Adding photos, videos and links in the composer

[MortenCopenhagen]

This guide is part of the Transition Tutorials.

Summary

No more reducing the file size of photos. Even tall photos will now look great. You can simply paste photos or drag and drop them on desktop. The max 1000 photos limit is gone. YouTube videos and YouTube shorts are added by simply pasting the url. Video on your phone can be uploaded directly; however, 16 MB is the maximum file size. Finally, links can now be elegantly featured. Learn how below.

---

Photos

When editing a topic, you just need to hit this button in the composer menu:

Then navigate to the relevant folder, Google Photos album, or wherever the photo is located to select it. Then tap Add if prompted. It could not be easier.

It takes a few seconds to upload and get processed, then you will see some new Markdown code in the composer. It can look something like this:

Open the preview below the composer if you want to see the photos in your text.

Next, please edit the Markdown code to replace the text ‘filename.jpg’ text with a text that will assist people using screenreaders to know what’s in the photo.

In the preview window, you can also edit the photo size to 100%, 75%, or 50%.

On desktops, you can open Google Photos or any photo app, then open the photo you want to add. Select Copy Image, and then right-click and “Copy image,” then return to the composer to paste it.

The max file size is now above 10 MB per still image.

If you drop or upload 2-5 images at the same time, they will be shown in a grid as shown below.

If you want them displayed individually, please remove the codes [grid] and [/grid]. There is a maximum of 5 photos uploaded together:

Lastly, please remember that all the illustrations we add should be our own and not downloaded from a website. Using Google logos, etc. should still be avoided.

Videos

Inserting YouTube videos is even easier. Just paste the link, and Connect does the rest for you. Also, YouTube shorts can now be added this way.

Here is an example:

Welcome to Local Guides Connect!

The above video was inserted by simply pasting this text: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU0CjWZxAUg into the composer.

You can now also upload videos directly from your phone. Use the same procedure as for uploading photos. The maximum file size is 16 MB.

Above you can see a sample video uploaded directly to Connect and not first to Youtube.

Links

There are several ways to insert a link.

A link has two elements: the link text and the url. The link text is what becomes blue and clickable.

Links with no link text

If you just paste a url, the url itself will become the link text, as demonstrated here:

https://top100localguides.com/

This is the simplest type of link. It can become difficult to read if long urls are mixed into your text. Then you should add a shorter link text.

Links with a link text

You can hide a longer link to not interrupt the flow of the user’s reading. Here is an example:

On the list of all categories currently used on Google Maps, you can specify your desired language.

Reads better than:

On the list of all categories https://pleper.com/index.php?do=tools&sdo=gmb_categories, currently used on Google Maps, you can specify your desired language.

There are two ways to insert links with a link text.

Start by writing the link text, then select the text and hit this Insert hyperlink button:

You can also use Crtl+K if you are on a desktop.

Or you can write the Markdown code:

The link text is in square brackets, followed by the URL in normal brackets.

Using link texts is recommended.

External links will open in a new tab or window depending on your settings.

Featured links

You can get links presented more prominently with a frame, a photo, and a short text, as seen below:

It is best to add a featured link first before you write anything else in the composer. Just paste the URL into the first line of the composer. Then Connect will do the rest for you. If you don’t want your links shown in a box, just add < > around the link. More details about inserting featured links can be found here.

Lastly, please see Creating Smart Individualized Connect Links should you want to help users find specific settings pages.

This is the end of this tutorial.

Credit: The oil painting shown at the top is Beach at Trouville by Eugène Boudin. Painted in 1864/5. Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington.

---

Return to the Transition Tutorial Index

[LightRich]

Hi Morten.
I want to share an additional way to add a description for a photo:

• Once you´ve added the photo, go to Preview and you will find a pencil icon in the lower left corner of it.

• You just need to click on it and write the description.

• Click the icon

I find this way pretty easy even in mobile version. Hope it helps!

[MortenCopenhagen]

Great point, @LightRich

This is actually how I normally do it.

Thanks

[WilfriedB]

Thanks for the information @LightRich and @MortenCopenhagen .
Most times when sharing a screenshot, I don’t save it as a file, but paste it directly into the composer. This works fine and is fast, but in that case, it did not find any way yet to add a caption or did I miss something?

[AdrianLunsong]

I was just checking some notes on this post and saw your question about captions on screenshot type images. I’m not sure if you’ve already found you answer since then but adding captions should be the same for uploaded images; you can either amend the caption in the Show Preview box or amend the code to add your caption.

[WilfriedB]

@AdrianLunsong

should be the same for uploaded images

That’s what I thought too, but the pencil did not appear. However, you can edit the source code.

But that didn’t work for the second screen shot:

[MortenCopenhagen]

I think the edit caption is sometimes not available at first. But when you edit the post later it is available. Really odd.

[WilfriedB]

@MortenCopenhagen

But when you edit the post later it is available. Really odd.

My comment above has two screen shots. For the first, it worked immediately by editing the mark down code. For the second, I tried several times without success.
In both cases, the pencil does not show up in Preview Mode.

Here, it did work again (“Screenshot of MD code for the second screenshot”):

@MortenCopenhagen @AdrianLunsong

[AdrianLunsong]

@WilfriedB That is very strange.

Please don’t edit your comment above because it clearly shows one image with the caption showing on mouse over and the second image with the caption not showing properly. I would like to flag that comment for the attention of the Local Guides team to inspect further.

Also, when I look at the source code for the page, this is what I see:

You can see two highlighted areas which are the code for the images <img src>. The first image is also wrapped in an anchor code <a href> and I believe the “lightbox” code is what gives it the caption pop-up action on mouse-over or the image pop-up when tapping on the image.

The second image does not have that code so when I mouse-over or tap on the second image, nothing happens. The same behaviour holds true on mobile too.

Could you explain step-by-step how you copy an image to then paste into the composer window? Are you mobile/desktop? How are you taking your screenshots? Thanks

[WilfriedB]

Hello @AdrianLunsong
I am on Windows 10 22H2 (Build 19045.5198) with Firefox 133.0 and I do use “Windows Snip and Sketch” (aka Snipping Tool) (10.2008.3001.0), which allows you to mark an area on screen and immediately writes it into clipboard. From there I paste it directly into the composer without further editing or opening the Snip and Sketch app.
I know, using the Snip and Sketch app, I would also be able to save the image to disk and then import it into the composer, but that would be an unnecessary additional step, I’d prefer to avoid…
Sometimes, I do use the app to highlight some areas of the screenshot, but then also copy to clipboard and paste directly.

[AngieYC]

Hi @AdrianLunsong & @WilfriedB,

We really appreciate the digging you’ve been doing and all of the information shared here is really helpful.

I will share this with the team to check what causes the issue with the inconsistencies with the caption.