Best Practice Etiquette for Local Guides when dealing with businesses

Google Maps tips & tricks
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I recently had a negative experience with a business owner when acting as a Local Guide, which got me thinking about what is the most appropriate behaviour when dealing with businesses?

In my case the business owner didn’t want me taking photos in the store and suggested that I should seek permission, explaining that I am a Google Local Guide.

For me, introducing yourself isn’t always that straightforward, and in some cases seems unnecessary.

I don’t want the staff to treat me differently because I’m a Local Guide. Businesses should consistently treat all their patrons with the same level of customer service.

Selfies to Facebook, #foodporn on Instagram and the constant capture and posting of your experiences through any channel imaginable are so commonplace these days people usually don’t blink an eye when you are taking photos of your own experience. So if I take a photo of a coffee I’ve purchased and am writing a simple review about its quality it seems a bit overkill to introduce myself to the staff.

However, I’ve found that taking photos inside or of the broader experience - to give an impression of the atmosphere of a place - can rouse some interest, both from other customers and staff. It’s fair enough that people don’t want their photos taken or published without their permission, myself included! For this reason, I try to take photos of people in a crowd, so they can’t be readily identified, or when people are not facing the camera.

At times I’ve been reluctant to introduce myself because I’m conscious people won’t know or understand what Local Guides is. I’ve fretted that staff will think that I am seeking better service when I’m not or that I’m ‘big noting’ myself. After all, I’m not paid. I write reviews and post content as a personal hobby, because I want people to have this information at their fingertips, just like it has been so useful for me too.

After my experience I’ve decided that in future I will need to weigh up each situation and more often than not I should introduce myself, explaining what I’m doing. In particular, it seems appropriate to seek permission:

  • after my meal or experience (once I have decided on my review) and if I want to take photos of a business’ store. Then the staff will know what I’m doing and I won’t feel like I need to take photos ‘on the down low’!
  • if I am only taking a few photos/ videos to fill a gap in Google Maps, while not actually personally experiencing their broader goods or service. Even if I am under time pressure this is a must.

In some cases it can make perfect sense to introduce yourself to the business. Especially if their place has not yet been added in Google. Firstly, it’s practical - you need to ask them for the correct details (phone number, address, opening hours etc). Plus, it can be a great opportunity to explain what Google Places is and how it can be helpful for their business (if they aren’t already aware). I consider my obligation as a Local Guide that I advocate for Google Maps, Google Places and other relevant Google services.

In my experience business owners are usually very happy and intrigued if you want to add their place and/ or content about their business. Unfortunately, there will be times when you have a negative experience, like I did. Perhaps they don’t understand the platform or are simply not interested for their own personal reasons. In such cases, be professional, remembering you can’t always win so sometimes it is better to politely walk away.

While I haven’t found a specific Google Code of Conduct for dealing with businesses, their Community Policy requires that we ask for permission when taking photos of people Local Guides community policy - Google Maps Help

I also found these links helpful:

I would love to know if Google or anyone else has any more pointers. Please share your ideas and thoughts in the comments.

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Thank you for this information. I can see how some business owners would be sensitive to having pictures taken or questions asked about their business. Some people just want their privacy. Also, as a business owner, I know that you are sometimes leery of strangers because businesses are often the targets of scams. I like your idea of introducing yourself after you decide on your review. I think it’s also a good idea to let business owners know that you are just trying to help others learn about their business.

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Another business I written reviews for, for a couple years, always says to remember the following tips when writing a review:

  1. Be objective and neutral about the experience. Just because you didn’t like something because of your preferences or you mood that day doesn’t mean it should automatically be negative. Was the service trying to help? Did you not like the product because it was terribly made or because it didnt have what you would have preferred such as a certain color? Was the business clean but you’d have preferred better or are there roaches on the tables? All these neutral things are what make a reivew but your bad day saying it was awful without reasons is never a good idea .

