The takeouts give you all photos, you ever uploaded in their original size and format. In addition, you’ll get a JSON text file for each of those. The latter are the interesting ones containing time-stamps for when the photo was taken and uploaded, as well as the number of views.
According to my experience, the majority of the view numbers are considerably higher than what I see unter my contributions, but also vice versa for some (~20% of the photos).
I wrote a little Python script, to extract the essentiell data from all 6k JSON files, update my SQL database and export it to CSV to be analyzed in EXCEL.
Meanwhile, I do the above only once a month, since I found a better way to pull the daily views numbers from the browser, but that’s a more complex, yet less time consuming process.
Thank you for your reply. I’m seeing the json files, but not the photo files. I will have to explore more. Maybe doing it on my Chromebook is the issue.
@Rednewt74 reg “I’m seeing the json files, but not the photo files”:
They all come in a single zip file, which might be split in multiple parts, depending on the size limits, you did set, when you requested the takeout. If a spilit did happen, the JSON and the corresponding JPEG might be in different parts. So, if you did not download all parts into a single folder, you might see only JSON or only JPEG (or whatever format you uploaded). In fact, this is the reason, why I don’t request a takeout more often, since I am only interested in the JSON, but need to unpack this huge file first.
Another difficulty with the takeouts:
If you upload from desktop, it keeps the original file names, so I can correlate to my own original copy of each photo. When uploading from the mobile app, it ignores the file names and uses the date plus a sequence number instead. In that case, you can only correlate by comparing the time-stamp when the photo was taken.
I made an error when I set up the question. I have since gone back and researched over 10 videos and photos that are actually on zero . I also realised that this needs to be a separate post because I need to encourage more than 5 people to take part - otherwise it might swamp an already huge topic.
Apologies for not posting this idea and update earlier. Life is chaotic for me with complex project work on my house including plumbing, electrics, and hopefully a major extension. I am also gearing up a new business providing 360-degree virtual tours - I just completed one today - yah!!
I will try and get the post written by the end of next week.
There is no point in adding any posts until the updates have been completed, so I will come back to it then. Taking a few days with the family to visit a small UK island I haven’t been to before - the Isle of Wight. If we can manage to miss the wet weather we will have done well
Seeing the site will be read only for two weeks, figured I better post now.
Back in the states with a couple observations.
Pictures uploaded on a PC, show up within 5 minutes on your contributions.
Photos uploaded by phone can take days.
Along with my theory that food places do best, it’s my new theory that Asian food places do better.
Finally, here is the map of my 28 day journey in Europe ( 14 day cruise - 14 days by train ), with all my stops with a pin.
Regarding upload method, it would be very rare for me to upload via PC. I dont check every time, and I haven’t kept notes but I’m fairly sure what I upload direct from my phone the photos show up very quickly afterwards.
I agree some food places do better than others, but in my case I don’t have many Asian, so that’s probably not the point of differentiation for me. KFC does best among my fast food restaurants, but I don’t have enough evidence to judge the other types of restaurants.
It has been nine months since the abnormalities started and seven months since the official response came regarding the view graph restoration, the issue is not resolved yet property.
Newly uploaded photos not showing views initially. The initial view comes after a week or two.
Newly uploaded photos will show views instantly only if it gets featured in “Explore” section.
Total photo view counts have fallen drastically.
Photo view counts of individual photos stay freezed for 3-4 days or sometimes more and then it shows the new count. Which is abnormaly lower than what it should be.
Hoping for a recovery before the issue completes it’s first anniversary. Fingers crossed .
@DibyayanC@WilfriedB
This month I’ve had a few instances of same-day first views on photos I posted. So maybe a gradual return to normalcy has started. Perhaps earlier views on new photos, even though still lower numbers of views than before.
Yes, same day views come but only if the photo is one of the first uploaded photos to a POI or if it gets featured under the “Explore” tab. On both the two occasions the view counts start early. Otherwise not.
Sorry Tony, I see some photos getting views very early occasionally since months ago. But for the waste majority, it still takes much longer and a big part, ~25%, don’t show any views since February.
Also remember @StevenBerlin’s discussion “Photos not showing up under ALL photos”.
I believe, this is the main reason to accumulate views or not. The other, even more important question is, how many users search for the listing. You cannot expect thousands of views, if only handful people searches for that place every day. But that is a number, we will never know.
Maybe you’re correct Dibyayan. In the recent instances I was as follows:
The only two photos on the POI
One photo of three on the POI
One out of twenty
One out of eight
Two out of eighteen
So I need to continue finding places with low LG activity.
= places which do not have many photos yet. Adding photos is not only done by local guides, but also any other users or even the owner. At least in one case, I saw many photos by the owner at the top of the list.
Wilfried, during the time of having to wait 7 days for views to show up, I occasionally had some 5 day or 4 day ones, but never same-day.
To your other point, I really don’t expect thousands of views right away on my photos, as I live in a small country with a small population, but I also don’t believe zero views could be correct. That’s why I see the recent same-day view counts as an improvement.
Wilfred, what is the definition of a Local Guide? I don’t remember applying to become one. Seem to think that Google emailed me and branded me as a Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 in the early stages as soon as I had recognizable activity as a Maps user.
But based on the @AdamGT Leaderboards there doesn’t seem to be a lot of activity in my country by the local people who Google tagged as LGs. Certain types of POI with many photos can often be traced to activity by tourists who visit here.
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