Can someone explain how the little red boxes work?

[JBTHEMILKER]

For a while now I have been able to "connect" my images, some of them, to little red squares by going to "change Location".  I just wondered what this does.  Does this in some way make the pictures more searchable?  Is it worth doing?

One benefit is I get the exact name of a business. This is done by simple copy and pasting the name after I have "connected" them. 

[Draken]

If you see the map on Panoramio you can find a new tab "Places". When you snap a photo to a place or landmark (what you call a "red box") those photos also appear there. Yes, those photos result in a better search because if you google them (google search or any other browser search) they are connected to a well known place, landmark, business, etc.

[JBTHEMILKER]

Thank you for that answer.  There is part of your answer I do not understand.  Where do I find this new "Places" tab?  The way I have been doing this is by going to "change location" after the image has been loaded.  Is there a better way?

[Draken]

Panoramio map.

http://www.panoramio.com/map

[JBTHEMILKER]

Thank you again Draken, That is a part of the site I seldom if ever have used. I may have to explore that more. 

[Hans Sterkendries]

JB, I don't think the team did a very good job promoting this item. The whole idea of this 'snap to places' is that you can define the subject of your pictures. On the tab page "places" (www.panoramio.com/map) and in Google Maps pictures get then regrouped by subject. Might be handy from time to time although, let's face it, it's first of all a commercial tool...

[RoarX]

JB, 3.3. in the FAQ has a small user guide you can look at if you want.

[JBTHEMILKER]

 Hans said "it's first of all a commercial tool"

 I often take pictures of businesses at the owners request so they can be placed on Google Earth.  I am sure some business owners would like to have there "place" marked and able to be snapped to.  I would first of all like to find out how I can mark a place, and second, I would like to be able to understand  the procedure well enough to be able to describe and explain it to people.  Thank you RoarX for pointing me to 3.3 of the FAQs.  From that I get the idea that marking places is something that can be done.  I will explore this more. Google Maps is not a place I feel comfortable in.  As I said, I will look into it.   I have 3.3 as a guide.  

 I have been diligent to use this tool since I stumbled onto it. 

 Thank you, all three, for your help. 

[Draken]

The shopkeepers should look into Google Places, the tool provided by Google to promote businesses. If you are not charging them for the service they can mark their places themselves on Google Maps.

[JBTHEMILKER]

Thank You Draken.   I see on a quick look at Google Maps that the one attempt I made to do this for a farm failed.  I guess they send a confirmation letter with a pin number and this was never acted on. So far it looks like the only place I can mark is one I own.  Correct me if I am wrong on that.  This seems like such a good tool.   I just wish I could make it work. 

[Tomas K☼h☼ut]

JBM, the Google Places is for business owners. Do you see it? Owners.

Business owners have to verify that the place (address on the map) they declare as their own (or as statutory of their shop or other business) does really belong to them and they are able to collect the letter with confirmation PIN there. Placing (and correct placing) of the their business on the map is their responsibility, not yours.

This procedure is relevant. Otherwise we will have a flood of duplicate business listings of shops and services stacked at popular places (we have it either, but not at such an extent, as some people probably found the trick how to make a fool of Google).

All you can do for business owners it to "snap your photos to their place" (red square) - if their place is visible on your photo.  I guess you've already got difference between "pin marker" (position where the photo was taken) and red square (subject or something related to the photo).

I mostly use landmarks, not business places as a red dot. But to get landmark as red dot, you often have to type the landmark name into search box. So if I have photo of the lake - I search for the lake name. If there is no lake name in Google database, I try to search for something more general - e.g. national park name, where the lake is placed. If everything fails, I use nearest suitable red dot - or nothing. 

[Wim Constant]

Op maandag 25 februari 2013 22:29:57 UTC+1 schreef JBTHEMILKER het volgende:

...... I often take pictures of businesses at the owners request so they can be placed on Google Earth...............

I think we are here on the edge of (free) advertising,

As far as I know this is not the purpose of Panoramio.

[AustinMN]

It used to be explicitly allowed, as long as you were not including advertizing content (i.e. anything more than the name of the business) in the title, description, or comments.

 

Austin

[JBTHEMILKER]

Maybe in some cases a picture can be advertising.  I won't argue that.  I know when I come to a town I have not been to, I look at the map. The more information there is, and the more accurate that data is, the better. 

[Wim Constant]

Op dinsdag 26 februari 2013 18:01:23 UTC+1 schreef AustinMN het volgende:

As I said: "On the edge" 

[Tomros]

If I take a photo of a bar or building, I usually try to get the bar name or building name to come up on the place square.

The other day, the place I was photographing (abandoned farm) had no square (obviously), so I chose one, which was bit amusing (a place called Red box).

Most of the time in landscape shots, I do the same as Tom. Lake or park name, when available.  

In urban areas, there are usually many red squares available. If I want to avoid identifying business, I usually type the name of nearest intersection.

Sometimes, I find a funny and inventive name of business (dog walking services seem to have creative names), so I award their creativity and honor them with selecting their business to go with my creative photo. ;-)