This is part 15 of 19 in the Storefront Photography Series. Click/tap here to see the Series Index.
This week I will explain 3 photo guideline violations that some of the best Google Maps photographers are not aware of.
Uploading duplicates across locations
The image above shows both a goldsmith and an Indian restaurant. Both businesses are clearly visible in the frame. So, some Local Guides mistakenly upload such an image to both pins: both the Goldsmith and the Indian restaurant.
Doing so is a clear violation of the photo guidelines: “Users who duplicate photos across locations … will be removed.” This is a quote from the Community policy. Breaking this rule can get you removed and not just the photos.
A parallel example can be seen in the image below. This door is the entrance to 4 different businesses. You can see 4 signs and 3 mailboxes. Uploading this image to more than one of the businesses can get you in trouble.
Uploading the same photo repeatedly to the same location
The following quote is from What photos should I share on Google Maps? posted on Connect by Google moderator MoniV:
“Do not upload duplicate photos. Sharing the same photo more than once on one location […] is a violation of our rules and policies and may result in your removal from the program.”
We are frequently prompted in the Google Maps app to upload photos to places on Maps. Because the prompts do not know if we have already uploaded them, these suggestions could act as a trap to upload duplicates. If you are unaware of this, you may unintentionally upload duplicates. To be safe, I have decided to always disregard such prompts.
Were you aware of this?
I think Google could do a better job at preventing duplicates from being uploaded.
Near duplicates
Also, similar photos should not be uploaded to Google Maps. Quote from the Community policy: “Dark, blurry, and redundant photos will be removed.” The term “redundant” means unnecessary repetition or similar.
When we get excited about some delicious food, a brilliant sight, or a pretty storefront, we naturally tend to take a lot of photos. We might take pictures of the same dish from different angles. This is perfectly normal and okay. What is not okay is to upload them all to Google Maps. We should only upload the very best photo.
But how do we decide if an image is near-duplicate, redundant, or too similar?
It is all about being helpful to Maps users. If a Maps user wants to see some details, they can zoom in and investigate. So there is no need to upload more zoomed-in images. Many Maps users find it annoying to have to browse past several images that contain no additional and valuable information.
The following examples are shared courtesy of Raphael Mahumane.
Only the first of the two images shown above should be uploaded to Google Maps. Just zooming in makes the second image redundant.
Three of these four images are redundant. Which one to upload is up for debate. #2 has slanted vertical lines, and in #4 the restaurant name is off-center.
Always avoiding near-duplicates can be very challenging. We don’t get points for images we don’t upload, so asking ourselves what would be most helpful to Maps users should be the guiding principle and not our desire to earn points and levels. Ideally, we could also take into account what photos are already uploaded by others. If a dish or angle has already been shared multiple times we should consider not sharing such images. Try finding something unique and notable to share in your shots.
I aim to always delete near-duplicates while still on the photo walk. Alternatively, as the first thing when editing my photos.
And by the way, by uploading more images to a place your average number of views per image will go down. This is a metric that some Local Guides cherish.
Deciding which image to upload
Taking several shots is great, and then deciding which one is the best one = is the one to upload. This can be decided later when you have time to reflect and study the details. As a fun quiz and discussion starter I have shared 7 storefront photos below. They are all showing the same Supermarket called Netto. Please take a few moments to study them to decide which one you would upload. They are all good images, but only one should be uploaded to Google Maps. Which one?
Some aspects to consider:
- How much of the surroundings would you include?
- How important is it to show the store name big, clear, and centered?
- As the horizon is not level in one of the shots I doubt it will become the cover photo
- Avoid distractions blocking the view of the store name
- The current cover photo might give you some hints as to what the AI prefers.
Let me know which one you’d choose in the comments. Next week, I’ll discuss the pros and cons of each of the seven images in another reply below.
Cheers
Morten
PS: Next week’s post will feature some really stupid mistakes Maps Photographer should avoid repeating.
). Try studying photo contributions lists sorted by views, and I believe you will reach the sane conclusion.
