I am at Local Guide Level7, My last task before it ticked 12 at the New Year’s eve 2022 was to gain enough Points and complete Local Guide Level 6 and Reach Local Guide Level 7. I am Very Passionate when I write Review and Upload photos to help the Community who are seeking out answers or ways on Google Maps.
However in the middle of this passionate journey I had no expectations of Rewards from any one. But when I received email from Google Local guides in September 2022 I was happy and sad both. The reward was Google one at no cost. However being a local guide the drive space for mandate for me and had already purchased.
Getting a Map Pin or the Local guide Pin or any other Physical reward is something more helpful and useful is what I believe. In fact the whole purpose of that Enamel Pins is to display by putting it on your shirt or your bag or Pouch which is so Satisfying
I am seeing many local guides who have just started or at Lower Levels have got better rewards and this is discouraging to me. Really not sure on what basis ‘which reward to whom’ is being decided.
Rashmi,
I got to level 10 and only months later actually got a pin reward - I’m sure I’ll be walking barefoot for a long while (no socks) and that is fine.
There are many other high level guides that never got anything.
As many other explained - the reward system is quite random and not based on “if you achieve x you will get y”.
It is all about helping others with contributions.
If you are happy to share your experience and help local businesses and other visitors - you are in the right place.
I am a level 10 Local Guides with 188 thousands points, and I haven’t received, like many others, any reward for my contributions in Maps.
I have received gifts as a Guiding Star, I have been mentioned in newspapers for my activity in Google Maps, I’ve been invited as a Panelist on the official Forum in Google Earth, I’ve been invited in three official summit of Local Guides, but as a local guide itself I haven’t received any physical gift, not a pin nor a Pain of socks. Personally I am very happy of this, because I think that the motivation that drive me is that I can have fun and I can help others by having fun, so I would find quite sad to find my motivation in a pin.
Hope everything is clear from LG Moderator ErmesT’s reply - I also join him… I have above 3,20,000 points with 17 Crore Total views… Of course I have received the Google Maps Pin & couple of other benefits, because I’m a Guiding Star…
And, Incidentally, if you are interested to join our Bangalore/India Community, let me know - I shall be able to help you.
In addition to what others have said,I’m very disappointed that just the local guide pin/Badge could put you off the local guides activities. To be plain and honest I got a pair of socks some years ago and that didn’t last any length at all. I believe you are worth far more than that. Your contributions are priceless.
Aside other major benefits as an exceptional contributor,I enjoy the interactions and knowledge sharing that exists here on connect. There is nothing compared to the satisfaction of voluntary contributions to the maps and further voluntary will to moderate the forum here. Although am a CM yet still a local guide like others.
Please don’t be carried away with the pin/Badge thing. If you keep active and contribute good quality you could earn something even more than that. Hopefully you’ll get over this and keep your passion to contribute voluntarily alive.
I’m interested to join Google Map Bangalore/India Community. Would you please guide me about how to improve the quality of contributions in Google Map …
I got a pin at Level 5. A pair of socks? That’s almost like an insult, as in America, it is sort of a joke one someone asks you what gift you got for Christmas and one of the things people laugh at is a pair of socks (or underwear). And as another contributor pointed out, it is something that doesn’t last. At least the pin will last.
I think most guides agree they are not participating to expect some sort of reward or compensation. The content the Guides provide is highly valuable to Google and the resulting revenue they get from associated advertising by generating more views by having more content. Google is in competition with Yelp. Yelp Elite has some good events for contributors. So I think Google is making a mistake not offering a gesture of some kind of increased value than they have done so far to say thank you to the guides for helping them thereby encouraging more content.
My primary reason is to help others so I will still be happy to continue even without any perks/rewards like I get on Yelp. It does baffle me that a Level 7 or higher would not have even gotten a pin. It is not like it is a high cost for Google. A token of appreciation can go a long way to create more goodwill and help drive more content generation for Google. I am surprised the manager of the Guide’s program apparently does not think this.
First of all let me THANK YOU for being a valuable Local Guide from India. Surely, your contributions are of high quality and making an impact to the community.
Your happiness to pursue the passionate journey is the mantra here. I personally believe in this mantra and enjoy every bit of this journey.
When I started contributing six years back I had no clue about such reward and recognition system of Google and was neither even concerned. I started contributing because I was liking this activity, wanted to contribute to the society (wished to give back to the society in whatever little form I could) and in turns I ended up enjoying immensely. Such pleasure drives me crazy to contribute and look for the opportunities where in I can help correcting the system.
Just to share with you, like you I also received some mailers from Google last year (which I have noticed now only) about Google One, Discount coupon on Red Bus, Discount Coupon for OYO Hotels etc. And, I never redeemed those coupons because of my laziness. Now, why I am sharing this with you is that ‘there is no specific criteria for such reward and Google keeps on sharing such rewards time to time’. So, nothing to be disappointed about.
Let us join our hands together to build the Google eco system a respectful and useful platform for the world.
Moreso, I came across many Local Guides globally on this platform with whom virtually we are working and learning from their experiences. They are the great source of inspiration for all of us. Just to share some of their names whom I am really thankful for @AdamGT, @ErmesT ,@MortenCopenhagen, @SholaIB .They are quite helpful. Seek their guidance in future.
Keep building informed community stronger together.
It’s completely random so that’s definitely a bummer. I too would of been so hype to have something from Google just because I’ve always looked up to everyone there and my whole life revolves around tech. But atleast we get to be apart of such an amazing company! Just hang in there and keep up the good work and I’m sure our time will come soon.
