[For those who have read this post before: if you scroll down, you might still find some new content, as this post is getting updated every time a new episode drops]
Quite a few of the local guides that have recently discovered Local Guides Connect (and also the more seasoned LGs of course) might be looking for information about the specifics of the local guides program, or even some tips on how to improve your contributions (and score some points to reach a next level by doing so). Well, here’s some excellent news: there is a very convenient way to learn a lot about local guides… a podcast dedicated to local guides. It is called the LetsGuide Podcast, and you can find it in your preferred streaming app or on the podcast homepage.
So far, there are 13 episodes, typically about 20 minutes long - so binging them is definitely possible 
A new episode is released every 2 weeks. Here’s a brief overview of what is available already.
Episode 1: The basics
In this first episode we cover the basics. What exactly is meant with Local Guides? Can anyone be a local guide? Why should you become a local guide?
Episode 2: Categories
All places on Google Maps have a category. What exactly is this? Why are they so important? How to select the right one?
Episode 3: Selecting Pictures
Adding pictures to places on Google Maps is one of the main activities of Local Guides. But which ones should you upload? What should you pay attention to?
Episode 4: Unclaimed Businesses
On quite a few places on Google Maps you will see a button ‘Claim this business’. What is meant with this? How does it work? And why should all businesses do it?
Episode 5: POI Names
The first thing you see about a point of interest (POI) on Google Maps is the name. What is the proper way to enter it? What are the best practices? What should you not do?
Episode 6: Breaking the Rules
What happens if you break the rules set by Google? Should you care about that? This episode covers the main issues that can bring Local Guides into trouble – no matter if they are breaking the rules on purpose or by accident.
Episode 7: Local Guides Connect
Google provides an official platform for local guides, called Local Guides Connect. What exactly can you find there? What can local guides do there? And why should you definitely check it out?
Episode 8: News & Updates
The way local guides can and should interact with Google Maps is constantly being updated. What has changed since the podcast started? What is new? Are there updates for the topics we already covered?
Episode 9: Local Language Categories
The list of categories that you can use in Google Maps to classify places is designed in English and the category names are then translated into other languages. What is different about these local language categories? What should you pay attention to when using them?
Episode 10: Level 5 in a Day
To reach Level 5 as Local Guide, you need to “score” 500 points. That sounds like a lot, but it is actually perfectly possible to do that in a single day – without violating any of the rules and, most importantly, by making genuine and meaningful contributions.
Episode 11: Map Markers
A crucial data point for each place on Google Maps is the Map Marker (or pin), the exact point where the place is located on the map. Why is that so important? What is the optimal spot to put the pins? And how can local guides help to correct errors on the current map?
Episode 12: #EdPins
Google Maps can be used in surprisingly creative ways. An excellent example is #EdPins, an initiative with the motto Putting learning on the map. In this episode we have an interview with Dale Plotzki, the man behind #EdPins – and more.
Episode 13: News & Updates
What has changed since the previous News & Updates episode? What is new? Are there updates for the topics we already covered?
Episode 14: Meetups
Being a local guide is all about contributing to Google Maps, but at times it can be interesting to exchange information and experiences with other local guides. One of the best ways to do this is attending or even hosting so-called Meetups. In this episode you find out what these Meetups are all about and what typically goes on when local guides meet in real life.
Episode 15: Perfect Pictures
One of the main activities of local guides is uploading pictures to points of interest (POI) on Google Maps. And it typically gives them a lot of satisfaction when those pictures then get a lot of views, or even get featured (shown as the main image for the POI). In today’s episode we have an interview with an expert in that subject matter: Torben Mauch (@TorM).
Episode 16: Connect Live
One of the terms you come across frequently among Local Guides in their conversations on social media and on Local Guides Connect, the official forum, is ‘Connect Live’. What is it exactly and why does it create such excitement with so many Local Guides? In this episode you will find out the answer to those questions.
Episode 17: Shopping Centers
In this episode we look into the contributions Local Guides can make when visiting shopping centers/shopping malls. Basically those are the same as for other places on Maps, but still there are some aspects here that require some special consideration. So let’s dive into some ‘Local Guide best practices’ when it comes to shopping centers.
Episode 18: Crowdsource
This episode is not covering Google Maps as such, but another Google product: Crowdsource. To explain what Crowdsource is all about, and why you as local guide might find it very interesting, I had an interview with Crowdsource Product Manager Anurag Batra.
If you still have not heard enough after listening to all of that, make sure to also check out the GoLoco podcast, which is also made by & for local guides.
