On Saturday, August 22nd, Italy Local Guide and Google Crowdsource Influencer @ermest and I, @KarenVChin, USA Local Guide and Google Crowdource Influencer came together for our third Local Guides Google Crowdsource virtual meet-up with and an audience of 18 Local Guides Crowdsourcers from every continent, except Antarctica and Australia.
Over the past three months, in June, we covered our excitement and what we believe are the synergies between being an active Local Guide and a Crowdsourcer in Crowdsource Loving Local Guides.
In July, besides inviting Ermes to join me, I expanded our Local Guides Google Crowdsource synergies discussion to go global. I also invited Argentina Local Guide and Crowdsource Influencer @CeciliaRatto and Nigeria Local Guide and Crowdsource Influencer @Sagir to participate in the 1st ever virtual global Local Guides Google Crowdsource Roundtable Talk.
Now for our August’s virtual meet-up, Ermes and I explored what are the Local Guides and Google Crowdsource Dos and Don’ts in terms of photography and what is appropriate to upload to Google Maps and the Google Crowdsource app. We ended the meet-up with a Local Guides Google Crowdsource Photos Challenge on Connect to help our meet-up attendees try out the photo-taking techniques we covered in a fun, educational manner.
Going over Local Guides Photo-taking Dos & Don’ts
Ermes went first. He went over our Local Guides Photos Dos and Don’ts: Key Photo Rules on contributing as a Local Guide (Google Slides presentation).
In one slide, this is what we believe Local Guides need to know.
Did you know you can earn Local Guides points for labeling restaurant dishes?
We pointed out that Local Guides may earn 3 points for labeling each of their dish photos on Google Maps. A Local Guide is also eligible to earn 3 points if he/she photo tag other Google Maps reviewers’ dish photos. You do not have to be the dish photo owner to earn the 3 points for the photo tag.
Please visit LocalGuidesConnect.com for help and resources.
We pointed out to log in and search Connect as your Local Guides resource, including photo-taking tips for Google Maps:
- What photos should I share on Google Maps? (Connect How-To post)
- Points, levels, and badging (Official Local Guides Points, Levels, and Badges chart)
- Local Guides in The Mirror - How useful are our contributions? (Ermes)
- How Many Photos should I contribute to a place? Quality vs. Quantity. ( @PaulPavlinovich)
Going over Google Crowdsource Photo-taking Dos & Don’ts
After Ermes, I presented the Crowdsource Photos and Labeling Dos and Don’ts created by the Google Crowdsource team for the app’s Image Capture task.
Interestingly, the key Crowdsource Dos and Don’ts are similar to what Ermes and I earlier presented for Local Guides Photos Dos and Don’ts.
There are similar “Don’ts” photo-taking techniques that need to be followed:
- Don’t upload blurry, out-of-focus photos.
- Don’t upload unclear photos. They need to have a clear subject.
- Don’t use Crowdsource or Google Maps as your photo album. Don’t upload selfies or group photos.
- Don’t upload redundant or near-duplicate photos in either Google Maps or Crowdsource app.
- Don’t snap while driving (car, SUV, truck, moped, scooter, bicycle, etc.). It is dangerous and illegal in many countries. Image quality will be bad. Your contribution has NO value on Maps and Crowdsource.
There are similar “Dos” photo-taking techniques that need to be followed:
- Do upload clear, in-focus photos
- Do take front shot photos with the ability to identify what is in the image easily.
- Do take photos that interest you.
- Do take multiple angles of an object, with clear distinction (North-South- East-West, Top and Bottom).
- Do upload your best photo(s). Please edit out your bad ones!
- Do upload food photos that are visually appealing - You want to eat it!
Need photography category ideas?
Here are photo-taking categories you can easily do as a Local Guides Crowdsourcer:
- Food - the possibilities are endless
- Landmarks - in your town/city/country, historical, or famous
- Monuments - in your town/city/country, historical, or famous.
- Handwritten notes - This is Crowdsource-specific. NOTE: Nothing that is personal.
- Apparel/Fashion - next time you are shopping or in your closet
- Signage - street, business, public, accessibility, etc
- Festivals - local and national
Our Challenge
Before having our Q&A and ending our meet-up, I challenged our audience to try out the photo-taking tips Ermes and I covered during our two presentations.
We wanted to provide a hands-on opportunity for those who wanted to do it in a safe, encouraging environment and receive honest feedback here on Connect.
Please check out the 5 Local Guides Crowdsourcers who took up our Challenge and read Ermes and my feedback to each participant’s post:
- @kasunaaa - Practicing dos and don’ts in photography for Google Map and for crowdsource
- @Melissa_Langlois - Google maps and crowdsource challenge picture
- @Matt95Bassett - “LG in Crowdsource 3” Challenge Post!
- @RosyKohli - Local Guides Google Crowdsource Dos & Don’ts
- @Marianis - Memorable Photos
Thank you for attending and taking on the Challenge!
Local Guides Crowdsourcers, we hope you enjoyed learning more about how to take better photos for Google Maps and Google Crowdsource at the same time.
We also hope you are now motivated to add captions and photo tags for dishes to Google Maps and start taking photos for Google Crowdsource’s Image Capture task.
Cheers,
Karen & Ermes
Want to present our Local Guides Photos Dos & Don’ts to your Local Guides Community? Want to translate it to your local language?
Please private message either of us, @KarenVChin or @ermest, here on Connect for next steps.
what a great meeting!
