A few years ago, I saw a new guest-house exactly next to my grand-mother house with a sign that hard to see. The sign can only be seen from one side and placed in the middle of the tree, so it covered by tree leaves. The guest-house actually good enough to be the first recommendation to stay for 2 - 3 days in town. Even though it smalls, the guest-house has a good facility, clean, and also cheap. Remember seeing the sign, my heart told me to take a picture then upload it to Google Maps. After uploading it, I hope the place can be easily discovered by people who search the guest-house.
Several months passed by, I never contribute something on Google Maps and have been forgetting about what I did. But, almost a year later, I got an email that more or less says, “Congratulations! Your photo is popular, it helps more than 1000 people, your new record on Google Maps.” I am surprised. At that moment, it brings back the photo’s memory and made me realized that I can help other people businesses with just uploading a photo.
This is my first photo that I uploaded on Google Maps.
Through that experience, I know I should contribute more to Google Maps, especially by giving the best photos I could to help other people. Besides photos, I started to give reviews and ratings to the place that I have visited.
Writing reviews on Google Maps also boost my confidence in a way that I never felt before, while some other times I find myself enjoying to answer some question too. Everything I can contribute on Google Maps is what I love to do, but the most interesting thing that I’ve done as a Local Guide is: adding photos! For me, a photo has its own language that speaks louder than words.
So, that’s the story of how I start became a local guide, the one photos that took me to my level in Local Guide today. What’s yours?