We’re excited to continue our Ask a Googler series with our guest, Terrance, a Senior Product Manager for Google Maps. As we shared in our previous post, Terrance works on contributions on Google Maps and Local Guides levels, points, and badges.
Many of you reached out with some great questions for Terrance. Before we dive into those, we asked him a few questions we thought you’d be interested in to get to know him a bit more.
Read on to learn more about him.
Are you a Local Guide? Why or why not?
Yes! I was a Local Guide even before I joined Google and have almost reached Level 7! I became one because I wanted to be recognized for the contributions I’m making, and being called a Local Guide felt special to me. And it’s always just nice joining in and helping out others.
What’s your favorite type of information to contribute on Google Maps?
I’ve lived in Japan for four years now, and I love the pace and energy, but it can be overwhelming for people who weren’t born here. So expressing myself and my experiences in and around Japan and making sure to leave a mark for the next person like me is my first thought. I heavily use lists in Maps to help with this, such as sharing my favorite burger places with others or the best BBQ in Tokyo for those that feel maybe a bit homesick.
If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Japan. Just kidding. This is a hard question. I think, for me, visiting a place is about having a chance to look at the world in a different way. There is so much history and culture in the world to reflect on. Egypt and Turkey come to mind, as I’ve never explored these areas.
What’s the one question your friends and family always ask you about working at Google/on Google Maps?
When people ask me about working at Google, it’s usually comments about the open and respectful culture. When friends ask about Maps, they ask about how to best share places they like, and I always direct them to the great list feature. I use it to share my favorite spots and coordinate trips with others.
Local Guides Q&A with Terrance
Editor’s Note: Some questions submitted by Local Guides below have been edited for length and/or clarity.
@SholaIB from Nigeria asked: Are there plans for new badges?
Answer: We are coming up with new ways to decorate your profile that show off your personality, skills, achievements, and interests.
@LaloPadilla , Connect Moderator and Guiding Star from Mexico, and @Ramamoorthy123 from India asked: Are there any plans to add more levels?
**Answer:**We are really looking hard at our level system right now and want to make sure our great contributors continue to feel inspired and excited to share more about their experiences.
@davidhyno from Italy asked: Is it possible to have a dashboard like this one so as to see our contributions on Google Maps in one place: number of contributions and points for them?
Answer: We are looking forward to enhancing moments that celebrate your journey as a contributor. Stay tuned over the next year.
@ErmesT , Connect Moderator and Guiding Star from Italy, shared: I love to add roads, and I think the system of giving points related to road addition and editing should consider the “size” of the edit. While you may need a minute to add a short Missing Road, sometimes a complex addition may take longer time. Additionally, I think the points in the contributions tab should be more detailed, as not all types of contributions are reflected (or they are grouped). A few examples are bonus points for long reviews, naming dishes, and editing the shape of a road.
Answer: Nice idea about points reflecting the size of the road edit. Effort should always be rewarded. I’ll bring this up to the Maps editor team. As for your suggestion about a more detailed view of your points, that’s definitely something we will take note of.
@JanVanHaver **, Connect Moderator and Guiding Star from Belgium, shared:**Right now it takes loads of clicks to report inappropriate photos on a business listing in Maps, and you have to report the images one by one. On top of that: this type of contribution is rewarded with 0 points. Here’s a suggested approach to solve this: allow multi-selection of pics which have the same kind of issue (like off-topic content or poor quality) and reward each picture which is actually removed after the submission with 1 point.
**Answer:**Thank you for your suggestion. Yes, we agree user edits are important, and we are always looking at ways to make this easier for everyone. We also have to consider the potential of misuse to protect the quality of Maps.
@Juank0980 from Colombia asked: What advice would you give to someone who writes reviews in their free time?
Answer: Reviews reflect people’s personal opinions and experiences, but there are lots of ways to leave great, helpful reviews.
Tip #1: Share what inspired you or stood out about the place.
**Tip #2:**Start adding videos with your reviews!
Tip #3: If you have a review written in the past, why not update it and keep it fresh!
@LuigiZ , Connect Moderator and Guiding Star from Italy, asked: Do you change your running route every day or are you able to discover new things to share on Maps even on the same route? Have you ever joined the New York City Marathon and if yes, what’s your best score?
**Answer:**When I go running, I usually like taking detours. Tokyo has so many side streets; it’s like a maze. Additionally, Tokyo has many multi-story buildings, so even the same street has many different shops stacked on top of each other.
I have never run the New York City Marathon. I ran a marathon in Kyoto two years ago. My time was 3:12:37. New York City would be fun, but I have to admit Kyoto was an amazing one as well, considering the architecture.
@CruisingKristen from the U.S. asked: What makes you passionate about travel? Any favorite trips?
Answer: Exploring cultures that aren’t my own. My favorite trips have been to Iceland (nature), Thailand (food), Singapore (cocktails & drinks), and Okinawa (snorkeling).
Stay tuned to hear more about the next Googler in our series soon! Want to see other posts in our Ask a Googler series? Read previous posts below:
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. I am on level 9,half way through to level 10. Thanks anyway. The different questions and answers are interesting and welcome. Newer heights and more motivation to contribute to the maps.