Choosing to add photos under Photos vs Updates???

Google Maps tips & tricks
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I would like to hear what other guides have to say about adding photos under the ‘photo tab’ vs the ‘updates tab’.

Caption: A screenshot from an Android phone. It is a screenshot of Google Maps search result for Williamsville Hall. There is an exclamation point added, the ‘photos’ and ‘updates’ tabs have red boxes around them and below them are blue question marks.
Caption: A screenshot from an Android phone. It is a screenshot of Google Maps search result for Williamsville Hall. There is an exclamation point added, the ‘photos’ and ‘updates’ tabs have red boxes around them and below them are blue question marks.404×724 56.7 KB

I can see that I have added a few under updates, but I don’t remember why I chose that category.

  • Is there some guideline on this?
  • How often do you add photos under ‘updates’?
  • If you do add under ‘updates’, why do you choose it?
  • Do you see any difference in the number of views that it gets?
  • Do you think it affects the chances of it being selected as the cover photo?

For once I don’t have an opinion about this, I’m just curious what other guides do.

2 Likes
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The “updates” tab was originally available to the business owner only, @Rednewt74 , and it was extended to the visitors on March 2021 (New in Google Maps - UPDATES “By visitors” ) . We were in the middle of the pandemic, and I started to add in there the information about sanitizers available, new rules for the access of the shops, everyone that could be a news respect to the previous status of the business.

Then, with the pandemic going over, I’ve started to highlight events, special sales, exactly like the business does in the Update by a business.

Well, I honestly think that the name of the tab (Update) is self explanatory, don’t you agree?

I haven’t seen any difference in visualisation of photos, but I have seen that some user is (IMHO) abusing of that space using it as the standard “photos” tab, adding content that I personally find useless. I mean, what would you expect to find when exploring that tab?

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@ErmesT

" I mean, what would you expect to find when exploring that tab?"

I guess that is part of my question. I can see how the owners would use it. To me it would be where you might add photos from a repeat visit. As far as I can see it is only for photos, not text. And how long does something stay under an update? As I look at it from place to place it doesn’t seem to very well utilized.

I also just noticed it isn’t available on the desktop. I’m just curious about how many people post under updates and what their thinking is about it. Is it a place that jumps out to viewers or just another tab that isn’t explored.

Thanks for your interest.

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Google recently added the related Help page, @Rednewt74

Post photo updates of a place

In there you will find an answer to most of your questions.

At the begining it was necessary to add also a text, while now it is optional.

I agree that it is widely misused

Maybe adding a link to the hep page directly in the tab could help to avoid some mistake

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Great questions, @Rednewt74 .

I have uploaded photos using the update feature a few times when a storefront design was changed dramaticly (after a renovation). I believe that could be an intended use.

I think such photos get fewer views than photos uploaded to the pin not as updated. But my sample is small so I could be wrong on this.

I have not noticed that updates expire.

You may be aware of my focus on making helpful photos and tracking the view numbers. When an image does not go public after two upload attempts I have tried uploading such photos as updates. And to my surprise they do go public. So the AI spam filter is definitely more tolerant when it comes to updates. But I’m sure this was not what the update tab was intended for.

Cheers

Morten

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@Rednewt74

Running through my photos I noticed another reasonable use of photo updates. I shared photos to a pier (which is a permanent pin) of a temporary art exhibition. That would make sense to upload those photos as updates where the text field can be used to state the period the art is on display.

Cheers

Morten

2 Likes
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That’s absolutely correct, @MortenCopenhagen , especially because the photos on Update are displayed on chronological order, with the newest on the top

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I add photos under the update tab for when I am at gas stations. I add photos of the current gas prices. I do this at Costco mostly, since Costco doesn’t really advertise their gas prices very visibly. Not sure if anyone ever sees these photos. But that is what I do!