People are visual by nature. Luckily, these days, so, too, is the Internet. One of the most exciting and engaging technologies to come to fruition in recent years is Google Business View.
Google Business View is a way for you to bring your storefront to web surfers near and far. Using Street View technology, you have the power to deliver a premium-quality, 360º virtual tour, giving your potential customers and idea of what to expect when they come to your shop.
Books are judged by their covers
Although we're taught not to judge a book by its cover, we do it all the time. When choosing what company to do business with, we often make decision based on what we see. When it comes to auto shops, winning over potential customers could come down to:
- How clean is your shop?
- How accessible is your front lobby/desk?
- How intimidating is your auto shop?
- How do your employees present themselves?
Long before the Internet, potential customers had to actually go to your shop to see it for themselves. Nowadays, they just have to go online. And while still images offer some glimpses into your auto shop, nothing is as powerful or as captivating as a 360º virtual tour.
From finding you online to clicking to learn more
It takes a lot of time and effort to rank high on search engines like Google, including partaking in some DIY SEO strategies. But even if you do rank high on Google, that doesn't mean your audience will automatically click on your entry to get to your site.
Google Business View gives your target audience the ability to explore inside your shop, thus piquing their interest and improving the chances of their contacting you for more information (or just coming to your shop in person).
Google Business View has proven to be an asset in acquiring new female clients as well. Women - generally speaking - want to make sure that they'll be treated kindly and feel comfortable inside an auto shop. Nothing gives them that level of peace of mind clearer than a virtual tour from the comfort of their home.
Google Business View's Versatility
One of the beauties of Google Business View is its immense versatility. Google offers many channels to its searchers, and the company has gone to great lengths to ensure that each of those channels can benefit from their virtual tour technology, including:
- Search (your tour can be viewed right from the search results page)
- Maps (folks looking for businesses on Google Maps will be drawn to your virtual tour option)
- Google Plus (enhancing social media with a 360º look at your shop)
Your virtual tour can also be embedded into your website as well.
You can cleverly use Google Business View in a social media campaign to help draw more traffic to your site and your business. Few other auto shops will think to take advantage of this technology, meaning you'll stand out among your competitors.
The beauty of Google Business View is that it demonstrates two aspects that attracts customers:
- Access - The more access you can give to a potential customer, the easier it'll be for them to make a conversion
- Technology - Customers want to know their cars are in good hands. Your virtual tour will prove that you have a grasp on cutting edge technology. It'd be nearly impossible for potential customers not to think that doesn't trickle over into your work with cars.
Getting your auto shop set up with Google Business View virtual tours requires working with a Google-certified photographer. But once you do set up your appointment, your virtual tour should be live within a few weeks.