My Google Maps photo is visible only to me

Google Maps tips & tricks
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1

Hi Local Guides,

I noticed something unusual with one of the photos I uploaded to Google Maps about two months ago.

The photo is of my own residence, specifically the main entrance gate. I also uploaded another photo showing the secondary gate of the same residence.

The strange part is that the secondary-gate photo is visible normally, but the main-gate photo is not visible to other users.

From my own Google account, the main-gate photo appears completely normal. There is no warning, removal message, or indication that anything is wrong with it.

I checked the listing from another account, and the main-gate photo is not visible there.

:round_pushpin: Google Maps listing residency: Google Maps

:camera_with_flash: Problematic photo: Google Maps

:camera_with_flash: The secondery gate photo: Google Maps

For comparison, the secondary-gate photo is visible normally.

So, as far as I can tell:

:camera_with_flash: Main entrance gate photo, visible to me, but not to others
:camera_with_flash: Secondary gate photo, visible normally
:house: Both photos are of the same residence
:spiral_calendar: Uploaded around two months ago
:warning: No notification or warning was given about the main-gate photo

I’m wondering whether the main-gate photo could have been automatically filtered or restricted for some reason, or whether this could simply be a Google Maps visibility issue.

If anyone opens the listing, I’d appreciate it if you could check whether the main-gate photo is visible from your side.

Has anyone else experienced a situation where a photo appears normally to the uploader but is not visible to other users?

I’d appreciate any advice on how to determine whether the photo is actually published, restricted, or stuck somewhere in the moderation process.

Thanks!

2

Hi @Lannister

Yes, this is a know behavior by Google Maps: Photos are publicly visible on your profile, but for some reason the algorithm decide not to display some of them on the listing.

The photo is actually published, as I can see it on your profile

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image388×582 65.2 KB

Simply, it’s not displayed on the listing, even if I guess that you can see it on the “by you” tab.

Sometimes this can be fixed by editing a bit the photo.

3

Another aspect is the fact that we should not add our home to Google Maps. Unless the apartment complex has a public facing office with signed opening hours (not just a janitor office serving residents) it is not entitled to a pin on Google Maps.

I don’t see the second image on the place sheet. I believe we all are the same pics.

But there is a guideline about not uploading redundant photos. Your two images could be considered too similar.

A few percentages of our photos never go public on the place sheets. It has been like that for years.

4

Thank you for explaining this. Yes, I can see the photo under the “By you” section, so I understand now that it is published but simply not being displayed on the listing.

I wasn’t aware that Google Maps could selectively hide a published photo from the listing while still keeping it visible on the contributor’s profile. Thanks for clarifying!

5

Thanks for the clarification. I just want to clarify that this is not a listing for my personal home.

Gunatit Residency is one large residential complex consisting of 12 towers (A–L), all part of the same complex. “Gunatit residency” is displayed at both gates, and the “Gunatit Residency 1” listing represents the entire complex. The pin leads directly to the entrance gate.

There was no Google Maps listing for the complex before, so I added it. The listing has received significant views and is useful for residents, delivery drivers, cab drivers and other visitors to locate the complex.

:round_pushpin: Listing: Google Maps

Regarding the photos, the two photos show different entrances one is the main gate and the other is the secondary gate. They may look somewhat similar because they are both entrance gates, but they are not duplicate photos.

The secondary-gate photo is visible on the place sheet, including when I check from another account. I’ll add its link here as well for reference.

:camera_with_flash: Secondary-gate photo: Google Maps

The main-gate photo is different. It is published and visible under my Google Maps profile, and anyone can open it through its direct link, but it does not appear normally when browsing the photos on the place sheet.

:camera_with_flash: Main-gate photo: Google Maps

I understand your point that some photos may never appear on place sheets and that similar photos could potentially be considered redundant. I mainly wanted to document this particular case because the two photos show different entrances, and the main-gate photo is published but isn’t being surfaced on the listing.

Thanks again for the information.