Google Streetview and Search

So, unless you’ve been hiding under a mighty big rock of late, you’ll no doubt have heard about Google Streetview. There’s a lot in the media at present about the privacy issue (yawn) – but this post IS NOT about that, so you can continue reading without getting bored!

We’ll go on to discuss the implications of this ground-breaking technology for search; including what both the opportunities and fallbacks could be for business-owners.

Before we start though, let’s just rewind a tad for you rock-lovers out there. Google Streetview is the new 360-degree online world of 25 UK towns and cities. But, like so many online worlds, it’s not virtual – it’s real! A fleet of branded specially-equipped cars spent last summer and more recently driving around these locations taking photographs, and lots of them. Now compiled into Google’s special software, you can literally walk down the street, turn-around, and check everything out, just like you were there. It’s accessed from Google Maps by dragging and dropping the little orange guy above the zoom tool onto the map.

Streetview Search Opportunities

If you’re in an industry where views of streets are useful (note: hômejames do not condone criminal activity), or have found your business premises on Streetview, there could be a few opportunities around the corner.

• Let Your Clients and Potential Clients Know
  Whether it’s a Streetview direct link on your contact page, in an email, or other communication, if you’ve got impressive premises – shout about it! It’ll all help that little thing we call reputation. It may also help cut down on late meetings too, for those that wish to familiarise themselves with your location.


• Google Maps and Local Business Center
  Google have already started providing Streetview links when you type in a company name to Google Maps, so our bet for the next development is direct links from local business results in normal Google Search. For those not familiar, this is the map that appears with local businesses and phone numbers on many location-based queries. It’s driven by Google Local Business Center, and hômejames are experts in submitting businesses to this – whether you’ve got a handful of shops or thousands of locations worldwide. With this expected Streetview development, your company needs to be on there - yet another bit of exposure from the hallowed turf of the first page of search results.


• Give Your Users Another Toy
  If you’re in an industry where views of streets could be interesting to your users, whether that’s local council or property websites, giving your users interactive 360-degree views could keep them on your site just that minute or two longer, which will ultimately drive more leads / sales. We’ll cite the example of findaproperty.com here, who partnered with Google to give users a Streetview on every property details page where that address was covered by their cameras.

Streetview Search Negatives

Privacy aside (which Google have addressed pretty well with their number plate and face recognition technology by blurring them), there’s potentially only one fallback, which is the opposite of a point above.

• Business Premises Not Looking Too Great?
  If you were unfortunate to be having building work undertaken when Google drove past, or your premises just aren’t in too great a condition, there’s room for potential clients and customers to be put off a bit. It’s that little thing we call reputation again. You could opt to remove the image using Google’s form in this case.

To summarise then, there could be plenty of opportunities with this new technology for your business, as it draws online and the real world closer together than they’ve ever been, and presuming the privacy bashers don’t get in the way, Google will shortly be coming to a town near you.