Prospective customers can easily find a business by searching for its name on Google. Their search results will showcase images directly on the page. Users of Google+ Local, Google Maps, or other Google services will also see these images alongside additional information available to them. Photographs can enhance potential clients’ understanding of the business's interior ambiance and aesthetics. By utilizing simple snippets of HTML or other coding, these images can be directly linked to the business's website.

Some people want to know why Google’s team of trusted photographers is photographing businesses. These staffers are taking high-definition stills that can be stitched together to make panoramic views. The photographers are independent contractors, but they’ve been independently trained and certified by the search giant to make sure that they take the best photographs possible. Nevertheless, business owners can still upload their own photos by signing into Local. They can also see what sorts of photos have already been taken of their place of business.

Trusted photographers can do a few things that business owners usually can’t do themselves. They’re specifically trained to take high-quality interior shots, and they know how to compensate for low-lighting conditions. They use rotating turrets mounted on tripods as well as fisheye lenses. There are people who know how to stitch them together into large single still frames once the photographs are uploaded to the search engine giant’s servers. Software processing consists of sophisticated subroutines that stitch images together as well as HDR filters and various other technologies that can produce entire walkthroughs that business owners generally couldn’t afford to make on their own.

Google’s trusted photographer crews actually aren’t employed by Google, nor are they agents of the company. They’re not affiliated with the search engine giant in any way. They’re instead independent contractors who receive certification because they can meet the company’s exacting standards of excellence for taking these types of photographs and then uploading them. Business owners should only work with those who have been certified by the Internet firm.

Those who work with our particular photographers are only ever charged a one-time fee that includes the photo shoot as well as the posting of the photos to Google’s servers. The tour will be added to Google Maps, and then there won’t ever be any other costs involved.

Most photo shoots take about an hour, but it really depends on how large the interior of your business is.

The photo shoots are supposed to resemble a tour of a business on any regular day, but clients are welcome to tidy up before hand.

You can always work with the assigned photographer to determine which parts of the business to showcase and which to avoid. Most photo shoots will focus heavily on the main areas involved in customer interaction. These photo shoots are supposed to illustrate what it might be like to take a stroll through your business on a regular day, so any areas customers are likely to see are fair game.

Our photo shoots are always designed to be as non-disruptive as they could be, since we know that you’re running a business. Our photographers always work around your schedule, and they’ll help to select a convenient time. None of our photo shoots ever require any type of lightning or special setup, so you’re welcome to stay open. It’s generally a good idea to let customers and employees know what’s going on, and it’s best to have them avoid being in the view of the camera if at all possible.

Photo shoots always work around what clients ask for, and any area of a business that shouldn’t be photographed won’t. Our photographers always alert everyone before taking photos to ensure privacy. Any people who appear in the images will have their faces blurred out. Clients can always use the Report a Problem link at the bottom of the image or on the Google Business Profile page to request additional blurring features or have entire images completely taken down.

Yes, you will own the photos once the photo shoot is over. Keep in mind that you’re going to license them out to Google once you sign our agreement.

Images undergo quality control checks before they’re uploaded, but they could theoretically be removed if they somehow violate Google’s terms of service. Google has a complete image policy for users to go over if they have any concerns.

You can either give us a call at 1-(800)-509-1480, or you can fill out the request form on our website and we’ll get back to you and schedule the shoot for you.