Google Trusted Photographer – What Does It Mean?

Have you ever played with the Google maps concept? You can search out any address and with a few clicks have a street view of the surrounding area.

This works out really well when you’re unfamiliar with an area, and wish to have an idea of where you are going before you get there.

We used it the first time we went to Italy, and it was very helpful getting an idea of where our apartment was before we ever stepped off the plane. We “recognized” landmarks immediately, and found our location much quicker than we would have without it – something especially helpful when you take the train and walk there yourself without being able to speak Italian!

Now that Google has photographed almost everywhere street view, they are turning to other locations – inside the buildings themselves.

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to “see” a restaurant in the city you’re hosting a retreat without having to visit in person? Or to be able to look inside a store to see if they truly have the products you want to look at?

Yes, there are all kinds of reasons to have the inside of your location photographed and placed in Google Maps’ que.

Google Trusted Photographer

But in order for that to happen, you need to have photographs – the right kind of photographs.

No snapping a few images with your iPhone. If businesses want to take advantage of this technology, they need to have the right kind of photographs to present the virtual tour – which means they need the right kind of photographer.

In order to be a Google Trusted Photographer, you have to meet certain qualifications.

You have to be ready to run a high volume photography business – they say you’ll be working 30+ hours per week as a part of the program.

And you have to have business skills behind you – are you ready for door to door or tele-sales in order to reach out to your customers?

Your goal as a Google Trusted Photographer will be to connect with local businesses and educate them on the power of being included in Google Maps Business Profiles. Once you have a new customer, you will spend around two hours capturing the images needed to make the Google virtual tour possible. Then you will work behind the scenes to publish your work into the Google Maps platform.Google Trusted Photographer

That’s it.

You do have to apply for the position, but once accepted they provide all the training.

Right now Trusted Photographers are working with businesses in U.S., Canada, Spain, Italy, the UK, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. And of course a lot more to come.

Sound interesting? Apply now. It may be just the boost your business needs in this new economy.

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About Virtual Photography

We're the co-founders of VirtualPhotographyStudio.com and have been writing on this blog since 2004. We started Virtual as a way to help photographers stretch beyond a part time income, and develop strategies to become a Five Figure Photographer or a Six Figure Photographer. Ultimately its all about lifestyle, and if your goal is to live as a photographer 24/7, we think you should have the knowledge and the tools to do so. Welcome!

Comments

  1. Thank you.