Google Street View Trusted Advantages

Not all virtual tours are made equal. 

Just like the difference between a good and a great photographer that you'd select to do your product photography, your team headshots or any other visual content to represent your business, virtual tour photography is a speciality all of its own and you should make your decision by reviewing the portfolio of each prospective supplier. 

Be careful of people who show virtual tours shot by others. This is often a trick that you may not pick up on when being presented to. It's not uncommon for unscrupulous salespeople to show the work of better virtual tour photographers and suggest that you'll get something 'just like it'.  Ask to see their own recent work. You want to be able to talk directly to the photographer themselves and ensure you can trust that they are able to provide you with the quality and service you deserve.

You'll also notice one thing that's different with many of my most recent virtual tours... people! That may sound like a bit of a surprise, but most virtual tour photographers don't like to have people in their images because of how much harder it is to shoot a great looking virtual tour in this way. Virtual tours with people are far more engaging and 'alive'. In fact, people who are not blurred (with permission - by having them sign off on a model release) adds a far more engaging element to virtual tours. 

The other thing you want to look for (and this should be completely obvious) is image quality. There are a large number of photographers now cutting corners by shooting with either 'one-shot' cameras that are very limited in their image quality and resolution or even simply not taking the time to properly process your images so that they look their best.  It's understandable that when people cut corners, you end up with exactly what you paid for. 

So with that in mind, review the portfolio carefully of every photographer you consider and don't be afraid to ask them if the images are in fact their own and if they do their own processing. You may be surprised of your findings and happy you took the time to investigate further before spending your hard earned money on a service that's truly crucial to the way you show your business to the world.

Whether you are a retailer, restaurant, café, hairdresser, auto service or any other business that wants to increase your exposure, a 360° panoramic tour can make the difference between you and your competitors. It’s not limited to only businesses that deal with the public.  Many B2B (Business to Business) organisations can also benefit by providing a virtual tour. So if your business is any of the listed examples below, call me to find out more about how I can help you gain more trust from whomever your clients are.

Gyms; Accountants; Law Offices; Libraries; Real Estate Offices; Churches;, Pubs & Clubs; Galleries; Parts Suppliers; Pet Supplies; Veterinarian; Dentist; Chemist; Tourism Related Activities;

You can show your Work Pics 360° tours on your website, Facebook, Google Maps or any other place where you connect with your clients in digital media.  It’s about leveraging the power of local search on Google and letting people ‘see inside’. Your 360° panoramic tour can be based on the same platform as Google Maps Street View or a host of alternative publishing platforms. You can learn more about your options when we chat.

Work Pics 360 is an independent photography service bringing virtual tour imagery to organisations who want to help people engage with them online and increase visitation offline (in real person).

Like most local small businesses, it’s best to get to know each other in person where we can build trust, understanding and solutions that not only get results but can also be adapted as needs change.  With that in mind, each project is approached with a simple, open question.
“What do you want people to see?”

Getting a clear understanding about what you want to accomplish first helps us work together and develop an effective and interactive visual presence online.

This is why I prefer to do a site inspection (location walkthrough) with you to determine what we'll include in the virtual tour. This also allow you to get an on-the-spot estimate of how much you'll be investing to have me capture and publish your virtual tour.

Each photo shoot location will have variations in their requirements but the principles remain the same.

The minimum number of nodes (locations where each 360° panoramic image is taken) for each business depends on the size and how well people can see what’s in the virtual tour. Google Street View | Trusted standards up until recently were very strict but are now far more flexible. That said, a virtual tour with only a few images is rarely sufficient except for the smallest locations with no visual obstructions.  In most cases, it will be necessary to provide 5, 10, 20 or more 360 photos and up to as many as 200 360 photos or more.

Google truly cares about quality. In fact it can impact their image recognition technology if images are not of a high standard. This is why Google Street View | Trusted photographers are awarded their Trusted status. In fact, blurring of private, confidential and inappropriate information is one of the indicators of quality, just as much as is clear, sharp images, no matter if they are photospheres or standard still images.

Included is assistance with ensuring your Google business listing is verified along with information to get your virtual tour on your website and even tools and tips on how you can share the virtual tour on social media platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Should you wish to have additional images taken, such as product photos, head shots or featured points of interest, please let me know (see portfolio).  In many cases, these images are best to be taken at a different time than the virtual tour photos to allow you to prepare accordingly. These additions are not covered by the Google Street View | Trusted program and will priced accordingly.

Each location where virtual tours are taken must have a verified Google Business Profile page. Google provides you this platform free of charge. In some instances, it may be appropriate to create the virtual tour in advance and simply wait for you to get your Google Business Profile page verification claim.

The actual photo shoot sessions usually take upwards of 30 minutes depending on size, complexity and environmental conditions.

Note that if there is rain at the time of the scheduled shoot, if the outside image locations are not taken under a covered area, the photo shoot will need to be rescheduled.  Any rain drops on the camera’s lens will not only ruin the images and will require an additional re-shoot.

The photo shoot can also be done outside your normal business hours (often the best time).  That said, in some cases, having people in the images can help create a more ‘real’ setting and can also have a positive impact on user engagement. In any case, we always respect the privacy of others.

All work is fully guaranteed to meet Google’s quality standards and your complete satisfaction.