Hey 
The question I want to discuss about might be strange for the majority community members and to be honest I’ve never thought it (that obvious, since I’m on Level 9 ). In our lives the most valuable thing is time, right? We can’t buy it, but we can use it wisely. The time we spend with sharing the photos, pasting our reviews etc. in practice is paid with… badges, emails like “You are the top ”. That’s the main reason I stopped to share my high quality and edited photos, because I completely see no point in that. Unfortunately However, I would see the point if these badges, emails, etc. would be converted into some practical benefit: storage space or some “special” features, which became available for local guides from particular level. Can’t Google afford that?
Cherish your time
Hello @Modestas ,
I respect your thought about time and skills. Nobody wants to waste their time and/or skills just like that. There should be some Tangible or Intangible benefits. I completely concur with your feelings.
However, we contribute the high quality contents to Google Maps with the objective of helping the community. Also, we take pride sharing our experience here so that others can be benefitted. Some of us including myself is very passionate about these contributions which make others life easier. This gives us the internal satisfaction and happiness. I consider these as intangible benefits which drives us to contribute. Badges, Perks, Rewards are the by-product of the whole process and those are not the driving factors.
Having said that, I would suggest you to go through the post Why be a Local Guide? for better clarification.
Also, suggest you to move this post from ‘Achievements’ to ‘How-tos’ board.
Keep building informed community stronger 
together.
JAI HO!!!
@@Modestas: I personally like it to help others and if I get something back, it’s okay but not my goal. I consider badges etc. as part of the game, but the gamification is not the reason I write reviews or edit places, … my only goal is to improve google maps and inform others. As a blind person, I often must ask for help and if I can help others by contributing to Google maps or #googlecrowdsource, it’s my pleasure to give back to all others who helped me out. Decide for yourself what you find important, but I think if you only contribute for rewards, you’ll be disappointed.
C’è più gioia nel dare che nel ricevere!!
Auguri per uno splendido 2024! 
@KattyGeltmeyer I appreciate your perspectives. 
@Kumaarsantosh well said.
I’m participating in various forums, discussions, share my knowledge, etc. That’s not a question. I fully understand the huge value of contribution between the people. What makes Google Maps different, than e.g. Reddit or Quora? In Google Maps case, our contribution not only helps the other people, but we make Google Maps as a product (underline) better. Let’s take another example - Youtube. If you make a good content there and have some amount of subscribers, you can really earn some money.
Please don’t get me wrong. I don’t want to demotivate you to contribute. Everybody is owner of their time I want to motivate Google as a company to motivate us - contributors. And at the same time I’m not naive, this post is just “another drop in the ocean” and no one from Google really cares about this post. Just wanted to share my thoughts, as being also contributor. Or probably, I should say “was a contributor”, since I decided to stop my contribution there till I’ll see the real benefits per particular level, which will enable my motivation to contribute
For all of you I wish to think about your time and if you spend it wisely
It’s nice to help the community and all, but I am also motivated as an Alphabet shareholder. Make Google Great Again!
@Modestas : Do you consider using “google opinion rewards”? I think this app is only available for android and you need a paying method for this.
Haven’t heard about such app But that’s not my profile. Photography is my biggest hobby and ~90% of the points I got in Local guide connect are from uploaded photos. At least 1/3 of uploaded photos are not just taken by phone and uploaded, but taken with DSLR or Drone, edited via Lightroom and uploaded to Google Maps And I was doing that not for earning money. Just now started to value more my contribution and the time I spent for nothing
But @KattyGeltmeyer , thanks for suggestion. Maybe it will be useful for someone