I’ve always used the Tour Builder platform (former Panoskin) to publish 360 images to Google (on Local Business), but over the past few days I haven’t been able to publish anything. I also tried using GoThru Moderator, but without success. I reached out to GoThru support, and they informed me that “Currently Google is having some issues, and some accounts cannot publish to Street View.” and “Meaning, that right now you can not publish 360 images to Google.”
Is anyone else experiencing this issue or knows of a possible solution?
Hi @ThiagoMo , welcome back to Connect after a very long time.
The only thing that comes to my mind is that Google is making the last step to complete the separation between the Local Guides program and the use of a Local Guide account for publishing paid contents.
In fact most of the time virtual tours are a paid service, and should not be publishing through the Local Guides account.
For more details please read: How to be a Street View trusted photographer while also being a Local Guide
As your Google Maps profile is not available here in Connect I’m not able to verify if this is the case.
Can you kindly provide a link to some virtual tours you added in Maps?
Hello @ErmesT! Thank you for your answer. I don’t think this is the case as I’ve received the Trusted Badge from Google in 2020. Since that, I’ve only used this account to produce and publish Virtual Tours to my clients. I don’t recall to use any of the Local Guides Connect platform or forums.
If this is the case (that I’m enrolled in Local Guides Connect and also in Street View Trusted Program), is this the reason that I’m having issues when trying to publish 360 images to Google? If so, is there any way to make my account only enrolled in Street View Trusted?
Hi @ThiagoMo
Thanks for sharing your tours and to confirm that you are using this account for business.
So it is very possible that this is the reason why you cannot publish anymore.
The post shared with you, written in 2019, is clearly explaining that You have to choose between being a Local Guide and using the account for your business.
This is in fact also explained in the Local Guides Program Terms and Conditions - Google Maps Help : “organizations, brands, and businesses aren’t eligible for the Program. You are not allowed to bundle services for hire with your Local Guide membership.”
What I think is that Google is moving one step froward, blocking the publication of Virtual Tours with professionals tools.
Or the issue can be caused by the change mentioned here: Google Help
In any case you should leave the Local Guides Program with this account, or use a different (non Local Guide) account to publish your tours.
I believe the best option is the first one, because Google could in any case choose to remove you from the program for the violation of the Local Guides Program Terms and Conditions, as mentioned above
@ErmesT, thank you again for your guidance and support! When I started publishing 360 images on Google Maps, I wasn’t aware of the distinction between the Local Guides program and the Street View Trusted program. I believe that, by mistake, I ended up being part of both programs at the same time.
As you suggested, it seems that the best option is to leave the Local Guides program with this account, since I use it exclusively for business purposes.
I came across this Google page that apparently allows you to leave the Local Guides Connect program, but I’m a bit concerned, would leaving the program have any effect on my already published Virtual Tours? Could they be deleted, or would everything remain intact?
Sorry for all the questions, but I just want to make sure I don’t risk losing any of my published work.
Hi Friend, having same issue while publishing the tours from my goThru account to maps. As per another friend suggested i am publishing tours from my business profile only which is not part of local guide program but there is still issue. attaching here is the email i got from GoThru team on issue "Google has a new bug, where for some accounts they are not accepting 360 images
Your account is one of those accounts. We are estimating that right now about 30% of all photographers are affecting and thin number is growing
We have notified our Google contact and provided lots of information about this issue
Some people had success with publishing with a new gmail account, if you have an extra account, you can add that to your GoThru account, and then publish through it
"
Solution : Create a new email or use another email to publish the tours as of now and you will be able to do so, attaching a screenshot where i have successfully uploaded the tour on 20th April 2025 as per recommended by GoThru team. Hope it helps
Leaving the program will not delete your contributions, nor change your ability to manage them, @ThiagoMo
Simply, you will not be able anymore to access this community nor the possible benefits of the Local Guides program
