Google has introduced Business Photos in India, extending the global reach of the service that helps retailers attract customers by posting panoramic photos of their store or shop-front to the Web.
The pilot program will see Google take 360 degree photos of businesses’ premises, which are then uploaded to Google Places to give prospective customers an inside look (literally) at the interior of the shop or office space, and its a sample of its products or services.
The search giant explains more details of the service, which costs nothing for companies involved:
The photographs are shot by Google appointed photographers who work directly with the business owner to arrange a time to do the photo shoot. The images will show prospective customers the interiors, decor, merchandise — and all of this will be done at no cost to the business owner.
As we said earlier this month, Business Photos can provide a fantastic advantage for business — particularly retailers or restaurants — in their quest to bring in more customers and revenue, and it is well worth considering.
The initiative in India has begun in Hyderabad and will be rolling out to other cities soon, Google says.
Companies that are interested in participating can register their interest in having a Google-sponsored photographer take their shots by signing up here. In particular, Google is encouraging restaurants, cafes, spas, salons, gyms, showrooms, and retail stores, but any business can upload its own shots to Google Places.
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You can find full details of the initiative India at this Google blog entry, via trak.in.
Business Photos initially launched in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and France, before Google expanded it to Canada, The Netherlands and Ireland on May 1.
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