Video killed the photo views stars

[abermans]

As a top active Google Maps Local Guide (Happy second year anniversary) , I have put considerable effort into posting high-quality, helpful reviews and uploading engaging photos and videos of places I’ve visited. I, like many Local Guides, have tried to crack the code of what makes a photo likely to be featured by the Maps algorithm.

Lately, I’ve noticed it’s becoming increasingly difficult to get photos featured. However, I’ve observed that any short 2-3 second video I attach to a photo using motion photo mode seems to catch the algorithm’s eye. Even mundane videos are getting prime featuring in the top 3-5 media slots for a place, while my photos languish.

Don’t get me wrong - I understand Google’s motivation to create a richer, more dynamic user experience with featured videos in Maps. But I worry about the trade-offs, especially for users with limited data plans or in roaming mode. Videos can consume significant data, and autoplay is on by default in Maps. With featured videos hogging the top slots, data usage can add up quick, even if someone isn’t actively choosing to view videos.

While I’ll keep experimenting with video, I hope Google finds a way to balance featuring compelling photos and videos while respecting users’ data. For many travelers and Maps users, lean, data-lite photos better serve their needs. Videos may be eye-catching, but they shouldn’t overshadow great photos or penalize users’ data limits.

What do you think about the rise of video in Google Maps?
I’m curious to hear if others share my concerns or can offer tips for getting photos featured in this new video-first paradigm.

Few samples from last weeks - those with the higher views are all videos taken before the photo:

[TerryPG]

Loved the title @abermans I immediately began to sing the Song ( Video killed the radio Star) Although I pretty much only know the chorus.

I have to agree with it is getting more difficult to get featured photos or even high placed photos. You now I track a lot of info on stats trying to find out what Google is looking for.

I too jumped on the video bandwagon because it was new and may be the future of what’s to come. I still take many photos looking for the perfect shot cause that’s what we do.

What I have noticed recently is almost every video published is being featured in the new Explore Area ( what’s new) causing increased views and some likes. Depending on the video it may stay 1 or 2 weeks , and the views are good but then I notice the amount of views diminish, at least in my case, after it’s dropped from the Explore area. Same goes for any foodie shot or video.

Also any video we take is posted in the latest photos of any POI, This isn’t new but with the increase of videos I think they are getting more hits.

I do have a couple of videos in the #2 spot but only a couple.

I am still watching this as it is all new and I want to take a look in a month 2, 3 months from now to compare.

[MortenCopenhagen]

I’m out travelling and in order to save on mobile data I came across some settings to block or allow auto play of videos. That might be what we need to promote to users with limited mobile data plans.

I played with so many settings that I can’t recall exactly where at the moment. Hopefully, others can fill in the specifics. Thanks in advance.

Cheers

Morten

[MortenCopenhagen]

One more thought:

I have not seen videos taking over the role of the cover photos when it comes to representing places in lists, search results, and “similar places” etc. Have you? I think those are substantial contributors to the views of photos. So stills are likely still giving us more views. But things could be changing.

Cheers

Morten

[abermans]

How to disable Google Maps auto-play of videos:

1. Open Google Maps
2. Tap on your profile (Picture) available in the top right corner.
3. Tap on settings.
4. Tap on Video Settings.
5. Switch off (tap) Allow Auto-Play

[Rednewt74]

@abermans ,

I love the music reference (for those of you who don’t know it watch this—>https://youtu.be/W8r-tXRLazs?si=IPqQKfTM0-SU4Obu

You raise some interesting points. I know a number of the top guides have talked about it being more difficult to get into the number one position. What I wonder is whether this predates the focus on videos? I do think in some sense guides who only shoot photographs are being penalized to some degree. However, with rare exceptions videos are only going up as high as number two, so it’s my thought that they are not what’s making it more difficult to get into the number one position.

One thing I have seen a lot of recently (as have others), are POI where the owner has uploaded a lot of photos and they often fill the top 20 spots. I find that my video regularly crack it open and land at #2, when none of my photos show up at all.