  2. Provide details and examples to why you gave them the rating you did. *see questions in number 1 for examples.

  3. If you didnt like something because of personal preference, say so but explain that its your choice and that someone else might like pink socks with purple oranges on it for example.

  4. If there was a problem, Explain it as neutral emotional based as possible with how the establishment tried to fix the issue for you or if they didn’t. Provide an update later if need be with the resolution.

  5. Be honest!!! False reviews wont necessarily hurt the business as much as you’d like, but does waste everyones time trying to find a legit reivew.

  6. And this is most important…spell check!!! With the technology today there’s no reason you can’t look over the review 2 or 3 seconds before submitting it to verify you don’t have typos. Even cell phones have spell check and grammar check. No won wauntz t5o red a typo fullid re2vew be3cuze (yes, those were typos on purpose to prove my point) it makes you look not intelligent enough to be reviewing anything so why should I read it or that your so emotionally charged about the experience that its not a fair review anyway so should be taken with " grain of salt". If you so submit and then see a typo, do an edit and fix it. Remember reviews can always be submitted at later times and not right that second. I like to complete them and submit them late at night while Im winding down for the night.

  7. This one I learned with my photography degree and is important from a legal stand point, ask permission and get a model release for any people who might be in your pictures, including their backs. No one wants to be sued over this! Business and people have the right to refuse photographs and have legal rights to back it so if they say no you need to respect it. Essentially, as a local guide your pictures you post online have the same regulations, procedures, and rights (mostly) as a journalist so yes you personally can be sued over them and have certain copyright, access restrictions & protections for them but they aren’t full proof so think before clicking.

Chances are there are reasons people and businesses don’t. want the photos taken and it is over something that you dont know about or might not understand. For example, .maybe little suzie is hiding from a stalker or little johnny is always in trouble and doesn’t need any help by having extra pics online of him. And maybe jill is a photographer who would rather be behind the camera and not in front. Or jack is worried his purchase will be seen online before he can surprise his wife with it. And grandma and grandpa dont want a picture without their teeth in that they forgot ag home that day. Perhaps that business has a unique item they don’t want stolen by the competition or have had bad experiences with pictures online before. Some businesses even have an aura of mystery around their services or products and that’s what makes them successful so pictures online would essentially ruin that for them. Do you really want to take a business down over a few snap shots? I dont! That’s their lively hood no matter how frustrating I find it.

I personally stick to the if its not my family or myself, then its better to NOT include people and to only focus on the product, display, store front, etc. Leaves out the probablilty for those people to decide they dont like your review or they don’t think they look good enough in the pic and then decide to sue you for defamation of character all because the 10 pounds they gained at Thanksgiving dinner shows or some other ridiculous reason. It happens and often so better safe than sorry! And they have an easier chance of winning than you have of proving they look fine and your not defaming them.

I take a picture like I’m sending it to my mom for example to see if that’s what she wanted…close as possible, product only, detailed pic.

*And remember when photo or videoing to be discrete and not pushy or in peoples faces. Cameras make people uncomfortable and it can be rude to push through to get the right picture or video. Think of it like trying to help someone who wont stop loudly talking on their phone and cant respond or hear you. That is rude and difficult to help them, right?. Thats how people are going to view a camera being forced into their personal space (even if only precieved as such). Stand back and crop for a closer view later then submit the cropped picture if you need to or wait until the area is clear of people if possible. You’ll be amazed how much better it is and less confrontation you get by doing it that way.

  1. And if you remember nothing else on the list remember this…what do you look for in a review? Thats what you should include in yours. For example do you want to know that place ‘xyz’ is awesome dude! Or do you want to read that its a great place for a date night with lots of fun games and activities for thrill seekers and is free every Tuesday night? I’d read the latter and have Tuesday night booked long before I even paused on the 1st review saying it was awesome only.

Sorry its a little long winded…I tend to do that. Hope it helps for considering whats best when working with businesses as a local guide and reviewer.

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