Hello ppl,
I even don’t know if I am starting this post in the right discussion section. But I have a question since a decent time and that is how to process in the Trailblazer section of Google Maps. I read some things about it but it seems like I don’t get forward there.
Second thing would be how to earn more points as a Fact Finder.
Any help is welcome.
Thank you in advance.
Best from the Aegean Sea
Hi, @JacobLED
The details about the requirements for getting the Master Trailblazer badge are listed here below. You can see them by clicking on your badge on the Google Maps App, then on the information (i) link.
I see from your profile that you added 25 places, while the required number of places is 50. Plus 50 first photo (in 50 different places) and 50 “first reviews”
In Maps there are a lot of small business without any photo, or reviews, while adding new place can be more difficult, depending of the area where you live. In some place the business do not change too much, while in other areas they change frequently.
Last year they opened a new mall in my town, a kind of Golden Mine for a local guide
Hi @JacobLED
The Trailblazer Badge is the hardest one in my opinion but the most rewarding… there are basically 3 elements
Adding the first photo can be hard as almost every place has a photo, same for reviews.
Here is something I noticed in New Zealand, alot of Public Toilets were missing! By spending a bit of time you can basically cover all 3 elements in one go…
First find a missing place (Such as a public toilet\bathroom), add that missing place to Google Maps and add the first photo to the newly created place. Once added and approved then Review it 
Keep an eye out for missing things like Parks, Playgrounds and Public Bathrooms… that’s how I earned the badge…
It’s alot of work but you will get there! 
Hello @ErmesT ,
thanks for your quick answer.
What about the fact finder badge. I know the requirements are written when clicking on the bade but I don’t come forward with it. And my points for it never show up. This is a little discouraging for me. When I et on maps and click on fact check for entering the facts or checking for each location. Is this how to earn your points for your Fact Checker Badge Points?
And I really need some help for the city here where I am. It is basically a little village during low season and becomes a city over a million during summer. The most places I checked and changed do not appeared yet on maps. It’s been over a year now. You know some people added ridiculously ATMs even a cinema just how they wanted.
How can we proceed with that problem?
Thank you very much in advance.
Great points @ErmesT that newly opened mall sounds like a gold mine
I think you are right that it can be difficult, for me I found so many public toilets\bathrooms were not added in remote parts of New Zealand.
I really like the TrailBlazer badge, probably the most challenging but rewarding badge.
Hello @AdventuresWithRosy
I realized it in Istanbul with bus stops. The bus stops are on the map but nobody ever added a picture of it. And you know how complicated it is when you click on a place and there is no picture of it. Some bus stops are added more then 3 times and you try to find the right one.
I will take your advice and I realized at my current location the shops changed a lot. I added already some of them but I see now that there is a lot more work to do.
I don’t know why but the places here need much longer to get proofed. Some of them even don’t exist since over a year or longer and they are still on the maps.
The basic point is, @JacobLED , what kind of Local Guide are you?
There are Local Guides who loves to add photos only, others like write reviews, other wants to fix errors and improve the information. If you like to improve the information, getting the Master Fact Finder badge can be quite easy.
100 edits of information (name, address, phone, opening hours, website, position),
Plus 100 fact checking,
Plus 1000 answers
Are easy to achieve, if you are that kind of Local Guide.
The important point is that we don’t do this to get a badge. We receive a badge because we like to improve map, and we contribute in this way. So, again, what kind of Local Guide are you?
Thank you again for giving me a quick answer @ErmesT and indeed you are cutting an interesting point.
I believe that there are not only one type of Guide, the one or other achievement will of course be of favour but sooner or later any local guide will see himself improving the map somehow. In the places where I live and stay longer I can be a more detailed in map improvement and fixing errors. As I was for many years a night guide of Berlin it was in my interest to bring people closer to Bars and Pubs, where to go how and better which places to avoid to not get an alcohol poisoning.
It is a goal to achieve for me to have a well sorted map. That’s how I see it. But before I start to describe myself, I’ll invite you to visit my profile. You are very welcome to go through my reviews.
I am sorry but I am really not good in profiling myself. But well, I have my favourites of course.
Thanks for the tip by the way. We have a mall opening next week despite COVID-19 crisis. It will be a lot of fun checking-in there.
I wish you healthy days.
Hello @JacobLED ,
Thank you for reaching out!
Please be advised that I accepted @ErmesT 's reply as the solution to your post as it gives a good answer to your question.
Hi all- I recently submitted 5 photos for a new restaurant that were the first (to my knowledge, no others had been posted when I did). Does anyone know
how I can unlock the novice trailblazer award? After a lot of months of hunkering down, I’m ready to start getting my Maps on again!
Thx!!
Hi @KateKnickR
There are three things you need to do for the Novice Trailblazer Badge,
Sounds like you added the first photos of a place but you also will need to Add a new place and write the first review of a place.
Normally you can do all 3 at once, find a missing place > review it > add a photo
For me in New Zealand there are lots of missing public toilets and playgrounds, I have been adding those.
Good luck
@ErmesT I got the master trailblazer badge. But suddenly it is unlock in my profile. Can you help me regarding this issue?
the reason why your Trailblazer badge disappeared is that ALL your reviews are now private (visible only to you)
To check your profile for reinstating all the reviews that are violating the rules you can fill this Google Form to share your profile with Google and let the team know which contributions don’t appear on Maps.
Please be aware that the investigation may take some time. If your reviews comply with the Maps policies, they will be reinstated.
