How businesses can use Google Street View

Print and online directories will get a shake up as Google launched the Australian version of Google’s Street View yesterday. Street View, which shows a still street-level picture of houses and businesses around Australia, combines search and directory li

Print and online directories will get a shake up as Google launched the Australian version of Google’s Street View yesterday. Street View, which shows a still street-level picture of houses and businesses around Australia, combines search and directory listings.

Google spokesperson Rob Shilkin, says there are many applications that should interest business. He says businesses can show consumers where their offices are located and allow them to see where the parking spots are or where the bus will drop you off. “It can be a good idea to send a send new employee a link so they know how to get to the office,” he says.

Street View can be a good tool to find new locations for your business, check out locations for marketing campaigns, video shoots or product launches. “You can also check the location of customers or suppliers before leaving the office.”

He says news publishers and websites can illustrate articles by linking to the relevant location.

So will Google follow traditional directories and introduce a fee to upload special information? No, says Shilkin. “We build great products that users love and then opportunities arise from that.”

He does expect that businesses will increasingly use it to find other businesses, but says it should not have an impact on the many directories already on the net. “The directory space is a vibrant space. And businesses are best to have a presence in multiple places on the internet so they can be found wherever businesses are looking.”

The first step is to make sure your business is listed on Google maps. The listing is free and you can upload information such as web sites or phone numbers. “It is as easy to imbed an image of your business as it is to do a YouTube clip.”