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.

Uncategorised

How to Claim a Google Business Profile UK (Step-by-Step)

If you run a UK business that serves customers locally — a café, dental clinic, car dealership, gym, retail outlet — you need to claim a Google Business Profile UK listing for your business. This is the first and biggest local-SEO move any UK business can make, and it costs nothing but time. Here’s the practical, step-by-step guide.

What is a Google Business Profile?

A Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is the listing that appears alongside Google Search and Google Maps results when someone searches for your business by name, or for the type of business you run in your area. It contains your name, address, phone number, opening hours, website, photos, reviews and any 360° virtual tour you have published.

If you don’t claim a Google Business Profile UK listing for your business, Google may auto-create one based on signals it finds online — and you’ll have no control over what it shows.

Before you claim — what you’ll need

A Google account (free) that you control — ideally not a personal Gmail you might lose access to
Your business’s exact legal name, trading address, phone number and website
Access to a postal address at the business location (Google sometimes verifies via postcard)
If you can, a video showing your business premises — Google increasingly verifies via video

How to claim a Google Business Profile UK listing — step by step

Search for your business on Google. Use the exact business name. If a profile already appears in the right-hand sidebar with a “Claim this business” or “Own this business?” link, click it.
Sign in to your Google account. Use the account that should manage the listing long-term.
Confirm your business details. Name, address, category, phone, website. Be precise — small inconsistencies hurt your local SEO down the line.
Pick a verification method. Google will offer one or more options — postcard, phone, email, or video. Pick the fastest you can complete.
Complete verification. Postcards take 5–14 days in the UK; phone/video are usually same-day.
Once verified, complete the profile. Hours, services, attributes, photos, FAQs, posts. The more complete your profile, the better it performs.

Verification methods explained

Postcard verification

Google posts a code to your business address. You enter the code when it arrives. This is the most common UK verification method and takes 5–14 days.

Phone verification

Google calls or texts the phone number on the listing with a code. Fastest option — usually instant.

Video verification

Google asks you to record a short video showing your business premises, signage and any visible business activity. Increasingly the default for newer claims. Usually verified within 5 working days.

Email verification

For some pre-verified business types, Google emails a code to a domain-matching address. Rare in the UK for most local businesses.

What to do after you claim

Claiming is just the start. After verification, take these actions in this order:

Fill in every field. Description, services, attributes, hours, special hours for bank holidays.
Upload high-quality photos. Exterior, interior, products, team. See our guide to Google Business Profile photo requirements.
Add a 360° virtual tour. Profiles with a tour get significantly more engagement — see our analysis of whether virtual tours boost GBP ranking.
Encourage reviews. Within Google’s rules — see our guide to getting more Google Maps reviews.
Post regularly. Use the Posts feature to share updates, offers and events. Google rewards active profiles.

Frequently asked questions

Is it free to claim a Google Business Profile UK?

Yes. Google Business Profile is and always has been free for businesses. There is no fee at any stage of claiming, verification or ongoing management.

What if someone else has already claimed my business?

Google offers a “Request access” flow. You’ll need to prove ownership — typically by demonstrating control of the business address, phone or domain.

Do I need a virtual tour to claim?

No — but adding a 360° virtual tour after you claim dramatically increases engagement. Trusted Photography has been publishing tours to Google Maps since 2012.

Need help claiming or optimising your Google Business Profile? Trusted Photography offers full Google Business Profile management for UK businesses — claiming, verification support, photography, virtual tours and ongoing posts. Get a free quote.