Optimize Your  Google My Business for Maximum Visibility and Impact

Google is improving its algorithm; it is shifting towards AI concepts, so it monitors our search results and, in return, gives us the search content that an individual user is likely to see.

Consumers rely on Google Maps and other map websites 44% of the time when beginning their search for a business.

This is why it is so important to have your business listed in Google Maps; it enables your business to be located by customers who do a search that relates to your business’ name or the services you offer. As a result, your location will be mapped for easy access to your establishment.

Google virtual tours influence how strong that listing is and how often it appears in organic searches on Google and Maps.

As a result, map listings that have a Google virtual tour have a 12% increase in engagement.

According to Google, 6 out of 10 people look for a virtual tour in their search today, so this turns into more customers finding you and coming to you, which turns into more profit for you. That’s right, just by adding 360-degree photos or 3D virtual tours.

Now that you are aware of this, let’s give people what they want!

This is a real-life example of what a business looks like in real life. See the little box with the arrow? That means people can access the establishment and experience it as if they were there!

Virtual tour stats tell us that 360-degree photos on your Google listing double the interest in your company and therefore produce higher engagement rates. That means you can expect a higher chance of appearing in the Local Pack with a Google virtual tour.

A Google virtual tour makes a major impact on your company’s presence online. Without one, you risk falling below the local pack or having competitors outrank you in the results. This is what 87% of small businesses fail to know.

3D virtual tours will showcase your business and also do more to improve your reputation on Google My Business.

Now, remember that GMB is an open forum.
Anyone can upload a photo or 360 photos of your business directly to your listing.
including bad photographs, but Google does this to make sure that whoever is viewing your page gets the real impression of your business. This can have its downside if customers upload unflattering photos or if someone uploads a photo completely unrelated to your business.

The issue is that sometimes users upload simply bad photos; they are either blurry, out of focus, too dark, or just don’t represent your company in the best light.

If you’re not sure of a photo, think to yourself, “Would I be willing to use this photo in an advertisement?”

You should only be adding photos that you are proud of and that will positively showcase your business. With the help of the Itourvista 3D professional Matterport Pro 2 camera, they can create your own Google virtual tour and upload it to your listing.

Google ranks the best-quality images first, which means your content will push any low-quality photos to the bottom of your listing.

If you are willing to put the time and effort into optimizing your photos on your Google My Business page, Google will reward you with improved search results and hopefully add you to the highly coveted “Top 3 of their organic page.”

How to Add a 3D Virtual Tour to Google My Business

Adding a 3D tour to your Google My Business listing can only be done with a Google Trusted Photographer. When a trusted photographer comes to your location and uses a 360-degree camera to photograph it from multiple points, they connect the points using third-party software like Matterport. Once it’s done, the tour is uploaded to Google Maps.

While Google does not employ photographers or agencies, they allow contributors to earn the trusted badge. The badge highlights photographers and agencies that have met quality standards across the board, evidencing their capture and publishing proficiency.

Go to https://www.google.com/streetview/contacts-tools/ to find a trusted photographer in your area.

Once a 3D virtual tour is added to your Google My Business, you should be adding new photos every 7 days.

Yes, this is time-consuming, but it is crucial if you want to stay ahead. You don’t have to upload dozens of photos daily, but uploading one or two a week is the best way to do this. Keep updating your business.

If you feel adding a 3D virtual tour to your Google My Business listing will benefit you, consider hiring a professional photography company like Itourvista 3D to shoot, build, and upload your next Google virtual tour. If you are a restaurant or retail business, 3D virtual tours are great to share on social media as well.

We are also Google My Business experts, so getting your business visible and found on Maps is only the first step, so you can be found and bring customers in. If you do not already have a Google listing or Google My Business account or are simply not sure where to start, we can help.