What is a 360\u00b0 Google Maps virtual tour?

A 360\u00b0 Google Maps virtual tour is an immersive walkthrough of your business \u2014 captured as a series of 360\u00b0 photos and published directly to your Google Business Profile, Google Maps and Street View. Visitors navigate from room to room in their browser, exactly as if they were there.

How long does a 360\u00b0 virtual tour shoot take?

A typical small business shoot (caf\u00e9, retail unit, gym studio) takes 2\u20134 hours on site. Larger venues such as hotels, car showrooms or universities take a half or full day. We deliver the live, hosted tour within 5\u201310 working days of capture.

How much does a 360\u00b0 virtual tour cost in the UK?

Pricing starts from around \u00a3300 for a small retail outlet, and scales based on the number of 360\u00b0 points captured, travel to your UK location, and whether you need Google Street View publishing, custom-hosted tour, or both. We shoot all shapes and sizes of business and offer a free quote on every project.

Do virtual tours improve Google Business Profile rankings?

Google Business Profiles with a published 360\u00b0 virtual tour typically receive significantly more customer interest than profiles without one \u2014 per Google's own internal data. Tours increase dwell time on your listing, signal to Google that the business is verified and active, and appear directly on Google Maps and Search.

Where in the UK does Trusted Photography work?

We cover the whole of the United Kingdom \u2014 all 51 English counties, plus Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Our HQ is in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, and our team travels UK-wide for shoots.

What types of business is a virtual tour good for?

360\u00b0 virtual tours work especially well for hotels and resorts, car dealerships, restaurants and caf\u00e9s, retail stores and showrooms, gyms and fitness centres, pubs and bars, property and estate agents, and universities and schools. Any business where customers benefit from seeing the space before they visit.

What's the difference between Google Street View and Matterport?

Google Street View tours are published directly to your Google Business Profile and Google Maps and are free to host. Matterport tours are hosted on Matterport's platform with a small ongoing subscription, but offer 3D walkthrough and floor-plan features. We offer both and can advise which suits your business.

Do you still publish to Google Maps now the Trusted Photographer programme has ended?

Yes. Google retired its formal Trusted Photographer programme, but the underlying ability to publish 360\u00b0 tours to Google Maps and Street View remains fully available via Google's Street View Studio. Trusted Photography has been publishing tours to Google Maps since 2012 and continues to do so today.

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How to Get More Google Maps Reviews (UK Guide for Businesses)

Every UK business owner has asked the same question: how to get more Google Maps reviews? Reviews drive local search rankings, build trust, and directly influence whether someone walks through your door. Here’s the honest, policy-compliant guide — what works, what doesn’t, and what will get your profile suspended.

Why Google Maps reviews matter

Reviews are one of the top three local-SEO ranking factors. Google factors in: review count, review velocity (how often new ones appear), review recency, average rating, and whether you respond. Customers also use reviews as the final decision step before clicking, calling or visiting — even highly-rated profiles with 5 reviews lose to mediocre profiles with 200.

Google’s actual rules on asking for reviews

Before any tactic, the rules:

You CAN ask customers for honest reviews. This is explicitly allowed.
You CAN make it easier to leave a review — links, QR codes, follow-up emails.
You CANNOT offer incentives in exchange for reviews (discounts, free products, prize draws). This is “review gating” and Google removes the reviews and may suspend the profile.
You CANNOT solicit only positive reviews while filtering negative ones out. Asking “if you had a 5-star experience, please leave a review” technically violates policy.
You CANNOT pay for reviews. Ever.
You CANNOT set up review stations at your business location (multiple reviews from the same IP/device get filtered).

How to get more Google Maps reviews — 7 tactics that work in 2026

1. Ask, at the right moment

The right time is just after you’ve delivered the result the customer hired you for. For a restaurant, after the meal. For a tradesperson, when handing over the finished job. For a clinic, after a successful treatment. Make it a habit — every team member asks every happy customer.

2. Use a Google review short link

Google generates a short link for each Business Profile (find it in the dashboard under “Get more reviews”). Drop it in follow-up emails, on receipts, on business cards, in your email signature.

3. Add a QR code at the point of sale

A QR code on a counter card, behind the bar, in the changing room, or on the final invoice converts dramatically better than asking verbally. Customers scan with their phone and land directly on the review form.

4. Follow up by email

3–7 days after the transaction, send a friendly email asking how things went and including the review link. Plain text usually outperforms HTML newsletters for this.

5. Train your team

Every front-of-house person should know how to ask for a review. Brief, friendly, no pressure: “If you’ve got 30 seconds, a quick Google review would mean the world.”

6. Respond to every review

Both positive and negative. Replies show Google you’re active and show customers you care. Future reviewers see your responses and are more likely to leave one knowing you’ll read it.

7. Make your profile worth reviewing

Strong photos, an up-to-date 360° tour, current information, recent posts. A polished profile invites reviews; a half-finished one doesn’t. Trusted Photography offers full Google Business Profile management for UK businesses.

What you must NOT do

Run a “review for a discount” promotion
Set up a tablet in your business for on-site reviews
Ask staff or family to leave reviews
Buy reviews from any service that promises them
Filter customers (“only ask the happy ones”)

Google’s review-filtering algorithms have got much smarter. They detect cluster patterns, IP/device repetition, fake reviewer accounts, and incentivised reviews. Profiles caught violating policy lose reviews and can be suspended outright.

How to respond to reviews

Positive reviews

Thank them by name. Reference a specific detail from their visit. Keep it short and warm. Don’t be sales-y.

Negative reviews

Respond calmly. Acknowledge the issue. Offer to resolve it offline. Never argue. Future readers see your response style as much as the original complaint.

Fake or malicious reviews

Flag them via the dashboard. Google will investigate, but it can take weeks. In the meantime, respond factually and professionally — most readers can tell a fake review when they see your measured reply.

Frequently asked questions

How many reviews do I need to outrank competitors?

It depends on your sector and area. Generally, you want to be at least at the median review count for businesses in your local pack. If competitors average 50 reviews, aim for 75+.

Do older reviews still count?

Yes, but Google weights recent reviews more heavily. A steady trickle of new reviews matters more than a one-off burst.

Should I offer a small thank-you gift for leaving a review?

No. Any quid pro quo violates Google’s policy and risks your profile.

Need help with your overall Google Business Profile strategy? Trusted Photography offers Google Business Profile management including profile optimisation, 360° tour publishing, photo refreshes, and ongoing posts. Get a free quote.