The short answer
Refresh your tour when it no longer matches what a customer will see when they walk in: after a remodel, a new layout or new signage, or when old photos look dark or blurry next to newer ones on your Google listing.
Why an outdated tour is a problem
A virtual tour on Google Maps can stay up for years after it's published, long after the place it shows has changed. A virtual tour sets expectations. When a customer walks in and the place looks different from what they saw on Google Maps, the tour has done the opposite of its job. A tour should show your business as it is today.
How to check your tour right now
- Search for your business on Google Maps on your phone, the way a customer would.
- Open your photos and find the 360-degree ones.
- Walk through it from the front door, the way a first-time customer would.
- Then walk through the real place and note anything that doesn't match.
It takes about ten minutes. A good habit is to do it once a year, and after any change to the building.
6 signs it's time for a refresh
1. You've remodeled
New floors, paint, counters or furniture? Your tour still shows the old ones.
2. Your layout has changed
If rooms have moved, been added or closed, the tour walks people through a place that doesn't exist anymore.
3. Your signage or branding is different
A new name, logo or sign should match across your Google listing, your website and your tour.
4. You offer something new
A new service area, a tasting room, an event space or a new department is worth showing.
5. The photos look old next to newer ones
If your tour looks dark or blurry beside recent photos on your Google Business Profile, it's making the listing look dated.
6. The outside has changed
New parking, a new entrance or new landscaping changes how customers find you on arrival.
New photos or a new tour?
Not every change needs a new tour.
- Small changes, like a new sign, a new paint color out front or a new product display, can often be covered with new photos on your Google Business Profile.
- Bigger changes, like a remodel, a new layout, a new room or a move, call for new 360 photos, because the tour is walking people through a space that's changed.
Either way, the goal is the same: what customers see on Google should match what they find when they walk in.
What a refresh involves
A refresh is a new shoot of the areas that changed, edited and published to Google Maps so it appears with your Business Profile. It can be embedded on your website too. The photo above is from the tour we shot for Crystal Ridge Distillery in Hot Springs.
Get the place ready the same way you would for any shoot: every light on, blinds open, clutter out of sight, and no seasonal decorations or sale signs that will date the new tour. Our post on virtual tours for medical and dental offices has a full shoot-day checklist.
What happens to the old tour?
360 photos on Google Maps belong to the Google account that published them. If John shot your original tour, the old photos can be replaced with the new ones. If someone else shot it, those photos are on their account, so we'll look at what's there with you and talk through your options on your free visibility check.
John has been a Google Street View Trusted Photographer since 2014, and his Google photos and tours have over 41 million views. See more examples in the virtual tour gallery.
How to get started
John shoots tours and refreshes for businesses in Hot Springs, across Arkansas and beyond. A tour refresh is a one-time project. Learn more about Google Street View and virtual tours, or book a free visibility check and John will look at your current tour and listing with you.
Questions
How often should I update my Google Maps virtual tour?
There is no fixed schedule. Update it whenever it no longer matches what customers will see when they arrive, such as after a remodel, a layout change or new signage.
Who shoots the tour?
John Varnedore, a Google Street View Trusted Photographer since 2014, whose Google photos and tours have over 41 million views.
Is a tour refresh part of a monthly plan?
No. A tour or a refresh is a one-time project, quoted on your free visibility check.
Do I have to reshoot the whole place?
Not always. A refresh covers the areas that changed. If most of the place looks different, a new full tour usually makes more sense.
Can I remove an old virtual tour from Google Maps?
360 photos belong to the Google account that published them. If John shot your tour, he can replace it. If someone else did, we'll look at the options with you.