A lot of videos are still not very good quality, but because of the focus there being put into the number of two position because they’re the only one at the site’s location. It will be interesting to see, when sites have a number of videos to choose from, if one of the better quality ones go to the top position. My concern is that in general people are not going to be producing good quality videos. Is fortunate that the forum is bringing attention to it and encouraging God’s guides to produce better videos.

[Latte]

@TerryPG Thank you. That’s a very good point of view. Just like the topic starter my cinematic photos which are like x times the size of a normal photo have taken over the explorer area.

However, that’s not the only place where the videos do well. My number fourth ‘video’ (cinematic photo) is only 6 months old, but it’s been rising and rising every month.

So perhaps it’s too early to say that there will be diminishing views over a long time, but we can already say that the attention of the viewer has shifted the video.

That said, that’s not the only photo/cinematic photo/ video that I see these numbers happening. My whole top 25 is being overrun by my videos. I had one traditional video in my top 25. That one too is still growing but at a much slower rate.

If you want to see these numbers for yourself, go to my profile. Go to photos, select most viewed and you will see that the photos are a combination of old and new but the videos are mostly with recent dates of the past year.

[Latte]

@abermans as many as said already, video killed… It’s an awesome title, but it’s also the truth. The perception and the way viewers consume data as shifted towards video. And that’s the reason why Google is featuring videos.

I also noticed some people saying something about the data plans and although I do realize that some countries still have an issue with that, most people don’t . Again, this is something decided based on consumer behavior and consumption, people don’t struggle with the data anymore in general of course.

We have to face the facts but that said, my solution is very simple; when I make a bunch of photos, edit and upload them. Then often in the evening or when traveling back I pick one that I make a cinematic and then I upload that one too. Right now my ratio is 1 in 20 but I keep telling myself it needs to be 1 in 10. One video for each 10 photos. I just want that last badge

[Rednewt74]

@Latte ,

You make a lot of good points. After looking at your photos, It took me a little while to discover that you can create cinematic photos within G photos. And it couldn’t be simpler.

Very clever of you to think to do this.

I often create montages of photos and videos using CapCut. I saw in photos utilities that you can do it within G photos using the movie feature.

Moving food gets views!

[TerryPG]

You have some interesting videos @Latte and some very good ideas. Ever you ever thought about joining @AdamGT leaderboards. There are different leaderboards for points, videos, photos and so much more. I thought you may find this country leaderboard interesting. I think your name would be on here. It’s easy to join just follow up these easy steps How to Register

Keep Guiding.

[Rednewt74]

@Latte , yes please consider @TerryPG 's suggestion. Put your Star video up!

[JustJake]

@abermans I’m still trying to crack the code on why some videos suffer from being pixelated and choppy when uploaded. We’re given these ultra HD pocket camcorders and it’s all for naught when loading to Maps.

[Rednewt74]

@JustJake ,

Are you talking about your own or other ones you see? Any links to one?

[TerryPG]

Forgot to mention that I agree with you @abermans on the data usage thought. here in Canada our data roaming prices are very high and yes watching videos can eat your usage up as well, not to mention storage concerns. Here in Canada we have a lot of POIs that offer free Wifi. I am one that searches this out so at a leisurely lunch with a cold pint I can easy edit and watch my videos and photos. Will this effect the POI’s Data usage for one concern.

2nd point I have added approximately 40 videos in the last 45 days, removed 2 of them but an interesting observation 2 of my top 3 videos with views are done in landscape mode( I just forgot, so use to taking photos in this mode)

Does this mean anything?

Thoughts everyone?

[Latte]

It’s in my Profile @Rednewt74 Just go to photos, sort by views, should be number 4 and I think another one similar at number 12. Both pizza of all things

Edit: you can also go to this place, under the video section you can see a bunch of the cinematics I posted (and some cool inside 360!)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/gDLtRrRH2y1f7Gzv8

[Latte]

@TerryPG Thank you for the compliments. Leaderboards on views do not really interest me for several reasons;
They are user-made, not done by Google and depend on people participating. I’d rather see Google offer more insights.
I also do not really feel an urge to rank to be honest, that would mean pressure and competition in my perception

Besides, photo and video views are just a part of the data I’m interested in.

