Google Places and 360 Virtual Tours – A Winning Combination

Google Business Photos are the perfect way to enhance your Google Places profile, enabling interested browsers to virtually check out your business premises at any time of the day, without leaving the comfort of their own homes.  Combining high quality digital stills from a network of certified photographers with Google’s state-of-the-art image stitching software, Google Business Photos create a seamless 360 degree visual tour of your entire premises. By combining the SEO benefits of a free Google Places profile with the visual appeal of Google Business Photos, you will be ideally placed to stand out from the competition.

If you have never made use of Google Places, this is the best place to start:

What is Google Places?
If you have not yet claimed your free Google Places page then this is your first step. Simply go to the Google Places home page and follow the simple instructions to claim and start building a commercial presence online.  The SEO benefits of having a Google Place profile include extending your visibility to anybody searching for a business in your locale, either by keyword or category (e.g. restaurants, plumbers, etc.). Many Google Places profiles are now accessed via mobile device, an exciting prospect given the huge surge in people using mobile devices to access local services online.

Once activated, your Google Places dashboard can be used to display a wide range of information relevant to your business, from opening hours and contact details to special offers and, of course, photographs (including your Google Business Photos).

What is Google Maps?
Google Maps is one of Google’s online properties and enables users to find directions and explore locations. It is integrated with Google Places, so that when virtual travellers are in your neck of the woods, they can access your Places profile, including your 360 degree virtual tours. This integration provides considerable SEO benefits, with Google Maps one of the apps often installed on mobile devices.

What Are the Benefits of Google Business Photos?
While your Google Places profile will bring its own SEO benefits, it is the photographs that will draw casual browsers in. If you have a Google Business Photo, many people will be unable to resist the opportunity to step into your premises and explore further.

Google Business Photos give you the chance to control your prospects’ first impressions of your business, by presenting it in its full glory. If you have unusual or particularly beautiful interior design, impressive architecture or fascinating views, you really should be flaunting these aspects of your business.

How Do I Book my Google Business Photo Shoot?
Google certifies trusted photographers, like Nicola, to conduct photo shoots in their local area. If you are in the Manchester or Stockport area, Nicola can arrange to visit your business at a time of mutual convenience. Otherwise, you will need to visit the list of trusted photographers in your area via this link: http://maps.google.co.uk/help/maps/businessphotos/get-started.html

If you are in the local area, please give Nicola a call on 0161 610 9360.

Our photographer can provide 6-30 virtual tours and 10-15 still images. You may even be eligible for a £50 voucher from Google (contact us for more details).