Sales and Branding Guidelines
Street View sales and branding guidelines are specific to pro photographers and agencies. These guidelines are meant to help you stand out as a power contributor, equip you to share the delight of Street View in VR form, and empower your clients to promote their Street View status with pride. You may leverage the following assets to enhance your sales prospects.
“Step Inside” Stickers
- Promote newly photographed businesses that have been added to Street View
- Print this sticker design with the printing service of your choice
Trusted Badge File
- Eligible Street View contributors may use both the trusted badge and the vehicle specific badge according to the sales and branding guidelines below
- Those who are not — or no longer — eligible cannot use these badges
Google Cardboard
- Enjoy Street View in virtual reality
- Great for demos or as a client gift
- At 100+ units, you qualify for custom graphics and low pricing per unit ($7.59)
- Visit Maxbox VR for discounts for Trusted Pros that want to offer custom VR cardboard.
Branding Standards
Even if you are not a member of the Trusted program, some of the below guidelines may still be relevant to you. If you are interested to join the Trusted program, read Stand out as a trusted pro to learn about the requirements.
Only photographers or companies that have earned trusted status can use the Google Maps Street View brand and trusted badge as marketing assets. If you’re a trusted pro, we invite you to leverage them to celebrate your distinguished status. Trusted pros can use the trusted badge, word mark, and branding elements, including Google Maps and Street View, or any other related logos. Below are some things you can and can’t do with them. If you believe someone is violating Google’s permitted uses of our brand assets, you can report these inappropriate uses.
Things you can do
- Only use the trusted badge and branding elements if you’re a certified member of the program
- Offer professional 360 photos as one of your business services
- Only show the trusted badge against a white background with enough padding, no matter where you display it
- Only use the trusted badge in combination with your name or company name and logo
- Use the trusted badge and branding elements in websites, presentations, business apparel, and printed sales materials
- Ensure that the badge and branding elements aren’t the most prominent elements on the page/clothing
- When displaying graphics on the roof of a vehicle, you may only use your own brand and logo
Things you can’t do
- Don’t misrepresent or hide that you’re part of the trusted program when you’re interacting with businesses.
- Don’t bundle any services you offer for hire (such as marketing yourself as a Street View trusted provider) with your Local Guide membership. For tips on how to continue to sell photography services while participating in Local guides, follow the post on Local Guides Connect.
- Don’t change any of the Google Maps, Street View, or trusted badge, logos or wordmarks, including adding any graphics, stretching the images, or translating them.
- Don’t use the badge in a misleading or abusive way. For example, using the badge in a way that suggests a Google endorsement for any product or service.
- Don’t use Google, Google Maps, Street View, trusted badge, or any other Google trademark — or its likeness — in a domain name
- Don't display the Street View icon or vehicle specific trusted branding elements:
- if you are not a member of the trusted program.
- any larger than 12in x 5in or 30cm x 12cm on a vehicle.
- as the most prominent or sole branding element on a vehicle.
- For example:
Branding in the nadir/zenith of 360 images
- Use the logo/name of your company in the respective size as the nadir/zenith. Consult the policy guidelines for any format specific criteria.
- When including branding in the nadir of your imagery or on the roof of your vehicle, you must:
- have permission to use the branding.
- only display content that is relevant (for example, promoting local tourism) or is otherwise limited to attribution.
- In the case of sponsorship/attribution, the displayed branding must:
- not be accompanied by a Google brand asset.
- not be accompanied by any promotional graphics or language (unless it is relevant to the location shown).
- include "sponsored by" or a translated equivalent.
- Don’t use the trusted badge or any other Google branding in the nadir/zenith of your 360 images (including in any rooftop graphics that may be visible to your camera).
In addition to these guidelines, please ensure that you follow Google’s Rules for Proper Usage, Brand Terms and Conditions, Geo Usage Guidelines, and all other usage guidelines for Google trademarks.
Note: If you don’t follow these guidelines, you may lose your certification and the right to use the trusted badge and other branding elements.
Transparency and Accountability
When selling your photographic services to others, it’s important you embody the same transparency and that you understand your duties and rights as they pertain to other people, brands, and local laws.
Honest representation
As a photographer or agency, you must not represent yourself in a way that suggests you are employed by Google. Present yourself truthfully as a fully independent business entity, and communicate to clients about Google’s limited role as a publishing service.
Individual responsibility
While published images are typically visible on Google Maps within seconds, these images may subsequently be rejected if they are not in compliance with Google Maps’ imagery policies or the Google Maps Terms of Service.
- Should commissioned imagery be rejected from Google Maps, resolving the issue remains the responsibility of the photographer/agency and the business owner
- We recommend that photographers promptly correct or replace images that are against our policies — and ensure they’re approved for Google Maps — or else fully refund their client in the event that the issue cannot be resolved
Image ownership
We recommend that when photographers/agencies and business owners engage, both parties enter into a written contract that specifies the terms of the agreement, warranty, and future ownership rights.
- Determine who will own the imagery after the shoot is completed. If the photographer/agency will retain ownership, make sure the business owner is aware how they may use the imagery without infringing on the photographer/agency’s copyright. If ownership passes to the business owner, please make sure they consent to the transfer of images, and that they understand what rights the photographer/agency may retain.
- The same image should not be published twice under two accounts (such as the photographer’s and the business owner’s accounts).
Local laws compliances
Be sure to abide by all local and federal laws when serving clients. Do not misrepresent your skill or the end quality of the work that you perform. Also make sure you carry the appropriate insurance necessary to perform work you have been hired to complete.
Image visibility
Google will rank images on Google Maps irrespective of any contractual or commercial agreement between third parties, including agreements between business owners and photographers. The fact that a business owner has paid a professional photographer for a shoot will not guarantee how the imagery is ranked or appears in Google Maps.
No conflict of interest
Some Google programs — notably Local Guides — require that you participate in a non-professional capacity (e.g., that you are not compensated for the content that you contribute). If you offer services for hire (such as marketing yourself as a Street View trusted provider), it’s important that you do not bundle these professional services with any other non-professional services that imply impartiality (such as your ability to post a rating or review as a Local Guide).