Abstract read. In search of making a difference in the community and making a living.
A Local Guide does not yield a rock star status like many of today’s trending platforms do; there’s no hundreds of virtual friends here, no hundred thousand followers there, nor millions of views over there… thus monetization has been like herding molasses if at all. Yet local guides continuously influence in the modern sense of the word. Their photos, reviews and updates help other users make an informed decision.
I believe the Local Guide program attracts those in search of human connections. The guides are people who wish to give back to their community, they wish to make a difference because they’re in search of something more meaningful than raking up followers. And I believe that with a well thought-out strategy, local guides can continue making a difference and make a living at the same. Giving back and monetization don’t have to be mutually exclusive. We’ll just have to wait for the rock star status.