Example photo: Virtual tour at local florist, taken by Google.
While many people instantly understand the advantages of having Google business photos, here are 25 very good reasons to showcase your premises with Google business photos.
1. If not seen in local searches, you’re not found either..
A large portion of Internet users search for local businesses every day on Google; may it be restaurants, florists, garages, hotels or other retail shops. Google is the main source used to find local businesses and having 360° photos of your business can help attract local customers. Which type of businesses are you searching for in your local area?
2. Psychological advantage – it feels like I’ve been there
Allowing people seeing inside your business give them confidence and it truly feels like they been there before. 360 business photos gives a ‘mere-exposure effect‘ – a psychological phenomenon by which people tend to develop a preference for things merely because they are familiar with them. People seeing your virtual tour are more likely to visit your business compared to a competitor which don’t have it.
Finally, people with agoraphobia, social phobia, anxiety and various type of claustrophobia may feel safer to visit a local showing up in Google 360 photos. At least they know the inside of the business, making them feel safer.
3. Attention grabbing
If your business have some unique characteristics and you believe it could grab attention, 360° photography is an optimal tool used to showcase your premises. Having a virtual tour give the customer a great first impression which can cause Internet users to visit the physical store. But most important, it will open their eyes seeing photos saying ‘see inside’ and ‘see outside’ – making them want to explore it further.
4. Brings your business to life
High quality 360° photos make it possible for visitors to see your premises like an interactive tour. As you can imagine, this is very likely to increase the amount of new visitors to your Google+ Profile, Google Maps and your business in Google search.
5. Advantage over businesses without 360° photos
If a visitor is about to decide on where to go they are usually more likely to visit a business with 360° photos, the ‘inside view’, rather than any business without photos. After all, they know how the business with Google business photos looks like, while the appearance of the competitor is unknown.
6. Showcase Google Business photos on your website
Feel free to use the virtual tour on your own website, if you have a website. Showing a 360° interactive tour tend to increase trust in your business and might lead to more visitors. Contact 360 Photographer Limited to discuss how to embed your Google business photos.
7. Share Google Business photos on Facebook
It’s simple to add a custom page tab to your Facebook Page showing Google business photos. Feel free to name your tab whatever you like, add images, html or even point your page to an external website. Every month, this Facebook tool is serving over 150 million tab views. Read more how to embed this Facebook app at the official plugin page: http://apps.facebook.com/280634148712667/.
8. People enjoy sharing 360 photos
When having virtual tours on multiple websites, such as your Google+ page, Google maps, Facebook and your website – there are many new opportunities for users to share or like your business. If you don’t have Google business photos, it’s not possible to showcase your premises in the same manner.
9. Some might stumble upon your business..
When searching for nearby shops, restaurants or streets on Google Maps they might simply stumble upon your business. If having 360 photos, Google Maps visitors are obviously also able to see everything inside. If they even like it a little, they might become visitors. What are you waiting for? Call 0800 157 7736 today to discuss how 360 photographer can set-up a virtual tour for your business.
10. Your business shown in the best light
A professional 360 photographer like Markus Jalmerot can photograph your premises in the best light, literally. Every single 360 panorama is taken in 3 different exposure modes, making it possible to capture the best light. The technique used in Google business photos is often referred to as HDR photography.
11. Enhance your business listing
Images will appear on Google search results, Google+ Local, and Google Maps. Web users love clicking on images and seeing inside. So this will surely lead to more people seeing your premises and services and most likely also attracting more customers.
12. Enable customers to explore online
Potential customers can engage and explore, walk-through, and truly experience your business. In many cases, this leads them to visit your shop, salon, garage, gym or restaurant. Obviously, it’s also easier to convince your friends or partner to visit a place if you can see the inside of the premises before deciding.
13. Seasonal shoots make your business look fresh
Seasonal shoots are a great way to keep your business up-to-date and show your customers what’s new. 360 Photographer suggest businesses to showcase their premises in different seasons, making the virtual tours more attractive and relevant. Having a second 360 shoot usually goes faster and the new seasonal virtual tour can usually be live within a few days.
14. Prominent featured on your own Google+ page
With Google business photos your 360 degree inside view becomes prominently featured on Google+ Local. If you haven’t already uploaded Point of Internet (POI) photos, 360 Photographer will update your Google+ listing with new and interesting photos of prominent features in your business.
15. A specialist will make your premises look amazing
Only photographers which have been approved by Google after passing theoretical and practical tests are allowed to take these 360 photos. Only the best equipment is used by 360 Photographer Markus Jalmerot. This allow your business to get professional shoots in very high quality.
16. Stand out and get ahead of competitors
Reach new customers in a visually exciting way, and separate yourself from the competition. First mover advantage can grab lots of customers in your area. Our predication is that within 1.5-2 years, over 8 % of all public facing businesses in London will have virtual tours available in Google. Are your business going to be among the first or last?
17. Better ranking or more traffic from Google?
Some customers report better rankings in Google or increased traffic due to higher Click Through Rate (CTR). Perhaps no a great surprise, as it has long been known that anything helping your site stand out is likely to result in more traffic and eventually better ranking (if they users like your site). The new photos are rather big and often shown in connection with your business name on Google & Google Maps.
18. You own all photos
The photographer assigns all ownership rights in the photographs (including intellectual property rights) to Business. You get full rights over all the photos and it’s free to use these images on your website, in newspaper adverts, magazines, outdoor advertising etc. Your 360 photographer will send over all images on Google+ or if you prefer to have images on a disc, that can also be arranged.
19. Update Street View photos
As the shooting starts outside the premises it might in some cases be helpful with a new street view image outside your business. Perhaps some new business opened up next door or you simply changed colour on the door. In either case, new photos taken by 360 photographer Markus Jalmerot will be connected with Google Street View if possible.
20. No website required to take advantage
You can take advantage of Google business photos without having a website. All photos will be uploaded to your Google+ page profile so simply confirm that your business is listed. A majority of all local business are listed. The only major exceptions might be new businesses, which been in operation less than 1 year.
21. More positive reviews
Having 360° photos of your premises might lead more previous visitors to leave reviews. Google business photos make your premises look good and getting more positive reviews in return is not unlikely. Obviously, the customers must be satisfied with your services for this to happen. After all, reviews exist to help potential customers to see the advantages and disadvantages of a business while helping the business owner to understand what to improve.
22. Push down negative reviews
If your business have negative reviews, it’s likely to be pushed down in the search results by the increased space new ‘inside business photos’ will take up. However, if you get many negative reviews you better analyse the reason behind and try to improve your services while motivating satisfied customers to share a testimonial of your business.
23. More returning visitors
With plenty of similar businesses, it’s easy to get lost in the crowd. Having Google business photos certainly help people to recognise the premises and making them more likely to return. Because if they cannot find the address to your premises there will never return.
24. Discover businesses in comfort from your computer
With inside business photos your users can easily check out the premises of a business 24/7. You are with other words not bound by any opening times and can easily check out what is more important for you. Get a quick feeling of the atmosphere, decorations and location. Even kids can do it.
25. Anyone searching for your services might see it
People searching for services and restaurants in local search are likely to see Google business photos. After all, people love looking into businesses and Google tend to show users what they want to find. Businesses with 360 photos, incoming links and many reviews by users are usually more likely to be shown in Google, Google+ Local and Google maps.