Very recently Google started FINALLY sending out visual imagery on milestones when it comes to Edits.
Somewhere I have one that had over 8 million views after a year, and that was months ago. Should be over 10 million.
Last month I got this one, 2 million after 4 months so I’m in anticipating of the first of November to see where it has landed in October (those mails are sent out once a month).

Also I don’t feel that updates are added. The photo views do, but anything you write down with it, does not show anywhere else. I’d love Google to add those as like addendum’s of recurring visits to an existing Review.

Seeing that an overwhelming number of people consume Google Maps content through mobile and even on PC 4:3 is used, I would advise against uploading landscape for either video or photo. They general perform much less simply because it looks small or weird on a screen.

email by Google end of month with achievements

@abermans I went over your videos and if I may suggest; it looks like you make a lot of vids of max 3 seconds. They might add to your view total, but in the background mechanics, in SEO/SEA, Google Analytics, YouTube dashboard and all platforms like that, it’s very important to create ‘viewtime’. Seeing Google itself has decided for 7 seconds (Photo turned to Cinematic and then recognized as a 7 second video), I would suggest not to film less than that.

[Rednewt74]

@Latte ,

Nice work. Pizza is always good Here is one of my pizza videos.

[Latte]

That is interesting @Rednewt74 as I always wondered how much Google ‘ads’ for edited videos in the algorithm.

Like I get my music from copyright-free sources when I post for example on IG, but with Google I had a couple videos blocked with the same music.
Also the ones that did go through that either had music added or were edited with a 3rd party tool into something that would look good on short-tail media like IG, never do well. In fact, the ones purely edited using Google tools on my Google Pixel 7 Pro come to think of it, do best. hmm…

Are yours more successful compared to unedited ones?

[Rednewt74]

@TerryPG ,

I’m not sure either, whether landscape or portrait makes a difference, My star video is landscape (shot before we were told/ asked to shoot portrait. I have uploaded both landscape and vertical for some POI’s, but I am behind on my data analysis, so I don’t know if there was a preference. I’ll let you know once I look through them.

I am shooting almost all video in portrait, except for exteriors.

I still think that the quality of the thumbnail (the first frame of the video) is significant, just as the framing of storefront photos makes a difference. That being said, I do have some notable exceptions where i uploaded two videos and the one with the worse thumbnail did better.

[Rednewt74]

@Latte ,

Edited vs unedited? I don’t think I have ever uploaded an unedited photo or video.

Staying on the video topic.;

if I stay within Google Photos I always adjust

• contrast
• highlights and shadows
• saturation

I also apply stabilization.

If need be I will trim the video to get a better first frame (for the thumbnail) or if the beginning is shaky or the ending isn’t when it should be,

I like using Capcut for more basic editing, because I think it has better color adjustment tools and in addition to adding stabilization you can increase the sharpness. Also, it allows you to crop or reframe the video so it looks better.

For more involved editing (combining videos and or stills) I always use Capcut. While I just found that you can combine photos and videos under Movies under Utilities in Google Photos, it doesn’t allow any adjustments or transitions.

Ahh, Audio! Since Google Maps’ video player defaults to muted audio, I don’t think it is a significant factor; however…

Most of the time the audio from a cellphone video is awful (in my opinion). Outside there is wind noise, in a noisy environment it is muddy, and picks up the nearest conversation. Google has suggested that having audio helps people know how noisy a place is, but it seems to me it makes it worse than it really is. In the video/food challenge I did see a few examples were the audio was good and added to video.

I shoot in Pixel’s cinematic mode most of the time , which doesn’t record audio. My star video is a photo/video montage and does not have any audio. I have this personal issue with having video without any audio. I now add music available through Capcut. I have a few favorite ones I use frequently. I don’t think it helps to add music but I just like doing it.

If I wanted to capture the ambience audio of a POI, I would shoot some regular video and then extract the sound an add it the slow motion clip. I haven’t done it yet and it might not be a good idea. Let me if you have tried it.