Google Store View provides an inside look at businesses who are listed on Google Places. Businesses benefit from the local search advertising offered by Google Places which offers a Google Street View photo of the exterior of your business. Now Google Store View allows prospective customers to peer inside your store before ever setting foot in it. This page keeps you posted on the latest developments, and news about Google Places.

Previously known as Google Local Business, Google announced in April of 2010 that their local business product would be renamed to Google Places. In addition, a number of new notable features were added including enhanced advertising options and most importantly Google Store View.http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/introducing-google-places.html Google Translation now available directly on Google Goggles further extends the reach of businesses to foreign customers.http://gizmodo.com/5532652/google-goggles-gets-text-translation-see-cest-bon

Google photographers have begun fanning out to various locations taking panoramic photos of your business so that they can be placed on your Google Places listing.http://maps.google.com/help/maps/businessphotos/faq.html Any business owner around the world can also submit their own photos by logging in to Google Places and uploading photos that can be stitched together into a panoramic view.

The businesses that have store view photos of their interiors give further incentive to customers to come and visit them. Store owners are welcome to arrange their business as they choose for the photo shoot.

Google Places offers businesses like hotels the following features:http://www.marketingtimes.com/2010/05/what-google-places-can-do-for-your-hotel/

• Real-Time updates - promote a sale or promotion

• Enhanced Listings through Google (Local) Tags – For a $25 monthly feehttp://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/introducing-google-places.html - began in Houston, San Jose, CA, Austin, Atlanta, Washington, D.C. and later expanded to Chicago, San Diego, Seattle, Boulder and San Francisco - get a tag on Google.com and Google Maps now widely available in US.http://smallbiztrends.com/2010/06/google-rolls-out-local-tags-should-you-care.html

• Customized QR Code - giant 2D barcode for customers to identify your location

• Free Hotel Photo Shoot – for hotels in one of 25 select markets in the U.S. (or a handful in Australia or Japan),

The photo shoot will first focus on stores that are likely to be searched for frequently. These would be restaurants, hotels, and retail shops. A panoramic picture of the interior of your business is taken with your business or alternatively can be uploaded by the store owner directly to Google Places.

Google owns the pictures they shoot and select the ones they wish to use. The business is welcome to upload its own photos. However, most businesses don't have a photographer skilled in the low lighting conditions of store interiors and the use of fisheye and wide angle lenses to make the panoramic picture.http://maps.google.com/help/maps/businessphotos/faq.html

Google Store View is not the first in the world to display the interior of a business on a local search service. However the photos are free and a business can choose to use its own photos.

Directory publisher De Telefoongids in Amsterdam already offers an inside the store view.http://gesterling.wordpress.com/2010/02/12/store-view-already-exists-in-europe/

Everyscape has been doing interior photography for several years in the US as well.http://gesterling.wordpress.com/2010/04/22/google-highlights-in-store-photography/

Google Places will begin appearing on various platforms and devices.

September 2009 Google Places appear on Google Maps on computer web browsers.

April 2010 Google Store Views expands number of photographers gathering in-store panoramic pictures.

April 2010 U.S. Android phones and iPhones now see Place Pages when they visit google.com.http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-20003676-2.html

May 2010 Outrank.com, a local search engine placement service, will use Google Places to increase placement of a local business in search rankings.

Twitter Placeshttp://searchengineland.com/twitter-places-might-challenge-googles-local-dominance-44393 gives every location a Twitter page to which a tweet can be attached.

Registration for Google Places jumped 40% in India which a country of many small businesses.http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/infotech/internet/Google-Places-sees-a-40-pc-jump-in-registration-in-India/articleshow/5890662.cms/ref.

Google Store View provides an inside look at businesses who are listed on Google Places supplemented by Google Street View photo of the exterior of your business.

Photo shoots for Google Store View now taking place in United States:

* Atlanta, GA, * Boston, MA * Chicago, IL * Denver, CO * Detroit, MI * Houston, TX * Indianapolis, IN * Jersey City, NJ - Hoboken, NJ * Kansas City, KS * Las Vegas, NV * Los Angeles, CA * Miami, FL * Minneapolis, MN * Nashville, TN * New York, NY * Philadelphia, PA * Pittsburgh, PA * Portland, OR * San Antonio, TX * San Diego, CA * San Francisco, CA * San Jose, CA * Seattle, WA * St. Louis, MO * Washington D.C.

Australia:

Japan:

* Kyoto * Tokyo