Hello! good people
I am Shahriar Azad Evan . I am a level 8 local guide from Bangladesh . Sometimes I face some issues . I mean while adding places I don’t get all types of categories . As when I add a Mark of a place I mean small symbols of places . I should add it as a monument or a sculpture . So when we add places on maps can every local guide above level 5 can create his own list of categories he need while adding places . Hope someone will help me and give me a solution soon! .
Hi @ShahriarAzadEvan ,
Thanks for reaching out!
If you face any issues while contributing to Google Maps, please make sure you include screenshot and show us examples of what error you’ve noticed, so that we can better understand your problem.
On Google Maps you can choose the relevant categories depending on the place you would like to add as a Local Guide. The category can be different: Sculpture, Lodging, Restaurant, School, Cafe, Shopping Mall, Bar, Grocery, Clothing, Home goods store, Electronics store, Hospital, Bank, Supermarket etc. Please keep in mind that in the different regions the categories can vary.
There is no such option for Local Guides to add new categories by themselves on Google Maps, however if you notice that a category is missing in your region, you can suggest this as an idea in Idea Exchange.
Hello @ShahriarAzadEvan , perhaps this post will help you find the right category
Hi @ShahriarAzadEvan ,
As Local Guides, we currently are adding or editing places that fall under the category-sub group referred to as establishments (businesses, places with opening hours that are managed by a business or local government, etc.).
Certain places do belon****g on the map but are not mappable by us. Other types of places are not (or no longer) mappable. Personally, I look at categories as keys. When you don’t hold the key, then don’t proceed with adding a place and check if this missing place requires to be added by Google (via giving feedback in the app).
From what I read above, you are also, like me, sometimes struggling with finding the right “phrase” that is used for an available category. For example, when there is a place with a view, with dedicated parking, info signs for tourists, etc. I call it a viewing point. That category does not exist. Then I remember that there is a category used on Google Maps that is called something like a viewing platform. So I start typing “platform” to see what available category shows up. Nothing!
It turns out there is a category called “scenic spot” and the platform related category I remembered is actually called “observation deck”. It drives me crazy that Google Maps does not allow smart search for categories.
I have shared this idea and posted about it in the past to debate it with other Local Guides, but no feedback or response from Google.
It is nice of @KatyaL to explain the procedure that when you feel a certain type of category is missing, you can make a suggestion in the app under feedback or post on or Idea Exchange on LGC. However, this raises false expectations and also misses the point that I am describing above.
I could be asking the Google GE team to add a category for Viewing Point (because that is the taxonomy label that I am used to) and it would be ignored, because (rightfully so) the team would conclude that there are already adequate category labels available for this type of place.
In addition, when you like to add - for example - a beach and you are not aware that this existing category is in fact available on Google Maps, but NOT to Local Guides, because it belongs to a different layer of Google Maps that only Google manages…then again, telling you to ask for the category “beach” to be added to our list of available categories would be a total waste of your time.
I am tagging @JanVanHaver as he loves everything to do with categories on Google Maps.
hahaha
Jan is already here 