Being a Google Local Guide started as something casual and has already become a discipline, I started about 4 years ago, initially I thought it would be fun to post photos and give my opinions, now it’s something I do naturally , whenever I arrive at a place, whenever I take a good picture of some wonderful place. For example, when I get to a supermarket I take a picture, I see how Google knows I’m in that place and asks if I want to contribute, my friends tell me, what are you doing taking pictures in a supermarket, it’s very funny, I just tell them, with this I can help others.
About being a Google Local Guide and making publications in Google Maps, what I like most is to comment on the sites I visit, whether in the city where I currently live, Bogotá, or places where I travel in Colombia or outside the country. For me it is very important to have good memories of these places and at the same time share those photographs with other people, to see the recommendations I make, in fact, I also review the recommendations made by other Google Local Guide to know where it is good to go, where I can Enjoy a good local meal or which are the best places to visit. I love to take good photos of the spaces, be it for its natural beauty, architectural beauty or history, I have seen how my photos have had more than 3 million visits,
I love that, maybe other Local Guide have more views, but to me I think that number is wonderful. I really like it when Google Maps asks me to answer some questions, I know that with this I help other people. In the recommendations I make, I always highlight the positive of the places and then say what in my concept they should improve, for example, if I think about a restaurant or place to eat (which I like a lot) I talk about the taste of food , the type of food that is, the price, the service, the place. If it is a site with natural beauty I show the landscape I talk about how to get there, the beauty of the place, that can be appreciated in it, things like that, what I’m looking for is that people have a concept of those places and can make a decision about go or not go.
I do not have a preference about sites to publish, but if I had to choose, as I said before, I like to comment and publish about restaurants, no matter what the type of food, it can be fast food, Gourmet, typical, coffees, desserts, bakery, I love taking pictures of the dishes, even some of them seem so well presented to me, that I think it causes to eat the photo, I hope that is what caused those who see them.
I really like this job as a Local Guide, I enjoy it, it amuses me and I take it as a responsibility to inform people about the places I visit as well as I consult the opinions of other Local Guides when I want to know some place or when I am at. I hope to continue contributing for a long time, growing in levels, getting more badges and learning from other Local Guides.