Meet our next guest on Ask a Googler: Masa

[DeniGu]

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

We’re excited to introduce our new guest, Masa ( @MasaWithMaps ), a Product Manager working on contributor incentive systems. He will be on hand to answer questions about how to create more helpful contributions on Maps, especially videos. He’d also love to hear your feedback on being able to showcase your interests and expertise in Maps, and how you want to connect with people who view your content.

Masa loves running — he has run 23 marathons and counting! He’s passionate about Japanese traditional clothing and swords and enjoys Japanese food. Masa was also the owner of Abbie, the Guinness World Record surfing dog, who passed away in 2021.

If you could ask him directly about the 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 Masa? Leave it in the comments section below before the end of the day Monday, May 8!

[AdamGT]

Thanks @DeniGu and it’s nice to have @MasaWithMaps fielding our questions. I have the following questions for Masa:

Regarding creating more helpful video contributions on Maps:

1. There has been some debate and discussion amongst a number of Local Guides about the question of whether videos contributed to Maps should be in portrait or landscape format or whether either format is fine (see theGoogle Maps Videos: Vertical, Horizontal or Both post by @MarkAuchincloss ). Previous advice given by Masa (e.g. Contributor Conversations_Video) suggests thatvertical videos are the required format. I feel that some clarification on this would be very helpful.

2. Regarding resolution, what’s the status of the 1080p HD video streaming rollout?

Regarding feedback on being able to showcase our interests and expertise in Maps, what would be useful I think would be allow Local Guides to add a short bio or profile where interests and expertise could be added.

[SriSedono_id]

Terima kasih @DeniGu dan senang @MasaWithMaps menjawab pertanyaan kami.

Saya suka posting video langsung dari kamera dan langsung upload tanpa editing. posisi portrait. Biasa video menggambarkan posisi usaha, sampai masuk ke dalam lokasi dan fasilitasnya. Adakah saran yang lebih baik??

Kami sebagai volunteer kontribusi di daerah kami banyak sekali video yang tidak berhubungan dengan lokasi tersebut. Sudah coba dilaporkan dan ternyata tidak segera hilang. Ada beberapa spam video bisnis orang lain yang tidak sesuai dengan lokasi bisnis.

Out of topic : Dan sekalian saya menyampaikan untuk di Indonesia sekarang banyak penipu yang mulai menyerang bisnis lokal di bagian tanya jawab dengan menjawab bisnis dengan nomor whatsapp dengan nama akun menyerupai CS PEMILIK atau AKUN PEMILIK. Sudah melaporkan tapi masih belum hilang juga.

[BudiFXW]

Hai @DeniGu .

I do follow @MasaWithMaps advice to take video with portrait position.

Last week I do two hours walking tour with some Local Guides.

I found a trouble after taking about teens videos my android handphone need to reboot.

Do you have any tips to solve this problem ?

This is the link of some places that I visit.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/bF5pxqrD9JiDnS2A7.

[KamalHossenR]

Hi @DeniGu Thank you so much for sharing Aks a Googler

@MasaWithMaps It’s really great we got to know some interesting thing about you.

Question:

1. How does Google incentivize users to contribute high-quality content to Google Maps, particularly when it comes to creating videos?
2. The ability to showcase our interests and expertise in Maps sounds like an exciting feature. Are there any plans to expand on this feature in the future, and how do you envision it being used by Local Guides?

Best Regards

[LaloPadilla]

Thanks for bringing back “Ask a Googler” @DeniGu I really like this kind of posts:

Here are my questions to @MasaWithMaps :

• Do you have a collection of swords? by the way your profile picture is really cool!
• Are there any plans to have a challenge (like Local Love Challenge) just for videos? I think it will be a great opportunity to include a tutorial or tips to increase quality of videos taken by LG’s

Thanks!

P.S. I’m so sorry hearing about Abbie, I’m sure Abbie had a happy life full of adventures

[Zbych]

Witam! Czy nie można dodać do postów opcji ilości wyświetleń? Ocena na podstawie ilości komentarzy i polubienia nie jest obiektywna . Są osoby które czytają posty , lecz nie oceniają . Są osoby które bardzo się polubiły i nie szczędzą sobie komentarzy i opinii . W rezultacie zamieszczający post którego nie zauważono nie wie czy ktoś czyta jego posty , czy raczej powinien sobie dać spokój z publikacją . Pozdrawiam. !

[SholaIB]

Hello @DeniGu

Thank you for resuming these questions and answers series between we local guides and Googlers.

I have only 3 question 2 as regards the maps and 1 for yourself. On our maps profile we have see all photos where we can scroll through our photos(Videos mixed up there too)

We also have Edits only visible to you. All the edits roads PoIs etc could be viewed

• Now for videos we need to scroll endlessly through the photos to view them. Have you any plans,or is it even possible to have a separate tab where we can scroll to see our videos?
• Any plans to create a new badge for contributors of Roads added on our Google maps profiles? I’m specialising in drawing roads and have organised this TRAC-Next-Move-and-Target-Add-10k-Roads for local guides.

