Storefront photowalk is a great idea for meetups.
Storefront photo walks are especially well-suited for solo meetups.
What are Solo Meetups?
These are regular meetups, without the obligation for local guides to attend 
In storefront solo meetups, we do a photo walk taking storefront photos from a distance.
Why Storefront Photos?
When places have photos on Google Maps of what they look like from the outside it helps those who are going there for the first time to locate them easily.
Storefront photos help Google Maps users a lot when locating the shop easily especially when they are located amidst a crowd of other shops.
What to Cover in the Photowalk?
- Accessibility features, ramps, handrails, elevators.
- Ambiance and racks inside the showroom if they have a glass facade.
- Parking space if it is in front of the shop.
- The food options and menu, if displayed at the entrance.
- Sitout areas if available in front of the shop.
- Offers.
Benefits of Solo Meetups
- Solo - no need to expect anyone to attend.
- No need to use the business. Simply uploading storefront photos from a distance is fine.
- If the business uses the photo as its profile, the photo view count shoots astronomically.
- These are recognized and praised.
I did almost 20 solo meetups in Pune and Delhi over the past 4 years and Many of them were featured in the old Connect.
- Freedom - No need to wait for a time and date consensus from local guides.
- Builds confidence - of doing something alone, especially when there are not many local guides in a city.
- Improved social skills - We get more time to talk to the businesses and people on the street.
- Flexibility - We can wind up the meetup when we want.
My Solo Meetups Round-Up
1. RECAP - Capturing Storefront Photos on Baner Road Pune
2. RECAP - Capturing Storefront Photos on East Sus Road Pune
3. RECAP - Capturing Storefront Photos on West Sus Road Pune
4. RECAP - Capturing Storefront Photos on N Someshwar Road Pune
5. RECAP - Capturing Storefront Photos on S Someshwar Road Pune
6. RECAP - Capturing Storefront Photos on South JM Road Pune
7. RECAP - Capturing Storefront Photos on East PBLR Road, Pune
8. RECAP - Capturing Storefront Photos with Sitout Area in Pune
9. RECAP - Capturing Storefront Photos in Pune on ITI Road
10. RECAP - Capturing Storefront Photos with Sitout Area
11. RECAP - Photowalk 11 Storefront Photos in Pune
12. RECAP - Photowalk 12 Storefront Photos with Sitout Area
About the Banner Photo
Ekla Chalo Re is an Indian patriotic song. It was written by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore.
The song has a sociopolitical context meaning If they answer not to thy call walk alone. It implies that you continue the journey, despite abandonment or lack of support from others.
39 Likes
Thank you @TusharSuradkar for giving us the idea of solo meetups. It really is in effective method to have more valuable contributions. Storefront photos are important as I seen more buisnesses have only food/drink photos or have in-store photos! I especially liked the last sentence!
6 Likes
Exactly!
Very few people realize that storefront photos are importanter than the food and menu photos.
So this is also a great opportunity to feature on the profile photo of a business and get some bonus views as well…1
6 Likes
Great idea indeed @TusharSuradkar.
Storefront photo resembles for shops as they say ‘Morning shows the day’.
Looking at the storefront view you get a fair idea about the shop.
I always try to get the storefront photo first before entering the shop as a practice. Sometimes the entrance photo serves this purpose.
Good that you have suggested that such Solo visits also qualify for meet-ups.
5 Likes
Solo meetup seems to be great idea @TusharSuradkar , the local guides could contribute more, less planing of a meetup is needed. And most importantly accessibility to the building and shop entrance can be recorded.
5 Likes
Thank you @TusharSuradkar for highlighting the importance of storefront photos, I remember one day at sec-18 noida I clicked many storefront photos of many shops and most of them were featured and got many views and recently I also started to create and add storefront videos like making video of the shop and the road by which customers can get an idea in which road the shop is located
3 Likes
Informative post @TusharSuradkar
3 Likes
Solo meetups were popular during the Covid lockdown period.
Local guides were hesitant to meet each other and there were restrictions on gathering as well.
When living in Delhi 5 years ago, I conducted many solo meetups, since there was almost no active local guide.
Solo meetups are officially recognized by Google, @Kumaarsantosh
As long as we are focused on Google Maps contributions, they are encouraged as well.
4 Likes
Brilliant…!
These photos are videos are the top helpers for Google Maps users @PrinceKumar
1 Like
Thank you dear @TusharSuradkar ji for sharing your experience on solo meet-ups and helpful tips.
1 Like
Yes…!
We can host the meetup without dependency on others, in less time, and the impact of contributions is highest.
@SarathUpendran I strongly suggest everyone should start their meetup experience from a solo meetup.
2 Likes
Nicely described with beautiful photographs! Thanks for sharing the tips with us!
2 Likes
Thanks for sharing with us your experince dada, you give me next year Agenda. Thanks 
@TusharSuradkar
2 Likes
Thanks @ShailendraOjha Bhai
I definitely recommend hosting at least one solo meetup 
2 Likes
Hello, my dear @TusharSuradkar,
Most of your Solo-Meetups, I have seen the RECAPs…
Kindly pardon me, if I’m wrong… Along with many other benefits of group meet-ups, I believe that physical meet-ups create opportunities to meet new LGs & networking… of course, virtual meet-ups have its own benefits too…
I love physical group meet-ups and Virtual…
I had once conducted a solo meet-up at BTM Lake and another with just @JohnPeter at Yercaud (my first meet-up)…
Of course, store-front photos and videos are extremely important! I too practice this…
Thanks for sharing these…
PS
Ekla Chalo…I have heard this song in Sri Amitabh Bachan’s voice… Have you?
2 Likes
Thank you @TravellerG for sharing the insights.
Yes, group meetups are more common and have their benefits.
But the present post about solo meetups is to encourage people to go ahead with a meetup when there are not many local guides in a small place they might be living.
Sometimes, they host a meetup but no one turns up on the day.
So the meetup automatically becomes a solo. Not to feel discouraged and continue with the objective of the meetup.
There have been many such instances.
Here is one:
Recap - Brewery Opening Kraków
and one more:
RECAP - Maps Editing Walk in Kapasia
2 Likes
Thank you for your regards… LG Shailendra Ojha…
In short, Solo meet-up is for self satisfaction and Physical meet-ups are for Group’s satisfaction… benefits are multifold…
Regards dear friend…
3 Likes
