How did I become a Local Guide?
Curiosity! – Until a few years back, the only reason I used Google Maps was to find a place and get directions to it.
Google really knows how to get your attention and it has always been successful! “Get rewards for your contributions by joining Local Guides” – What more is needed to attract a curious mind and an explorer.
What made me continue being a Local Guide?
I was told I would be rewarded and the promise was kept. The badges grew bigger and brighter. The opportunity to meet the Google Maps Product Team Recently made me stand out in my closed group. Well who doesn’t feel proud when you see your friend using Google Maps and you can give them some tips and say “I am a local guide in that bro!”
Of course, complains did come in…About me wasting time or what I am getting out of it. Well being part of Google earns you more name and fame among your peers than being a mere user. Don’t you think?
There is this quote I read sometime before – “Don’t be afraid of being different, be afraid of being as everyone else”
What do I love sharing the most on Google Maps and why?
In an article I had read about the 7 kinds of Local Guides. They were:
- The Visualist – Loves seeking photogenic spots, finding the beauty in everyday places, making the most of golden hour.
- The Fact Hunter – Loves accurate listings on Google Maps, adding missing info for small businesses, moving location pins so people can find places.
- The Trailblazer – Loves adding the first review or photo to a place, putting unlisted places on the map.
- The Sage – Loves dropping knowledge and tips in reviews, answering yes/no questions about places that pop up on your screen, responding to others via the new Questions & answers feature that shows up on Google Maps for Android.
- The Multimedia Guru – Loves adding 360 photos and videos of places, going to great lengths for the perfect shot.
- The Connector – Loves hosting meet-ups, making lists about places to go and sharing them with friends, liking other people’s reviews.
- The Advocate – Loves doing good in the world for locals and visitors alike, this handy accessibility guide for sharing helpful info, watching Local Heroes videos on Local Guides’ YouTube channel.
First of all, about me, I love to travel on my motorbike, take pictures and makes memories. I love to be called crazy by my circle of friends – they say, “I can never predict what you are going to do next – one day you are riding to the Himalayas, the next day you have enrolled for learning skating – and now you say you want to trek the Everest Base Camp!”
I don’t have a specific category of places I review about – its every single place I am at during my travels – it can be a hill station, a hotel/restaurant, gas station or supermarket, a sports shop or McDonalds.
I love to share my experience as a good lengthy review with pictures I have taken. I also love to check the facts in Google Maps, answer questions about places and help someone with his/her question in the Q&A section.
My next favorite thing to do on Google Maps is to edit places. If it’s a spam or private place, I take it as my responsibility to report it to Google.
Google Maps is the most used Map for getting around in the world – 5 Billion Downloads on Google Play Store!!! So I feel it’s wrong to give any sort of wrong information on Google Maps, because it will affect a large number of people.
To make the map more Eco-friendly, let me list out my views below:
- People should stop adding private places and spam the Google Maps.
- While adding photos, let’s make sure that we post unique photos and not duplicates(for getting more points)
- Reviews are all about personnel experience – let’s point out both the good and the bad.
Why do I feel proud to be Local Guide?
Well I was once asked a question – “How do you pick a place to visit or eat?” I replied, “I’d Google it!”
Google has become a very important part of our lives. So it really feels great to be a part of the community!