What does it take to be a Google Trusted Photographer?

General Discussions
#1

Hi all,

I’m bringing up this point again, I can’t find a solution in the forum.

I’m doing a marketing push for Google Business. I found this list https://www.google.com/streetview/hire/ and I want my business on it!

All ideas welcome.

Thank you!
Tammy

#2

As far as I know they have dropped this program. It used to be part of how the business view was done, but that’s since evolved. Now anybody can submit panos as standalone images to Google, or use tools like what we have to enhance business listings.

#3

According to Google:

“WHAT IT TAKES TO BE TRUSTED
As a photographer or agency, your reputation means everything. Gain distinction and leads with Street View’s trusted badge and promotion in our index of for-hire professionals. Once you’ve reached fifty published 360 photos, check the Street View app for a special invitation to be marketed as a trusted pro while joining Local Guides.”

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#4

Thank you Alex. Unsure why I could not find those simple instructions. Now I have a new goal!

#5

In my experience, Google’s materials related to Street View, like that page and others, are difficult to find and convoluted to navigate.

#6

Guys,
If you were across the table from some of the biggest Google Business Photographers in the world, what would you ask them?
If you had 10 minutes to chat with Google about the Street View program, what would you ask them?

streetview%20summit
streetview summit.jpg3800×1900 1.16 MB

Alex and I will be attending the Street View Summit again this year, at the end of May.

Give me your questions and I will be your representative.

1 Like
#8

Tammy,

I just hired a gentleman who has the distinction of being a Google Trusted Photographer. He is a little busy in learning mode but I will gladly ask him to contact you once he has time. He has already started to think about ideas for my team

Cheers

George

#9

Kevin:

I’d ask Google these questions:

  1. When will they make it so the Google tour/panos are able to be locked into the top spot for photos when someone goes to the Google Maps page for a given business.
  2. I’d ask them the same thing about photos.
  3. I’d ask them the same thing about videos.
  4. Why is Google not promoting this more as I don’t see them promoting it at all. It would help us sell it easier if they were to promote it.
  5. What benefits–exactly–do these tours provide business owners? Since there is no way to ensure the tours are locked into the top spot for viewing by prospective customers, it’s kind of useless in the owners’ eyes. We hear it helps with SEO, etc. but there is nothing officially from Google.

Honestly, I’ve not been spending time trying to sell these things because it looks like, yet another, abandoned Google project. I am a Trusted Photographer and never did anything under their program because I was unable to get any support from them and couldn’t get their software to work. They have since disbanded the Trusted Photographer program (for all intents and purposes) as I don’t receive any communication from them at all–haven’t for years now–regarding it.

We need a reason to go out and expend energy to sell these. I’ve done a few with the iGuide, however, each of them asked me why they paid for it when they can’t even find the tour (because Google doesn’t push these to the top of the photos for the business).

#10

Three years after… I think @rfarmer is right but someone had other experiences with the Google Trusted Street View Trusted… ? Something changed?

I was reading the Google Trusted photographers rules
https://www.google.com/intl/en/streetview/policy/trusted/#!#branding

In the Trusted Imagery Quality Requirements for the Virtual Tours is requested:

  • Shoot at 1 meter spacing indoors and every 3m outdoors and
  • No attribution beyond nadir area
    So I understand right that it should be no logo and no pan branding when exporting a virtual tour to Google Street View as a Google Trusted Photographer? Is it worth it to be one?
#11

I’ve done it–passed the test–it’s a waste of time and energy.

#12

Ok. Thank you for the reply.

#13

When using iGuide Google Street View export does that count to becoming a Google trusted photographer?

#14

Yes, the last time I looked there were a certain number of pano images you have to upload to Google Street View to become a trusted photographer.

I did a bunch of GSV exports of public buildings with the iGuide and reached their threshold quite quickly.