How long will the shoot take? The shoot time depends upon the number of shots. Figure on ten to fifteen minutes overview and planning plus three to five minutes per shot as a rough estimate.

When should we do the shoot? The best time to create the tour is when there are no customers or employees around. This is not imperative but recommended. Overcast or rainy days are just fine if you will not be featuring outdoor areas in your tour. (Google guidelines call for faces to be blurred.)

Do I ever need to update my tour? Yes, if your business changes, remodels, or re-decorates. (We can save seasonal shoots for reuse the following year.)

What parts of the business will be in the tour? You decide. You can show as little or as much as you wish. The goal is to simulate a client visit.

How many 360 Panoramic photos do we need to cover our space? Your tour will look and flow best if 360 Panoramic photo locations are 5-15 feet apart indoors or 10 to 20 feet apart outdoors and within sight of at least one other location.

Will I get to review the tour before it gets published? Yes, we can send you a mockup if desired.

How long will it take for the tour to be published? Once we upload the tour photos, connections, and other information to Google, it can take from a few hours to several days for it to become live. Connecting links may take longer for Google to populate than the photos themselves. Tour elements may show up on different plat-forms, (Maps, Street View, Earth) on different timelines.

What payment methods do you accept? Check, cash, Venmo, CashApp, PayPal, and Zelle. Payment is due at the time of the photo shoot. (Trade-in-kind considered for select businesses.)

Can my images get removed from Google Street View? Yes, images can get re-moved if they violate Google’s Terms of Service or if a problem with the image is re-ported.

Do you work for Google? No. Roger is an independent content creator who publishes virtual tours and 360° imagery to Google Maps using Google-approved tools.

Are you a Google Trusted Photographer? Google discontinued the “Trusted Photographer” program and the public “For Hire” directory in 2022. If the program were still active, Roger would meet the qualifications. 

Can I create and upload a tour myself? Anyone can upload 360 photos. However, tours with connections require creation, upload, and management through a fee or subscription-based third-party software platform. Google no longer provides a free mechanism for creating Street View Virtual Tours.

Are there any discounts available? Discounts are available for seasonal refreshes, multiple locations, and referrals.

Who owns the photos from the shoot? We both do.

• Make sure you have a Google Business Profile page on Google Maps and that you have verified ownership. You will want the virtual tour associated with the business list-ing in Google. (We can help if you don’t have a Google Business Profile page.)

• Clean and tidy. You want to put your best foot forward.

• Coordinate with your landscaping service.

• Remove cars, leaves, and snow from any visible parking to the greatest extent pos-sible.

• Clean windows, mirrors, and other reflective surfaces.

• Remove or empty trash cans and ash trays – outside and inside.

• Remove paperwork and clutter from tables and desktops. Ideally, you only want to include items that are either furniture or decoration.

• Put your company logo on any visible computer screens. If you have a chalkboard or a whiteboard, clean and write an appropriate message on it.

• Only have seasonal decorations if you plan to update your tour as the seasons change. 

Point of Interest Photos (please have these items ready)

• Hours of operation

• Business cards

• Awards and endorsements

• Sculptures or paintings

• Other items that represent your company

For restaurants:

• Menus

• Three example food dishes

• Table settings

• Televisions on