Pulse February / March 2022 | Page 48

TOUR OF BEAUTY Show Off Your Spa with Google Street View

TOUR OF BEAUTY Show Off Your Spa with Google Street View

BY JOSH CORMAN
YOU MAY KNOW GOOGLE STREET VIEW simply as a tool that allows users to virtually navigate locations around the world from the comfort of their phone , tablet or computer , but did you also know that it can be used to give potential guests an up-close-and-personal view of your spa ( and drive additional traffic to your website )? If not , this brief guide to building your own virtual tour will explain how to get started — and how your business can benefit .
Though “ street view ” is in the name , you can use Google ’ s tools to create a virtual tour of the space inside your spa in addition to highlighting the spa ’ s location and exterior . The company provides a couple of ways to make this happen . One option is to hire a Street View trusted photographer , a professional who has registered their services with Google and can be discovered through a search function on the Street View business page . If DIY is more your speed , you can also create your own tour using a Google-approved camera ( the company provides an extensive list of options , ranging in price from less than $ 200 to nearly $ 5,000 ).
Whether you opt for a professional or capture the interior images of your spa yourself , creating a beautiful-looking virtual tour requires high-quality images that meet Google ’ s specifications . A Street View trusted photographer will capture the images and ensure they check all the necessary boxes for you , but if you or someone on your team is snapping the photos , adhering closely to those image quality specs will guarantee the sharpest , most immersive virtual tour possible .
In addition to image quality specifications , Google also has a number of policies and guidelines designed to protect both businesses and consumers while limiting the possibility of inappropriate or misleading content appearing in Street View . Those policies cover everything from intellectual property violations to dangerous or violent content . Most spas are unlikely to run afoul of these guidelines in most cases , but it ’ s still worth familiarizing yourself with exactly what can and can ’ t appear in your Street View images .
Once your images have been captured , all that ’ s left is to upload them to your Google My Business page and follow guided instructions to create your virtual tour . From there , the tour can be embedded on your spa website and guests can tour at their leisure . Featuring high quality images and virtual tours on your website is a great way to boost your online profile — business listings with photos and a virtual tour are twice as likely as to generate consumer interest , and those listings also motivate customers to make a purchase 29 percent of the time , according to Google . ■
The Spa at Thunder Valley shows off their space using Google Street View .
Learn more about creating a virtual tour of your spa using Google Street View at google . com / streetview / business .
46 PULSE FEBRUARY / MARCH 2022