Photos or Videos -Which shall I post?

[Mikeinthefalls]

Greetings my fellow Local Guides

I recently posted a photo to a Columbus, Ohio restaurant and when I checked in to see the photo views, it made me pause. My photo was the 3rd photo shown and had already received 177,810 views in just 2 weeks!

Now, I’ve seen a few instances where the 2nd photo will get a higher number of views than many #1 photos, depending on the search popularity of the POI. However, I’ve never had a situation where a photo in 3rd position has performed like this particular scenario.

This made me take another look at the #1 and #2 photos and see what their respective views were. Here’s what I found:

Photo #1

Total Views - 315,078

Posted - 5 years

I’m familiar with this POI, as I formerly had the #1/Featured Photo. I know the number of views it typically receives and I vaguely remember that it was around a year ago that this 360° photo, replaced mine as Featured. My photo was viewed over 3 million times in a year, so by those standards this photo should have many more views.

Photo #2

Total Views -129,825

Posted - 6 months

This is actually a 5 second video, featuring a plate of lasagna. My opinion is it appears to be hastily recorded, as the Guide’s hand is front and center for 2 of the 5 seconds.

It has been 3 days since I took the screenshots to record Views. In that time, #1 has received 12; #2 has received 4; lastly, mine has received 72,062.

I realize this is only one situation, but if we go by those numbers it clearly shows that people are choosing to view the first actual photo. It’s also pretty obvious to theorize that Google’s AI is deliberately placing videos in the #2 position. It would seem that they have a goal of featuring videos in that spot, as many places now have videos at #2.

However, the numbers for this POI clearly shows that the current end user much prefers a well framed photo that accurately describes the building’s exterior. I think that makes total sense - If you’re driving and want to find the place you are headed, a video or 360 photo of the inside isn’t going to help you.

So, to post videos or to post photos on Google Maps?

Videos

• Can provide more context and information than photos. For example, a video of a restaurant can show the interior, the food, and the atmosphere.

• Can be more engaging than photos. There are certainly people that are more likely to watch a video than look at a photo, especially if the video is short and well-edited.

• Are not the dominant format. I can’t recall a POI that has a video #1/Featured. If there are some, they are currently few in number so it’s still not the preferred Feature on Maps

Photos

• Can be more concise than videos. A photo can convey a lot of information in a single image.

• Is still the dominant and preferred format for #1/Featured position on Maps.

• Can be more easily shared at high resolution. Current video resolution for Maps is grainy.

Conclusion

Both videos and photos can be valuable contributions to Google Maps. Ultimately, the best type of content to post depends on the specific location and the information you want to share. If you want to provide a lot of context and information, a video would be a good choice. If you want to be concise and provide the end user with a quick way to spot their destination, a photo would be a good choice.

I am still “old school” and will continue to focus on quality photos of the exterior, but will continue to shoot more videos and see how they are received by Maps.

I know this is a topic that many have differing opinions on, so I’m looking forward to lots of commentary by my fellow Local Guides!

[DibyayanC]

If it is a memorial park or a popular tourist attraction there won’t be any difference between 360° photos and videos while describing the atmosphere. But for restaurants, if you are planning to focus on the dishes and bottles at the bar, videos would be a better choice for highlighting those objects.

Please Note: I don’t have any 360° camera. If I am checking to the Google Map Page of a tourist destination I prefer 360° photos to videos.

[DibyayanC]

@Mikeinthefalls

Oh btw, I love the photos that you click and I follow you on Maps. Can you please tell me which device (mobile/camera) do you use for clicking those photos?

[TerryPG]

@Mikeinthefalls I just checked minutes ago and on desktop and mobile your photo is the featured photo.

How did you find the # of views that the other photo and video had received? I have an idea but I’d like you to confirm. I have seen in many restaurant photos that he owners have their own photos in the higher positions.

[MortenCopenhagen]

Hi @Mikeinthefalls

I believe @TerryPG found the reason for your high number of views on a #3 photo.

With thousands of Google Maps servers you could have experienced one that was not yet aware that your Pic had become the cover photo.

I noticed you wrote “users prefer to see” whice could be a wrong interpretation. It is almost always the photo selection AI that decides which image to display. The amount of photos being clicked on to see the large version of our images is dismal compared to images shown automatically (with no clicking or tapping involved).

All the best and thanks for starting this discussion.

Morten

[Rednewt74]

@Mikeinthefalls ,

Thank you for making this post and taking the time to do such analysis. I agree with your view of things. Recently I have been experimenting with photos for the storefront and one or two videos inside (almost no photos). I have had several videos get some traction, but as you point out they are never higher than @#2 in the gallery. I’m not actually a big user of the galleries, but I think it is unlikely that a video will ever replace a good quality storefront photo for #1. As you point out, it conveys more information quickly and it is what you need to see in order to make it easier to " see" the place you are looking for. There have been a couple of places (inside) where I couldn’t find the right place to shoot a video and so I have gone with a photo and those choices have paid off.

I’m focusing on interior videos , because I want to get a sense of what works. A side note re points: If you upload a great video of food you get 7 points, but you can’t name the dish. With a photo and dish name you get 8 points. Not a big deal but for some reason I find it annoying.

Keep up the good work , Michael.

[Mikeinthefalls]

This makes TOTAL sense. I had no idea that was even a possibility @MortenCopenhagen

Thanks for sharing!

[Mikeinthefalls]

Thanks for the help @TerryPG

I never think to check desktop and see if there’s any difference!

