Businesses have been advised for quite a while now to be sure and feature images of their business within their various profiles – such as Google+ Local. The Google+ Local profile is the very same one that your customers will see when they look up your business using Google Maps. Google Maps now lets businesses create their own virtual tours right through the site. Google has established relationships with photographers in your area that will come in and work with you to photograph and create the entire experience. The virtual tours work much the same way Google Maps Street View works, allowing the viewer to pan and zoom at will.

It’s called Google Maps Business Photos (http://maps.google.com/help/maps/businessphotos/). The new Business Photos allows businesses to create online virtual tours that clients can use to see the business and actually move through the business. Business owners can feature and highlight some of the great aspects of their store or restaurant. And once you have your virtual tour set up, it’s automatically available on Google Maps, Google+ Local and even your own website! Virtual Tours can be embedded on any website just like a Google Map can. Businesses can get started here, including selecting a photographer and choosing a date for the shoot.

Published by Michael Boguslavskiy

Michael Boguslavskiy is a full-stack developer & online presence consultant based out of New York City. He's been offering freelance marketing & development services for over a decade. He currently manages Rapid Purple - and online webmaster resources center; and Media Explode - a full service marketing agency.

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