Using Google Street View to take people inside your business

Google recently started to expand its Street View service to start enabling businesses to take their website visitors inside buildings. This started off with famous landmarks but has been expanded to include some commercial businesses. Last week we heard that one of our clients had taken Google up on this offer.

The Storrar Practice in Chester got the opportunity to have a Google approved photographer come to their practice, take all the relevant images and add them to Google Street View. Now anyone who visits The Storrar Practice website can take a look around courtesy of Google.

 

 

The tour is linked to Google Street View so comes with an embed code in the same way you can embed a Google map. If you search Google maps for the Storrar Practice (26 Tarvin Road, Boughton, Chester, Cheshire CH3 5DH, 01244 311106) you will find that you can use Street View to walk off the street and into the practice.

Google can achieve this by using a network of Google approved photographers who are trained up by Google on how to take the specialist images. In return each photographer is allowed to charge a fee for the service.

There are some restrictions to the service, not all businesses qualify for inclusion and you have to ensure that the general public know what is happening prior to the photographer coming. The images will belong to you but by signing the agreement you give Google a licence to use the images.

Some business owners may be concerned about the security implications of the new service but for many this will offer a great opportunity to show potential customers what they are likely to see when they come to see you. 

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