Meet our next guest on Ask a Googler: Kristen

The Ask a Googler posts aim to give Local Guides an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek at the Google Maps features you love. Read our previous Q&A with Masa and find which Googlers have joined us so far here.

We’re excited to continue our Ask a Googler series with our next guest, Kristen Wlazelek ( @Kristen_NYC ), a Product Marketing Manager leading the charge on Community Experiences for our awesome community! She will be on hand to answer questions about building the contributor community — both online and off. She’d also love to hear your ideas for new types of content on Connect, virtual events, and ways you’d like to connect with fellow contributors.

Kristen loves to travel. She’s been to 34 countries and counting! The best part of traveling for her is the food (and wine); she picks up a cookbook wherever she goes. Nothing makes her happier than being able to recommend a restaurant or fun thing to do in cities around the world. Kristen loves Lists in Google Maps to keep track of the amazing places she’s been and where she wants to go next.

If you could ask her directly about these things listed above, what would you ask? We know great minds think alike, so if a fellow Local Guide has already asked a question you had in mind, please tap the “like” (heart button) so we can see that there is more interest around that topic.

Unfortunately, we can’t accommodate every single question submitted, but please feel free to ask your questions in the comments and we will answer all that we can. It’s also possible that your question could be used in a future post on Connect, so don’t be shy.

Have a question for Kristen? Leave your questions in the comments section below before the end of the day on Friday, July 28!

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Thanks for the opportunity @DeniGu

I would like to know these few things from @Kristen_NYC

  1. What is your favourite thing about our community?

  2. What is your recommendation to keeping the community engaging and fun?

  3. While you travel and taste different food, which country you think has really great food options as per your experience?

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Thanks @DeniGu for this notice!

And nice to focus on community building.

The questions I can ask from @Kristen_NYC right now, are:

  1. One important thing that is missed about building a community is awareness of the existence of the community! Not all Google Maps users and even Local Guides know that there is a great community for them here on Connect. Emails aren’t enough. I think there should be a way to promote Local Guides Connect on Google Maps web and app. It is even better if we have an in-app section for this. Is this part of future plans?

  2. Another thing is that in the first years of the LG program, there was support for unofficial local communities. But to have all on Connect the support discontinued. I wanna know is there any plan to have a specific board for each country on Connect?

Thank you

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Dear Kristen,

I am from Kolkata, India.

Since you have travelled to 34 countries I guess you’ve been to India, if not please try to visit. It’s an wonderful country with so many different cultures in it and you can see Desert, Mountains, Sea, Forests and all here.

Note: This year India is hosting the ICC One Day Cricket World Cup in October and November and that will attract a huge number of people from different parts of the world. If you love cricket you can come at that time.

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It’s wonderful to see the Ask a Googler series featuring Kristen Wlazelek.

  1. As a Product Marketing Manager for Community Experiences, what strategies have you found most effective in fostering a strong sense of community among contributors, both online and offline?
  2. As a fellow food and travel enthusiast, I’m curious about your favorite food experience from all the countries you’ve visited. Could you share a memorable food discovery that left a lasting impression on you?

@DeniGu Thank you for this opportunity to connect and share our ideas for the future of Google Maps and Connect!

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Thank you for sharing the post with us @DeniGu

Glad to know that our next guest is @Kristen_NYC

Hope she will share her favorite feature in Connect with us

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Hello @DeniGu and thank you for this series.

Very nice to meet you @Kristen_NYC .

I would definitely like to see more challenges on Connect because they bring people together. Is anything like that planned in the near future?

Also what are the possible ways of enhancing Connect in the long-term?

Thank you very much!

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@DeniGu ,تحياتي لك اخي الموقره.شكرا على إتاحة الفرصه للتعرف على الأخت كريستين…انها فرصه مناسبه لاادعوها لزيارة بلدي الاردن تكون ظيفه عندنا عند مجتمع البدو الذي انتمي له.نحن نعيش في منطقة الباديه بدو.نحب ونحترم وأكرم الظيف.انها فرصه لها لتتعرف علينا ونحن كذلك.نستقبلها في سكن العشيره…ارجو ان يحدث ذلك.

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Thank you @DeniGu

As you know I always like these series of ask a Googler. I always have questions Lol.

Now @Kristen_NYC in my experience as a community builder,Interactions are very important in any community. Next to that is motivational factors the 3rd is member’s interests.

Now virtual events,physical meet-up etc Interactions. Swags badges other bonus points etc motivational factors. Interest of members varies so I can’t give an example sorry.

Now my question: Is it possible to have regional connect live like we’ve had before? Physicals events are excellent(I love them) or maybe even virtual at least.Interactions

Is it possible to have a central unit in every country or a local collection point or local vendors for swags? Motivational factors

Is it possible to have some topics or board added on to connect? This could be based on public opinion or vote among local guide. Just to pimp up connect its gotten quite dull in the last while. Members interest

Happy connect at 7 to you both and other Googlers.

Cheers

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Thank You for this always been waiting post @DeniGu .

I want to ask about your visit to Bali, Indonesia @Kristen_NYC /

Do you try local Bali traditional food ? Tell us about it.

What habits that we should have to be a good traveler who so many visit so many contries ?

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Hello @Kristen_NYC

Let me start by saying that this is an awesome community but I believe it can be made better and even more awesome! To achieve this let me begin with some background on two fundamental areas that I believe need urgent attention, Content and Platform:

CONTENT: I’ve seen many times ideas about increasing the awareness of Connect for example by providing a direct link to it on Maps. However, from my experience and contact with many hundreds of Local Guides both existing and non-existing Community members, many just don’t see any real value of joining Connect and many that do join or are already members simply lurk in the background, the silent majority. This is a significant problem! Connect needs much more punch! This is needed to attract greater engagement, discussion and contribution by existing members, and to attract more Local Guides to join the Community because they see real benefit of being members. I am sorry to have to say this, but I believe that much of the existing content works against this objective!