Nice to be interacting with @MasaWithMaps again. I think we met you already on the contributor conversation virtual hangout some months ago. Our sympathy for the passing on of Abbie the dog.

• Question; Do you run for fitness or just a hobby? Hope that’s not too personal.

Happy guiding

Cheers

[Perko]

SUPER @DeniGu

[soulebetsen01]

Waouh sa fait du bien d’échanger avec un Googler

[mariorosas]

Hey @MasaWithMaps , I am currently a full-time student. I was wondering how in your career you are able to pursue marathoning outside your work hours. If you have any tips for someone who wants to pursue a career a career and be able to explore other areas.

[IamJoseFelixAranda]

Hello @DeniGu .Good to know about you Masa.I think that Local Guides,all of us,are making our world better known.I also believe that knowlege is power and ,for our planet,Google Maps content is base for good actions.And my question is: Do you think that nuclear power will be ever 100% safe and green because,at the end,it is not carbon polluter,and one day in the future science and progress can make nuclear stations secure enough ?

[EmekaUlor]

@DeniGu thank you for this opportunity again.

I want to ask @MasaWithMaps the following questions:

• What is the advantage of video over photos on Google Maps

• What type of videos are most helpful looking at user’s imprint.

• How does Google Maps select/priotize videos to show users looking for business/organizations on Google Profile/Google My Business.

Thank you

[Mohdmohdaljaman]

@DeniGu مرحبا كيف مات هذا الكلب الرائع.

[Cecilita]

Hi @DeniGu !

Thanks for inviting another Googler to this section. It is always very interesting to have the opportunity to talk to them.

I have some questions for Masa:

1. Would it be possible to see the videos differentiated from the photos in the contributions tab? Lastly it happened to me that I added a photo and also a video that started in the same place, and in the contributions tab seems to be a duplicated photo, but they are different things.
2. Is there a longitude in time recommended for the uploaded videos?
3. Do you recommend to mute the videos while uploading or is better to live them with the original sound?
4. How can I improve the views on my videos?

Thank you so much!

[Md_Yasin_ALI_EEE]

I didn’t not get anything’s like gift that will surprised me in at lavel 8 .

[Gezendunyali]

Hello @DeniGu , thanks for this opportunity. I’ve seen many questions about videos, but I want to ask this. Badges section is the most difficult to engrave badges about videos. Do you think about adding any other special badges to the videos or do an update on this badge? @MasaWithMaps thanks in advance for your answers​:smiling_face:

[Trail_blazer]

Thanks @DeniGu for the post I’m glad Masa is back again to answer our queries. One of my question was already answered in the virtual hangout but I still have a few.

• Should videos just be walk arounds and displaying of the product and service or it can also include little conversion or Q&A with the service provider or vendor ? I’m also curious about like one person have already asked should there be original sound in videos or they can be muted ?

[ChiaraMariaC]

Hello @DeniGu and @MasaWithMaps ,

thank you so much for bringing the Ask a Googler-series back, Deni!

I’m so interested to read about other Googlers and to meet them here!

That’s very awesome that you ran 23 marathons, Masa!

And it’s also great that you was the owner of a super talented dog!

I’m so sorry to hear that Abbie is no longer with us.

-I would like to ask if you could get us some tips how we as Local Guides can create very good and helpful videos with a good quality.

-What should we definitely consider when creating videos for Google Maps?

-How long should a good video be? Is there a time limit when we should end the video because otherwise it would be too long?

-I’m not sure if you’re working on it too, Masa, but I’ll try to ask here anyway, maybe you can pass my following problem to the right team if you have time, or you, Deni.

Unfortunately, lately it’s hardly possible for me to submit any kind of changes to places/POI’s.

For the past few days, almost all of my proposed changes to places/POI’s are rejected immediately, immediately.

This happens so often that I assume there is a bug behind it.

I have one week off this week, so I went more outside to make contributions on Google Maps.

Sadly, I saw so many shops which are permanent closed in reality, I saw them with my own eyes.

So, I tried to mark all of them as: ,permanent closed" on Google Maps.

Immediately result from Google: ,Not accepted" at almost all places.

And also if I try to change/correct a places name, delete duplicates and any kind of them, Google immediately doesn’t accept them, without a verification by Google.

I promise that I don’t contribute spam and I want to help all Google Maps-users.

I’m sorry to write about this problem here.

Thank you so very much, Deni and Masa!

I wish you both a great day!

Many warm greetings from Hamburg, Germany!

[SholaIB]

Hello @ChiaraMariaC

For how long should a video be? 30 seconds is the standard time. If it exceeds it get truncated. I’ll share the Help page on videos.With you. As soon as click open that link the second line stated that clearly 30 seconds

I believe other informative tips regarding quality etc is also there on the help page.This might do for a little till you get the bigger reply from Massa .

.

Happy guiding

Cheers