Hello there… I’m a food blogger who has a food page. But on Google Maps, I review by my own name. So I wanted to mention my Instagram username (of food page). Can I do so? Also Can I tag my food page watermark on my photos as they might be at risk of stealing online without credits.
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Dear @AzeemQuraishi ,
There are lots of Local Guides that blog and promote their Google Maps contributions on their blog. Google Maps does not allow you to promote your blog by for example adding the website URL to reviews or as a watermark on your photos.
What you are allowed to do so, from my understanding of the rules and from what I see practiced by Connect Live delegates, is to have the same alias that you use for yourself on your blog as on Google Maps. So let’s say, hypothetically, I have a blog about volcano travel and I use the alias volcano-hunter across social media, then I could use “volcano-hunter” also as my Google Maps alias. By being consistent, you make it easier for people to find you on different platforms.
Another way to help people find and follow you is to have a #tag that you use consistently across your publications. In my example, I could use the tag #volcanoes_are_awesome with all by volcano blog posts and all my volcano-related reviews on Google Maps. People with the same interest could search for the #volcanoes_are_awesome tag by Googling it and find all my posts on Facebook, my blog, Google Maps, etc.
What is NOT allowed, is to use a business account as your Local Guides Account. So the moment you are selling something on your blog that you generate income from, I think you are getting yourself into trouble. So, if I were selling books or volcano tours on my website, I cannot use it as my Local Guides alias.
With regards to the use of watermarks to protect you photos the rules are stated here:
https://support.google.com/contributionpolicy/answer/7411351?hl=en&ref_topic=7422769
I hope this helps.
Season’s greetings, JeroenM
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Hello @AzeemQuraishi ,
Please note that I have accepted @JeroenM 's reply as a solution as it gives the complete answer to your question.
4 Likes
This is more confusing. Can you please try to explain it in more simple words.
1 Like
Ok I got it that you can’t write website URL but can you write Instagram username?
Dear @AzeemQuraishi
Sorry for making it more complicated/ confusing.
No, you should not tell people in your reviews what your Instagram username is.
But your Instagram username could be the same as your public name on Google Maps, assuming that your Instagram account does not sell.
If your non-commercial Instagram has a certain account image, you may use that same image/logo as your image (it is not obligatory to show your face).
Does that make sense?
Please, don’t forget to mention people with the @ like writing @JeroenM to get my attention.