before they visit, call, book, or buy.
The video’s main purpose is simple: quickly present your business as professional, welcoming, and active.
This kind of visual content is often called rich media, and it can be surprisingly powerful. A quick video can show your space, your team, your products, your process, or the experience of working with you in a way that photos and text cannot always do on their own.
A good video does not need to be fancy. In fact, simple is usually better.
Think: a quick look inside the space, a product being made, a service in action, your team at work, or a short behind-the-scenes clip that helps a customer feel more comfortable choosing you.
Here’s how to take an existing video and edit it in Canva so it is ready for your Google Business Profile.
Google Business Profile Video Guidelines
Before you start editing, make sure your final video fits Google’s basic guidelines:
Length: 30–60 seconds or shorter
File size: up to 75 MB
Resolution: 720p or higher
For most businesses, I recommend keeping videos short, clear, and easy to understand without sound. Many people will see them quickly while browsing your profile.
Step 1: Get Access to the Video Files
Start by opening the folder where the original videos are stored. This may be in Dropbox, Google Drive, your phone, or another shared folder.
Choose a video that shows something useful, such as:
Your storefront or office
Your team working
A service being performed
A product being made or displayed
A clean walk-through of the space
A customer-friendly “what to expect” moment
Try to avoid clips that are too dark, shaky, cluttered, or confusing.
Step 2: Open Canva and Start a Video Project
Log in to Canva and create a new video project.
You can start with a blank video design or use one of Canva’s simple video templates. For Google Business Profile, I usually recommend keeping the design clean and not overloading the video with graphics.
This is not a commercial. It is a quick trust-building clip.
Step 3: Upload the Video to Canva
In Canva, go to Uploads, then upload the video file you want to edit.
Once it is uploaded, drag the video onto your Canva project.
If you are new to Canva video editing, it is worth watching or reading Canva’s video editing help page first. Pay special attention to how to trim clips, adjust timing, add text, and export the finished video.
Step 4: Use Canva Highlights to Find the Best Clips
If you are starting with a longer video, you do not have to manually hunt for the best 30–60 seconds from scratch.
Canva has a Highlights tool that can help find strong moments in a video. This is especially helpful if the original video is long, has multiple scenes, or includes a lot of extra footage before and after the useful part.
Start by opening the video in Canva. Then look for the video editing tools and choose Highlights.
Canva can suggest shorter moments from the video that may work well as clips.
Use Highlights as a starting point, not the final decision.
After Canva suggests a clip, watch it carefully and ask:
Does this show something useful about the business?
Is the lighting clear?
Does the clip make sense without a lot of explanation?
Would this help a potential customer feel more comfortable choosing this business?
Is there anything awkward, blurry, distracting, or too slow?
For Google Business Profile, the best clip is usually simple and helpful. Think storefront, team, service, product, workspace, or “what to expect” footage.
You can read Canva’s support page about video editing here: Canva Help Center: Video editing
Once you have a highlight you like, trim it down so the final video is short, clear, and ready for Google Business Profile.
Aim for 30–60 seconds or less, under 75 MB, and 720p or higher resolution.
Step 5: Add Simple Text, If Helpful
You can add a short text overlay, but keep it minimal.
Good examples:
“Visit our Beaufort location”
“Custom candle pouring experience”
“Now booking consultations”
“Inside our Lake Oswego office”
“Freshly made in-store”
"Steep Hillside Custom Home"
Use text only when it makes the video easier to understand. Do not cover important parts of the video with large graphics or too many words.
Step 6: Check the Video Without Sound
Before exporting, watch the video with the sound off.
Ask yourself:
Can someone understand what this video is showing?
Does it make the business look professional and welcoming?
Is the lighting good enough?
Is the clip short and clear?
Would this help a customer feel more confident?
If the answer is yes, you are on the right track.
Step 7: Export the Video
When the video is ready, export it from Canva. Use a video format such as MP4.
Before sending or uploading it, check that the file meets the Google Business Profile guidelines:
30–60 seconds or less
Under 75 MB
720p or higher resolution
If the file is too large, shorten the video or reduce the export size.
Practice First
If you are new to editing videos in Canva, practice first.
Use one of the client videos or a test video you already have. Try trimming it, adding a simple text overlay, exporting it, and checking the file size.
The first one may take a little longer. After that, the process gets much faster.
Quick Checklist
Before sending the final video, make sure:
The video is clear and easy to understand
The best part is at the beginning
The clip is not too long
The file is under 75 MB
The resolution is 720p or higher
Any text is simple and readable
The video makes the business look active, current, and trustworthy
Final Tip
For Google Business Profile, the best videos are usually simple, real, and useful.
You do not need a polished movie trailer. You need a short clip that helps customers quickly understand the business and feel more confident choosing it.
Start with one clean video, keep it short, and use it to show the business at its best.
Need Help Creating Google Business Profile Videos?
Short videos can make your Google Business Profile feel more active, current, and helpful — but editing them can still take time.
If you have video clips but are not sure what to use, how to trim them, or how to make sure they meet Google’s guidelines, I can help.
I work with clients to review existing footage, choose the strongest clips, edit short Canva videos, and prepare them for Google Business Profile.
