Forget Keywords, Google Maps is the new gamechanger

Google moves in mysterious ways. Anyone who claims to be able to totally predict how it works is kidding themselves, just make sure that they aren’t kidding you too. But, the one thing we do know is that Google loves photos, loves them. You want to make Google happy, post photos. You want to make Google really happy post 360 photos. We don’t know why, but all experts agree that Google rewards business profiles with 360 and Street View content with more visibility. And to prove the point, it even has an free app, where your 360 content look great. That app is Google Maps.

Google Maps has over one billion monthly users. Everything Google does is big. The latest figures show that in Jan 2025, Google searches account for over 93% of all UK searches and over 92% globally. Google Search is particularly dominant in mobile search with over 95% market share. So if you want your business to get seen, make sure that your are using the full potential of your Google Business listing, and that means uploading 360 panoramas.

Google Maps is another SEO tool

Ok, I get that you might not be convinced yet, so let’s take a step back. Everything in digital is about SEO, you’ve got to get seen – otherwise what’s the point? And because Google totally dominates searches and rankings, everything is about orientating your SEO to keep Google sweet. Even writing this blog post is an exercise in word choice, sentence length, active verbs etc because without the attention to detail it will disappear without trace.

So ok, we can all agree that if we want visibility, we have to rank. We have to agonise over keywords, and jump through a million hoops. And even then it is a lottery, and even when you get it right you are always competing against sponsored content. But don’t despair, this is where Google Maps comes in.

But Google Maps is navigational software!

Now I know some of you will the thinking, Google Maps is navigational software, how will that help with search rankings? It’s a good question, but one that is pretty easy to answer. There is a vital link between Google Search and Google Maps, and that is your Google Business Profile. Complete your GBP, and you are on Google Maps, its that simple. And unlike Google Search, your ability to get seen is pretty good.

Let’s look at the image, below taken from Google Maps – it’s Bentonville in Arkansas. But it doesn’t matter, it could be anywhere – and you don’t have to believe me, check what I’m about to say against your neighbourhood and you’ll see what I mean.

So, we’ve got a typical retail district that is dominated by a Walmart, but we can also see a coffee shop and a beauty salon and car wash. So far, so normal, so what? Well here’s the thing. Walmart is the biggest retailer in the world, generating over $500 billion a year in revenue. In what universe, can an independent coffee compete on level terms with Walmart. Google Maps that’s where.

Google Maps is mobile first

Now look at that map again, and consider that Wings Coffee Co doesn’t pay for ads on Google – Google’s main revenue stream. Whereas, Walmart is one of the biggest purchasers of Google advertising on the planet. Can you tell by the listing? Hell no, they are exactly the same. Now I’m not going to lie, zoom out and Wings will soon disappear from Google Maps, whereas you are gonna see Walmart from space! That’s what advertising buys. But who are the biggest users of Google Maps? Mobile users, and what is the first thing you do? You zoom in so you can see more on a small screen.

So hands up, confession time. Wings Coffee Company doesn’t have 360 content, hell they don’t even have a website – so stick that up your SEO. But Google doesn’t mind too much, because they have of loads of great photos and reviews uploaded by happy customers on their Google Business Profile. But everyone does that right? Wrong!

Google Maps reveals all!

Look at the map below, same neighbourhood but now zoomed in one click. And look, suddenly we have new businesses such as the dog groomer. Why was that invisible before when the coffee shop could be seen? It wasn’t web advertising, we know that because they don’t have a website. But they have loads of photos, and what does Google love? Yep photos!

So, how come I chose a company without 360 content to illustrate the point that 360 matters. Well, I thought it was illustrative to go for Bentonville, Arkansas because that is the home of the global HQ of Walmart, the biggest retailer in the world – just to show that Google Maps doesn’t care. If you do what it likes, then you get equal billing. Even when your budget doesn’t run to $500 million dollars a year!

Google Earth to Street View

So we’ve established that Google loves photos, it really loves photos. But the one thing it loves more than photos, is 360 photos. So why is that? Well since 2001, Google has had a project to map the entire planet. It started with Google Earth, and then of course we have Google Maps. But zoom in a bit, and we have Google Street View, a fully rendered 360 version of towns and cities that you can use to navigate. But Google wants to go further, they don’t just want to map outdoors, they want map indoors too. They want to do a gigantic 360 of the whole world. So like Second Life, but real – so First Life I guess.

Now Google can’t do this alone, they do their photography with cameras fixed to cars. So they aren’t going to drive around your coffee shop, even if like Wings Coffee shop in Bentonville, you are a drive-thru! See what I did there?

Google Maps is all about ‘near me’

So instead they reward you for posting 360 content. How do they do that? Through elevated search rankings? Believe it or not yes, because they use mapping results first. So if I search, Coffee Shops York Google assumes I am already in York and wants me to use Google Maps to find my way.

So does it show me the chain coffee shops that pay handsomely to advertise on Google. Not a bit of it, no. It shows me the three with the best Google Business Profile, and you’ve guessed it the one with the most photos. And to help you to chose, it prioritises the ones with 360 images so you can try before you buy.

So there you go, with your 360 virtual tour loaded up onto Google Maps, you can beat the big boys at their own game. Google does indeed move in mysterious ways.

Return to blog home

Return to homepage