Google program gives small businesses big edge

Google Business Photos isa big advantage for small businesses.

“It’s a new program since the first of the year. It’s launching clear across Europe, carrying into Canada now. It’s into the United States. It’s spreading globally very, very quickly.”

The latest store in the desert to go “Google” is Tamura At Home, an interior design store in Yucca Valley.

“This’ll be part of her display on Google search engines, and on maps, and several other places. It can be linked to her website,” Cox said.

The program lets shoppers see the inside of a store from home. Ken Cox works as a Google certified photographer.

“There’s about a little over 100 photographers in the U.S. Certain portions of the country have taken off already. This area we’re just beginning in,” Cox said.

Cox’s shoot at Tamura At Home marks the seventh store in the high desert to be a part of Google Business Photos. Cox plans to move toward the low desert in the next few weeks.

“It could have an appeal to the shops in the Coachella Valley because in the summer months, we slow down, but other parts of the country are taking off. So we can take advantage of bringing people into our stores whether they’re physically here or not,” he said.

Tamura, owner of Tamura At Home, says it helps shoppers.

“If they’re unable to get out of their homes, or if they’re physically not even close to me,” Tamura Stoker said.

Most important, she says it helps the many small businesses that define the valley.

“It’s like having, hopefully, tens and thousands of more more customers coming through,” Stoker said.

With a little luck, and a lot of clicks, it could happen.