There is a Local Guide here in Dayton, Ohio named: [Google Maps link redacted]
who does not follow the guidelines of being a "LOCAL GUIDE’ and needs to be deleted. If I could do it, I would immediately. I believe he has a fake profile because his picture doens’t reveal his face, and his name is [Google Maps name redacted]? whatever… He gives poor ratings for businesses without any written justification or reasoning., he doesn’t respond to the businesses when they respond to his poor rating of their business [business name redacted] , and he gave my business/band a 1 star and probably didn’t even attend the gig (because we were scheduled to perform and were cancelled for 2 months in a row due to Covid19.). Please let me know how I can delete his profile as a local guide because nobody else seems to be willing to advise me otherwise.
Hi, @Drivingforceband , you can report a Local Guide by following the instructions in this link. You can now report entire profiles for abuse on Google Maps. This means clicking on the upper right corner of the profile and then in “Report Profile”. Please, edit your post and remove personal information from it once Google respects everyone’s privacy.
Please note that the Local Guides program is for individuals only. If you wish to continue in the program you will need to use a non-business name and we cannot help you with any questions regarding your business.
The one piece of advice I will offer you regarding your business is that it cannot appear on Maps unless you have storefront. I suggest you carefully read over the Google My Business help center to make sure you’re following all requirements, and you should immediately edit your profile to say that customers do not come to your address. For more information visit the GMB forums.
Regarding the issues you brought up with this user, please note that:
There is no requirement for a user to use their own name.
There is no requirement for them to post a picture of their face, or any picture at all.
Users do not have to provide a written review; a star rating is sufficient.
Google Maps reviews is not a place for a back and forth conversation. The user couldn’t respond if they wanted to; there is no option for them to respond.
Users are free to rank businesses poorly
Users do not need to rank a business immediately after use, and in fact many people are going back and adding/updating reviews for places they have visited in the past while they are stuck inside during the pandemic.
Google will investigate any report you make via the link @AlexandreCampbell provided, but I personally do not see any points that you have brought up that are against the policies of Maps or the Local Guide program. I do find it inappropriate, however, that you’ve told him he could be removed from Local Guides for non-factual information, when all they did was rank your business.
Thank you for reaching out. Due to privacy reasons, I am going to redact the Google Maps link and the names that you’ve provided.
Please, read what @AlexandreCampbell send you as an article. Furthermore, if you’re the business owner, reviews can be flagged from your Google My Business account. Alternatively, you could report the Local Guide by following Flag inappropriate reviews
If the “local Guide” Program is aimmed to make Google maps information more accurate, reliable and helpful, with prompting by google for Local guides to answer questions, upload photos, verify information about places and review them, then the system needs revised. If they are not required to do so, then there needs to be a system whereby they are required to at LEAST give a reason for a low rating to authenticate their position as a ‘local guide’.
So this guy goes around giving ratings just to increase his ‘rank’ and with it the chance of greater perks/rewards for their efforts.
Past perks have included:
Free Google drive storage
Early access to new Google products and features
75% off a Google play movie rental
3 Months free access to Google music
Insider groups & meetups
Hotel perks
Travel perks
Even all expense paid trips to Google conferences
The system needs to be revised to protect the local businesses from these yo yo’s. this guy never saw our business / band because we were cancelled gig after gig all summer long. He hurts local businesses by rating them with a low rating and no comments to justify their rating. Is he giving ratings just to improve his ranking? I think so. He should at least give a reason/description for a low rating and some kind of proof that he was there. That should be a bottom line requirement.