Google Integrates Business Panoramic Images Right Into Google Maps

By: Talha Bhatti  |   September 24th, 2012   |   Google, News

Google Maps is not satisfied with merely having the best online map services around and have been pushing to make their maps even better. The street view function was one of the coolest innovations to come from the search giant and Google looks like it wants to expand on that by integrating the panoramic views of business locations right into the maps. On September 18,Google announced that users could now view indoor panoramic images from businesses by moving the orange ‘Pegman’ to an orange circle that appears next to a business on the map. This should prompt a 360 degree panoramic view of the inside of the office or store.

 

The new functionality is related to Google’s Business Photos program. Started in 2010, Google asked business to submit panoramic images of the inside of their location. This included restaurants, shops, beauty salons and thousands of other businesses. The entire purpose was to give users a chance to view the inside of the location and familiarize themselves with the location before heading out for a visit. There is no data on whether participating businesses received any kind of boost from the functionality. However, it is a cool feature to have and is another nice way to give prospective customers the feeling of knowing what to expect when they arrive.

 

A good example is someone looking for a location for a date. If they want a romantic dinner they may want to make sure that the ambience at a restaurant is the right one. A panoramic view of the inside of a location can help make their decision easier. The 360 degree view is of course only available for participating businesses and it is not clear how many have actually joined the program. We do however know that the program is available in Camada for our own homegrown business to take advantage of.

 

Source: The Next Web