[Mikeinthefalls]

@TerryPG I went to the LGs profile and scrolled until I found it. Wasn’t too hard with these, as they were located relatively high up in the most viewed, for both.

[DibyayanC]

Hi @Mikeinthefalls

What camera or Mobile do you use for taking photos?

[Mikeinthefalls]

@DibyayanC I use my Google Pixel to take all my photos. My current model is the Pixel 6.

[TerryPG]

I want to thank @Mikeinthefalls and @Rednewt74 for pointing me in the right direction . I’m not sure what’s it’s like in your areas or across the world, but places or POI’s where I used to be able to try and get the featured photo is becoming more difficult. So many of the chain stores( take outs, Pizza Chains. Coffee shops and similar) are now posting a stock photo of their own( Which is not normally that good) . So what do we do.

There is where Mike and Rednewt mentioned the number 2 Photo. If the Outside photo of your POI photo is good you will still get the #1 Outside photo, granted it’s not the featured photo but you will still get decent photo views. generally but not always the outside photo is the second to be looked at (people want to see what the place looks like,) Thanks Guides

[abermans]

@TerryPG @Mikeinthefalls @Rednewt74

I also noticed something similar in recent months.

Between the featured photos associated from reviews (quotes on photo), chain stock photos and whatever else the algorithm is up to these days, it is seem harder to get featured.

Even with (what I believe is) great photo, you at best get #2 or #3 if lucky.

Frequently annoying as I believe the photo is significantly more helpful and of better quality than the (long reigning) featured main photo.

On the main post topic, when it come to views, it is does not matter if you get a lower position feature if video or 360 is in #1 as you will still get high automated views.

Storefront video btw, is also standing a good chance of getting featured.

Good compromise that I used, was to take portrait photo with android “motion on” (AKA iPhone live photo) which captures 3 seconds of video of the store front. Usually scanning horizontal the camera across and “into” the center to take the photo.

Then export the video + edit the photo to horizontal edit and upload both.

It is a bit more work but it ensure more details are provided on the storefront and Google decided should the video or photo be featured.

[Mikeinthefalls]

Always glad to be of service @TerryPG

I must agree with you and @abermans -it’s becoming more and more difficult to have a photo selected as Featured. The algorithm(s) appear to have changed.

I’m taking photos the same way I have been, but it seems like the AI is looking for something different. I didn’t write about this in the post because I don’t have any “scientific proof” but I think the promotion of a video at #2 has made the guidelines used to select #1… Different, than in the past.

Terry mentioned a number of business owners now using a stock photo as their own Featured photo and @MelTG and I noticed a great deal of this in the Boston area. I don’t care how much Google says that position is only a suggestion that the owner can make, I’ve only had one POI where I was able to get the Featured photo that was previously the owner’s. Once.

That is also a valid point about the outside photo views. @Rednewt74 recently posted a video that has become a “triple threat” by being featured on 3 tabs. A great way to increase views!

[Mikeinthefalls]

Very frustrating and annoying @abermans

The stock photos by owners are usually poorly filtered, a smaller image that’s been blown up and is now grainy or some photo that’s from when they first opened. I agree - All are usually mostly irrelevant.

The motion photo is a good idea. My phone used to do that. I’ll have to check the settings to see how to turn on/off.

[Rednewt74]

@Mikeinthefalls , @abermans , @TerryPG ,

Michael I just reread the original post and it really is thoughtful.

I’m following this with great interest but I need a couple of points clarified. When ‘you’ referred to outside photos are you referring to the tab they call exterior? And what constitutes an automatic View? How and when does that happen? If I’m scrolling through am I giving automatic views some how ? There are definitely a lot more owner photos. A lot that I am seeing are quite good. I was just reviewing some recent work and found that my video was the only image in the top 25 that was not by the owner, but it’s still only at number 23. On some less popular places I’m still in nailing down a storefront for number one and a video for number two. But I completely agree that number one store Front shot is much harder to get. I have more to say but I’m in the wrong time zone to write more tonight.

[TerryPG]

Yes @Rednewt74 The term Outside view for the longest time that some of us local guides who have been doing his for a while was always " The storefront photo or POI photo with signage " and was normally the featured photo, With chains and owners providing their own stock photos it is getting harder for local guides to “hit” the featured photo.

Also the cost of web site “hosters, Media builders , Etc ,” is getting more economical for smaller business’s to turn to for help.

An automatic view occurs if someone searches the POI, clicks on the link, and if you have the featured photo you receive a photo view, to receive other photo views someone has to delve a little farther and search photos or maybe menu photos, if you have the #2,3, 15 or whatever you receive a hit , or photo view on your photo.

And yes if you scroll thru photo you are giving an automatic view to their and also your own photos.

[Rednewt74]

@TerryPG ,

Just to make sure I get it; if someone searches for say “ice-cream” and 3 places come up, if they click on one of the links, then the " featured or #1 photo gets a view. If they scroll down 9 more photos, then each of those gets a view? But not #11.

It doesn’t matter if you click them to open them up?

Hmmmm…

[Rednewt74]

Regarding the original topic this post, I am starting a spreadsheet of my recent videos to to try and get a sense of what percentage of my current views per week are from videos versus photos. Several are doing much better than any I have done in the past. I’m sure this is because Maps is Now featuring them in the number two position. One from May has made into my top 30 list; but don’t forget my numbers are petite compared with you guys.

[MortenCopenhagen]

Great idea, @Rednewt74

I’m looking forward to reading your results.

My observations support the notion that featured videos get a lot more views compared to what videos reached prior to when Google Maps started featuring videos. Not a surprise though.

Cheers

Morten