Subject: Proposal for a Strategic Shift: From Voluntary Contributions to Professional Contractual Mapping
To the Executive Leadership and Google Maps Development Team,
I, Mohamed Awad Ghalib Al-Nasr, am writing to propose a fundamental evolution of the Local Guides program—a shift from a “volunteer-based” model to a “Professional Contractual Model.” After analyzing the current state of Street View and indoor mapping, it is clear that to achieve the next level of precision and market dominance, Google must treat its top-tier contributors as professional partners.
The Core Concept: Geographical Coverage Contracts
Instead of relying on random, sporadic contributions, Google should initiate Fixed-Term Contracts for “Elite Local Guides”. These contracts would focus on:
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Full Geographical Coverage: Assigning specific zones to be mapped comprehensively (indoor and outdoor) within a set timeframe.
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Professional Equipment: Providing high-end 360° cameras and technical training to ensure a uniform, premium standard of quality.
Why “Financial Compensation” is Non-Negotiable
High-quality output requires full-time dedication and professional effort. To ensure that contributors provide “official and flawless” results, there must be substantial financial compensation. * Fair pay allows experts to dedicate their full time to enriching Google’s ecosystem, providing a “complete global view” for the community.
Conclusion
The current management of the Local Guides program needs to take this proposal with the utmost seriousness. The goal is to move from “good enough” data to “perfect, professional” data through a win-win partnership.
Respectfully,
Mohamed Awad Ghalib Al-Nasr
Local Guide Expert
Hi @Ghannm
Regarding 360 video recording for Streetview Google decided on another strategy years back. They decided to hire and pay drivers for the Google streetview cars.
This has improved the quality and frequency in many countries.
Indoor virtual tours are still left to third party actors who will need to charge businesses and places for their services.
Please note I’m a volunteer Local Guide and I’m not responding in Googles behalf.
Interesting topic, @Ghannm , that can open the way to an interesting conversation.
However, I believe there are two levels that we need to keep separate: Street View and photos of a business listing.
Street View: As already mentioned by @MortenCopenhagen
It means that Street view is fully managed (and paid) by Google already, even if a user can contribute by adding his own images. In some are street view is not present, mostly due to Local restrictions. For more information about this feature you can read: Explore Street View and add your own 360 images to Google Maps.
Indoor photography:
Photos within listings can be divided into three categories:
- Virtual tours, created by professionals paid by the business. These are a sequence of linked spherical images (like street view) that allow users to navigate and explore the location.
- Photos and videos uploaded by the business, which show how the business presents itself to users.
- Photos and videos uploaded by users, which show the “real” experience of the location.
Personally, I find only the latter to be important. As a user, I want to know what a business is really like, because it helps me decide whether to visit and what to really expect. I honestly believe this “real” content is the only important one, because it offers me the true image of the business, not a “glossy” version that is sometimes far from reality. I don’t believe that if the 500+ million Local Guides were paid, they could offer a true image of the business, or a true and honest review.
In this case, Google Maps would become useless, turning from a tool into a glossy cover story.
Of course, there are also, unfortunately, bad actors: those who use Maps as a personal album to upload selfies, dozens and dozens of repetitive and useless images. But I have a different view on them, which I wanted to express just yesterday: My Travel Companion, and how I would like it to be
I believe that, instead of paying 500+ million contributors, Google Maps should invest more to remove these bad actors and all their contributions, transforming Maps into an even more useful tool, capable of telling the truth about every place.
A tool that, I would like to remind you, is free for everyone
In Jordan every day roads are closed and roads are opened Where are the guides who get paid and what is their importance There are places in every country in the world that are more than wonderful As my limited income I can’t afford the financial expenses I don’t show the public all the areas I don’t make the public and Google increase their investments and benefit us as guides At the same time I am surprised by the silly applications because of it Because of it, people who have no value and no purpose serve society, but they make thousands of their pettiness. The sustainability of the company with its mentors must be in order for everyone to benefit for the public benefit We work as a team the investments are bigger for the company and for us with all respect to all
Hi again, @Ghannm
R Harding keeping the new and post roads updated on Google Maps there is another program where municipalities and road authorities can partner with Google Maps. Once a partner their road data can automatically be mirrored on to Google Maps. This setup is very valuable for Maps users and the road authorities as the spamfilter is not involved.
Hi @Ghannm ! David from Italy here.
I think the evolution you mentioned "…a shift from a “volunteer-based” model to a “Professional Contractual Model”, Google has never even considered for its Local Guides program from the beginning.
Aside from the administrative and financial complications that aren’t worth exploring, are you convinced that if a Local Guide were paid, it would behave honestly towards both Google and the owners of the various businesses? To have a good economic income, everything is based on the quantity of contributions, many of which are difficult to verify and, above all, are based on the person’s attitude and integrity. Making a good and honest review and taking relevant photos should not be based on whether you are paid or not, but on being aware that you are making a real, honest, and sincere contribution to our experience. Which will be a reason for a choice decision for another user or another Maps Local Guide. As someone before me told you, years ago there was a “Certified StreetView Photographer” program: photographers specialized in photos of the interiors of activities, providing mainly images to 360°. Google itself offered these special cameras free of charge, on loan for use, to Local Guides who requested them (myself included)!
Then there was an app dedicated to creating these images at 360 using simply a normal smartphone: you could take about twenty/thirty photos and then the app created a photo from them at 360! Since the ever-increasing number of people using a 360° camera (also due to their now affordable cost for anyone) makes no sense for Google to pay these people, but provides them with instructions and the platform to publish these images on Maps.
If you’re passionate about 360 photography, I recommend contacting a photographer near you and discussing the possibility of working together, or alternatively, trying to start your own photography business, perhaps initially using your free time. This way, you can monetize your time and, in the meantime, explore whether you can turn this passion into a career!
Bye,
David