New - Photomap in Google Maps

[Marcin Karwowski]

Google Maps introduces 'Discover through photos' for some product and dish queries. This feature allows users to see relevant items through a gallery of local photos upfront, without browsing individual business profiles.

How It Works:
Photos are now shown first, with better quality and larger size. Users can then access the business profile or view locations via 'View photo map'.
Key Benefits:
- Faster, more precise result assessment.
- Google prioritizes user-uploaded photos for authenticity.

Key Insights:
- Tagging helps visibility but isn't mandatory for photos to appear.
- Services are not covered, but menu presence aids visibility for food items.
- Results focus on photo content, not business category.

This refined feature provides a quicker, more effective way to find relevant information, enhancing user experience and boosting local business visibility.

Previously, Google had various forms of photo maps, but this seems like a new and improved approach.

 

[rustybrick]

I think it use to be find places through photos? Google Find Place Through Photos Replacing Search Photos Of Places Nearby

 

[Marcin Karwowski]

I think it use to be find places through photos? Google Find Place Through Photos Replacing Search Photos Of Places Nearby

Yes, I also remember that there were many approaches to this function at Google.

Considering that objects in photos have been influencing results and rankings for a long time, it seems to me that they have released another new version.

 

[Marcin Karwowski]

I think it use to be find places through photos? Google Find Place Through Photos Replacing Search Photos Of Places Nearby

They also added a "New!" label - on the first screenshot

 

[JS Girard]

Maybe it's a full deployment? I can't quite recall if I was seeing before, but I definitely am right now in Montreal. For actual products, I get a "products nearby" carousel in Maps (also labelled "new") that gives different results from "in store nearby" in Google Search.

 

[JS Girard]

Actually, that one is confirmed new lol: Google Maps Search For Products Nearby

 

[Marcin Karwowski]

Actually, that one is confirmed new lol: Google Maps Search For Products Nearby

I saw this news too. These are somewhat similar functionalities.
However, the sections are named differently and contain different information. This one is dedicated to photos, not products. There is no information about prices or stock levels.

 

[JS Girard]

I saw this news too. These are somewhat similar functionalities.
However, the sections are named differently and contain different information. This one is dedicated to photos, not products. There is no information about prices or stock levels.

Absolutely. I just mentioned the product thing since I happened to be trying nonfood queries to see if I could get the "find by photos" (with generally poor results, I must add ).

 

[JS Girard]

Absolutely. I just mentioned the product thing since I happened to be trying nonfood queries to see if I could get the "find by photos" (with generally poor results, I must add ).

To elaborate:
Searches that failed to get "find through photos":

• queen size bed
• hotel
• night club
• shopping mall
• grocery store
• Shoe stores (google's suggestion is plural for this, wierdly enough)

Searches that succeeded:

• Nightstand
• running shoes
  • Both of these also had "products nearby"
• museum
• swimming pool
• paint store
  • Although half of them were NOT paint store?? One was clearly showing a rack of sewing thread!

Fact: The photos are chosen strictly based on content, not the relevance of the GBP. E.g. "nightstand":

Theory: Google is less likely to show "find by photos" for searches with high competition keywords