How to introduce myself to local businesses

Brandnameora · July 25, 2019, 3:51pm

Hello to everyone,

I don’t know what to do, so I have a question for you.

How to proceed with introducing myself to local businesses when I have a massive amount of viewed photos?

Now, let me explain this situation.

I am living in an area where there are towns that have less than 8000 people living in them.

My own town of Harjavalta, has only 7700 people in it.

The neighboring town of Nakkila has 5700 people.

The other neighboring towns or cities are at most with 80 000 residents.

And I suspect that the whole population is around 110 000 residents.

So it’s not that populated…

And now I have 1 picture from the store in Nakkila with 48 000 views, and it’s growing.

And a picture fro my town of Harjavalta with 54 000 views.

In my whole account I have over 400 000 views and most of these come from this area.

So, I think that I can help these stores with my Google local guides account.

But how should I introduce myself and what could I offer them?

Sincerely yours

Mr Ora Huhti

Finland

MortenSI · July 26, 2019, 8:12am

Hello @Brandnameora ,

At first I want to let you know that I have moved your post out of the Idea Exchange and labelled it as How-tos, where other Local Guides will be able to join the discussion.

Idea Exchange is the section of Connect where Local Guides share their ideas toward making Google Maps or the Local Guides program even better. You can read more about it in How do I use the Idea Exchange?

The way we Local Guides can help local businesses is by doing what you are already doing. Providing the businesses on Google Maps with reviews and photos is what being a Local Guide is all about and will help local businesses stand out more on Google Maps.

Have in mind that Google Maps and the Local Guides program is not a place of business, and promoting others as well as yourself for profit is against the Local Guides program rules.

iorikun301 · July 26, 2019, 10:22am

To introduce yourself and try to take profit from the business owner by offering him/her a service to promote their business on Google Maps by selling reviews and ratings? I think we cannot do that, @Brandnameora . It’s not allowed by this programme’s rules.

But if you just want to introduce yourself as a local guides, and suggest them to claim their place as business on Google Maps, I think that’s allowed.

Cmiiw

Brandnameora · July 26, 2019, 11:40am

Hey Morten,

First of all, thank you for your response.

I’m always happy to talk with someone here, so thank you again.

And it’s totally fine that you changed it to this how to section.

And now I want to point out that I didn’t say anything about making a profit out of the situation.

I have gathered that much from the local guides platform, that it’s not what is wanted or allowed.

And it’s okay.

I’m asking for help here, of how to go forward with this situation?

It’s quite a big deal for me to see this happening and I don’t know what to do about it.

To have this amounts of attention is out of the ordinary and I want to give something to my community, for example my home town.

I think that I would love to give some attention to the local movie theater. Can I do that?

Or could I start giving pictures of the local bus timetables, or routes buses drive, or the contact information of the bus company?

And perhaps I can give something to Google. It’s quite extraordinary to have these kinds of amounts of views here.

Would Google like to know more about them? I mean why, what and where?

Sincerely yours

Mr brandnameora

Finland

MortenCopenhagen · July 26, 2019, 6:51pm

Hi @Brandnameora I’m trying to understand what excately you want to do and get advice about. I try to be helpful in my area by keeping an eye on others suggestions to improve the POIs around here. You can do the same by clicking on “Check facts”. Other local guides will be very pleased if there suggestions get approved quickly. This is just one way to give back and improve Google maps. Cheers from Copenhagen.

Here is how I do it: https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/General-Discussion/Keeping-you-area-green/m-p/1899705/highlight/true#M544928

Brandnameora · July 27, 2019, 1:02am

I’m also a father in a family of 5 people, with young children.

This means that I am trying to protect my family and I don’t want to become famous in any way.

And having 400 000 views on a area of population of 120 000…

Brandnameora · July 27, 2019, 1:18am

I’ve got one more question.

If a business store would want to sponsor an add Ito s website I might have, would it be allowed if it also says that it is a sponsored add? And it won’t have any effect on me using the LG platform.

I need to ask this question, because I want to continue being a part of this community.

The website would also be a good cover for me, because I don’t want to become famous in any way. If I would try to host a Meetup, it would be a good way to give people information about the activities we’re going to have there.

And why I want to live in peace?

This is because I am a father of 3 small boys and me and my wife want to grow our family in peace. And when I have 400 000 views on my pictures in an area with population of 120 000 people, it’s a risk of getting noticed