PLATFORM: I also believe that the platform that this community runs on is outdated and very limiting. Yes it’s OK as a blog, a forum for adding text based messages, comments, replies and images, but personally I don’t believe it is a satisfactory platform for building a modern day community for Local Guides. It’s many limitations and poor content providing tools and features has many times stopped me and no doubt many others from providing much more dynamic and richer content. I have written and submitted feedback separately on this before in response to request for feedback on Local Guides Connect.

So my questions Kristen are:

  1. What plans are in place to provide better quality content?

  2. What plans do you have for improving the platform including better content providing tools for this Community?

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Thank @DeniGu for and I have few questions:-

  1. Yours best experience in which community?

  2. What thing you like most of yours visit?

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Hello @DeniGu and @Kristen_NYC ,

I love this Ask a Googler series here on Local Guides Connect! :star_struck:
It’s great to meet you, Kristen! :blush: :sparkles:
Thank you so much, Deni, for this beautiful post and for giving us the possibility to ask Kristen questions. :blush:
Kristen, it’s very awesome that you visited the Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany! :star_struck: :ferris_wheel: :pretzel: :de:

Here are my questions with feedback: :grinning:

1.: Are any new features for Local Guides Connect planned?
I’d love to see official statements/announcements here on Local Guides Connect when Google Maps or features in the Google Local Guides-program are experiencing issues in general, so that the Google Local Guides are informed and not worried. :blush: Also, an update when these problems are resolved to keep Google Local Guides up-to-date.

2.: Are there any plans for bringing the local Connect Live-events in some countries back?

It would be great if Google Local Guides from one county could meet and interact with each other in real life. It would be great if it’s planned to bring this event back, that it would be held in even more countries. I’m not sure if the Google Local Guides received an invitation from Google to join this event, I think so. It would be great to allow it to bring friends who are Google Local Guides too but didn’t receive an invitation to meet more people and to have fun engaging with more people. :blush:

3.: I really love the Guiding Stars award! :star_struck: :star2:

I would like to ask if this will be continued this year? I very hope so, I wish that this will never be discontinued.

4.: I lead unofficial Local Guides Facebook-groups. Is there anything planned for making a bridge?

It would be great if there would be a connection between unofficial communities on other social media-platforms and Local Guides Connect. And I would appreciate a place/board here on Local Guides Connect where Google Local Guides and Googlers can find unofficial communities to join them. :blush:

I really hope that I can help you with my feedback. :blush: :sparkles:

Thank you so very much, Deni and Kristen! :star_struck: :bouquet:

I wish you both a great day! :blush:
Many warm greetings from Hamburg, Germany! :grinning: :star2: :de:

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Hi @DeniGu thanks for the opportunity to ask @Kristen_NYC about community. I have some questions:

  1. Do Google have a plan to make a regional meet up (i.e APAC etc)? We all know going to US is difficult for some countries. I think having regional meet up in one year (2024 for example) and… going to Google Campus for the following year are perfect combination.
  2. Last 2019, Google had a supported meet up program for selected Local Guides. Will Google make this program again?
  3. Having reward is something Local Guides always waiting for, however it becomes a big problem regarding the distribution issues. Would Google plan to have local businesses reward again? for instance hotel or travel voucher. I recalled last 2017 and 2018, when I had many vouchers for local businesses from Local Guides. We definitely missed the moment!

Those are my questions. Thanks in advance :slightly_smiling_face:

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Whoop whoop… thanks for this @DeniGu and looking forward to hear what @Kristen_NYC has to say! There are already several great comments/questions here (I’ve given them Likes) and I can’t think of anything else to ask! :sweat_smile:

There are loads of active local communities and I think it would be very useful to have a list that folks can refer to or to submit their own communities with the option to reach out to them. Maybe have a way for members to sign up to 2-3 locations (this is different from favourite locations) to form a geographical database so that we can easily contact members from the same area.

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Thanks for bringing a new Ask a Googler post @DeniGu

My questions for @Kristen_NYC are:

1.Have you visited other Google offices abroad? If so, Which one has the best food?

2.This one is based on personal experience after posting photos of recaps on Instagram, people don’t check Connect regularly for meet-ups, so they doesn´t know when the next meet-up in their city is happening, Do you plan to add a feature to announce other LG’s upcomunig meet-ups in their area?

That would attract more LG to Connect

Thanks

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I got a gmail on 1may 2023 that I got a local guide reward google map logo pin I redeem it on 1may only it said that it will arrived after 6weeks but I’d didn’t arrive so I reorder it at 13june 2023 but the 6weeks are gone since I don’t got my order please help me out

Khalajan Kara Diya

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Thanks for this opportunity @DeniGu

I’m excited to hear from @Kristen_NYC about her work on building a contributor community.
I’d love to hear their thoughts on how to make the community more welcoming and inclusive, and how to create more opportunities for contributors to connect with each other.

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Thanks for this opportunity @DeniGu

Yours best experience in which community?

Glad to know that our next guest is @Kristen_NYC

Hope she will share her favorite feature in Connect with us

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@DeniGu thank you for sharing.

My questions for @Kristen_NYC

  1. What is the way forward for the Connect Community and Local Guides program in terms of experience and engagement?

  2. Local Guides were so excited about meet-ups especially connect and pop-up events, are we to expect these i. the future?

  3. I see you have been to 34 countries. Have you visited the six continents? Any in Africa?

Thanks for all that you do for the community. Cheers.

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