Thank you, @MortenCopenhagen, for taking the time to comment on my post. I truly appreciate it.
To keep my response organized, I am sharing my views under two heads:
- Related to the tag
- Related to the issue raised in the post
About the Tag
At present, there is no dedicated category/tag for posts of this type. So, whenever I share such posts, I choose the category and tag that seems closest. The category and tag you changed also fit well, and I would like to clarify that my opinion is only for healthy debate—not to reverse your decision. Being a senior on Connect, you definitely have a deeper understanding.
In a meetup I hosted—
Official Recap: [Virtual] India, July 20 – Exploring Connect Tags: Best Practices & Issues—we discussed that posts under Google Maps contribution stories or Google Maps tips and tricks should directly relate to Google Maps. That’s why I rarely select those tags unless Google Maps is explicitly central to my content.
For the current post, I initially struggled to find a suitable tag. Eventually, I revised the content with sustainability in mind (aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals), and selected Connections and Celebrations as the category, and Sustainability as the tag.
However, if you feel it fits better under Google Maps Tips and Tricks with the Connect Forum tag, I am open to your suggestion. In that category, posts often include “How-tos” for Connect, and the “Mark as Solution” feature—though that, too, can sometimes be misused.
Once again, thanks for your thoughtful engagement. I still remember your detailed and useful comment on my meetup proposal—it was a true kickoff that even led Googler Deni to suggest filling out the form with our suggestions. I hope those suggestions will reach discussion at the Googler level too.
2. About Merging of Posts
My intention here is to encourage a healthy discussion so that we can arrive at a practice for the sustainable community.
I understand that merging recaps is a policy matter, and no single moderator can reverse it. From MoniD’s reply, I gathered that the issue might be taken up for further discussion in the private forum, and if a change is agreed upon, it will be communicated to the moderator community. Thanyou @MoniDi.
Though my case may differ, some Local Guides have personally expressed their disappointment to me. For example, they shared that when one person’s recap wasn’t merged, theirs was. This inconsistency hurts—especially for first-time writers who put effort into their posts. Once merged, their individual identity and perspective are lost.
Sometimes, I’ve seen participants write more insightful recaps than even the host, particularly from a sustainability perspective. But in 90% of meetups, only the host writes the recap. In the remaining 10%, either hosts encourage attendees to share, or enthusiastic participants write about their experience. These should be encouraged. A good practice could be that the host links participants’ posts in the official recap.
We often allow posts that don’t perfectly meet community standards, just to encourage participation. By the same logic, we should allow meetup participants to share their experiences—even if they avoid using the word “recap.” If needed, moderators can simply ask them to edit or remove that word.
