Don’t have a Local Google+ page?
This link will show you how to set one up. It is straightforward and will only take a few minutes.
Get a Google+ Business page
Get a Google+ Business page
Will I have to close my business for the shoot?
No, Tony can shoot the tour during your normal working hours (people’s faces will be blurred out).
Do I have to pay every year?
No. It’s a single one off payment that will promote your business for years to come. It is an excellent marketing investment.
THE SIGN UP PROCESS
When potential customers search for your business by name on Google, they will see the images displayed directly on the search results page. These panoramic images will also be published on Google+ Local pages, Google Maps and other Google properties and give customers a better sense of the layout, decor and beauty of your business interior. Using easy-to-use html snippets or Maps APIs, you can also link to these images from your own business website, attracting potential customers who visit your website too.
Google Trusted Photographers and photographers from Trusted Agencies are taking high-quality still photographs that will be stitched into 360-degree views using panoramic camera technology. These Trusted Photographers are independent contractors who have been trained and certified by Google to produce high quality panoramic images. As a business owner, you can also upload your own photographs to Google+ Local by signing into Google+ Local. You’ll be able to see the photos and 360-degree panoramic imagery directly on Google search results and on your Google+ Local page.
Trusted Photographers and photographers are trained to take high quality photos of building interiors, accommodating for common challenges such as low lighting and tight spaces. The photographers are also certified to take pictures using fisheye lenses and rotating camera turrets (mounted on tripods) that, once uploaded to Google’s processing pipelines by photographers, will be transformed into 360-degree panoramic imagery and a walk through of your business. Once photographers upload the pictures from their cameras, Google’s processing pipelines use sophisticated image stitching, HDR, image matching and other technologies to produce these panoramic walkthroughs.
We do not allow Trusted Photographers to upload imagery of legal and government establishments. We also do not allow imagery of museums to be uploaded through the Business Photos program, as this imagery is supported through Google Art Project.
It depends on the physical size of the business and the number of images that will be needed to be taken to complete the tour. See our Prices page.
Yes. If you have other businesses, or other branches, we can offer discounts for booking them at the same time. This discount ranges from 10% to 20% depending on how many shoots you need.
THE PHOTO SHOOT
It is very easy: Get in touch with Tony via the contact page or call me on 07792 693382.
Most shoots take 1-2 hours and the results are usually online within a couple of weeks.
You are welcome to clean and tidy things up prior to the photography session, but remember that the aim of the photographs is to show customers what they would expect to see if they visited your business on a normal day.
Photo shoots will include the main customer-facing areas of your business. You can work with Tony to determine what areas of your businesses you would like to highlight, or even exclude from the shoot. Once again, the goal of the photographs is to show customers what they would expect to see if they visited your business on a normal day.
We know you’re running a business, and that’s why we designed photo shoots to be as non-disruptive as possible. Tony will work around your schedule to ensure that photos are taken at a convenient time for you and your business. Photo shoots do not require any sort of special equipment, lighting, or setup, so you are free to stay open. Although photo shoots are non-disruptive and should not interfere with your normal business operations, it’s a good idea to let your customers know photography is in process and to avoid being in view of the camera, whenever possible.
Because we want to keep the focus of the photos on the inside of your business, we aim to have as few people in the shots as possible. During the shoot, Tony will alert customers and employees about to be photographed.
PRIVACY AND LEGAL
Photo shoots will exclude any areas of your businesses which you would not like to feature. In addition, our photographers will always alert customers and employees before a photo is taken, to uphold their privacy. All panoramic imagery will be processed by our state-of-the-art blurring technology to blur out faces of any employees or customers who appear in the imagery. At any time you may request additional blurring or takedown of entire images through our Report a Problem link at either the bottom of the pano image, or within your Google+ Local page.
You must have the proper authority to allow a Trusted Photographer or Trusted Agency photographer access to the business premises to collect photographs and to subsequently allow Google to use those photographs in its products and services. People with this authority include the owner of the business or a director or manager with the designation to make those commitments on behalf of the business. Please note that by agreeing to the terms and conditions and the Google Terms of Service, before your photo shoot, you are confirming that you have the authority to make that commitment.
Google may use these images in other products and services in new ways that will make your business information more useful and accessible to users. For example, further integration with Google Maps will allow customers to find these images easily from the 360-degree Street View imagery of nearby roads for many locations.
Yes, you will own the photos taken by Trusted Photographers once you have paid for this service and the shoot is completed. Keep in mind that by signing the agreement, provided by the Trusted Photographer, you will also license the use of the photos to Google who will publish the imagery.
Because of the technology it takes individual unstitched and unreviewed images considerable processing after they are uploaded to Google by the photographer to produce the attractive ‘walk- through’ experience, you will not be able to review the images before they are uploaded to Google.
Yes, if you see a major issue you can ask us to blur some areas in each of the panoramic images. You may also ask us to take down all panoramas. At this time we are unable to take down individual panoramas. To request blurring or takedown click on the “Report a Problem” link on the specific images where you see issues and provide the requested information. Please note that the blurring/removal process may take several days.
Yes, your photos might be removed if they are found to violate the Google photo policy. Although all business images undergo quality review before being uploaded, some photos may still be reported as inappropriate and later removed. The complete photo policy can be found here.
Similar to our policy for Street View imagery, our “Report a Problem” tool enables users to request further blurring of images that feature the user in the 360-degree imagery. Users can also request the removal of images that display inappropriate content, and business owners can ask us to remove 360-degree images taken by photographers through the “Report a problem” link or the “Report inappropriate photo” link for feature photos.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
Yes, we encourage you to share the walk-through experience of your business with your customers. To embed the 360-degree panoramas on your website, simply find the HTML snippet from a good point of view of the panoramic imagery on Google Maps, click on the “Link” button , click “customize and preview embedded map,” and then copy and paste the HTML to embed in your website.
Yes, you are welcome to contact Tony and coordinate a repeat shoot as often as you’d like. Repeat shoots have a reduced price. Many business who have recently renovated their interiors or that have seasonal décor will request a re shoot.
In most cases, yes. There are some exceptions, for example, a business with a shared access to the current street view images. A business within shopping centre may have its tour start at the entrance to their premises, but all other benefits of Google Street View | Trusted Photos apply.
Google Street View | Trusted Terms & Conditions are different from Pro Business Photos Terms & Conditions which you can read on our footer section of the website. Please click this link to read about Google Street View | Trusted Terms & Conditions.