I got invited to local art exhibition meet up, thanks to the Local Guides program.
I became a local guide in 2015 when I was still a student at the national university in my country.
I used to develop websites in my spare time to make money, and most of my clients were small businesses. They often asked me about ways to make their businesses become more prominent online. As part of my service to them, I did their search optimization, which involved me creating Google Business locations for them online and getting them verified.
Supplementing that, I started taking pictures of their businesses, and adding them to their Google Business locations on Google Maps.
At first, it was limited to my clients only, but because of my love for photography, I started asking nearby businesses and organizations if I could also take pictures of their businesses so as to add them to maps. This request was positively welcomed almost always, and, because of that, the owners of the businesses would frequently contact me so that I could help their businesses even more, as they testified that the images and contributions, I added of their businesses had a positive impact on their businesses or events.
I visited a local art gallery with a few friends, and asked to take a few pictures of the place so as to add them to maps. The manager of the gallery then promptly asked me if I knew how if I could help him make images of his art gallery appear on google maps, just like this nice image of the building opposite the gallery that he saw the other day, as he quickly opened Google Maps on his phone, and showed me the picture.
In what I think was the weirdest of coincidences, the picture he showed me was actually shot and posted by me from my phone a few weeks back.
This is how the manager and I got acquainted. I got to learn a great deal about this and other art galleries that he managed in the city.
We talked about the histories of the galleries, art, and issues they were facing with the galleries, and I got to give him advice on how to make the galleries more prominent on the digital space. After this visit, I updated and corrected the details of the art galleries we talked about, and even called him to verify some of the details.
I then decided to create a google maps list of the art galleries and art installations in my city, Harare.
Recently, the manager reached out to me inviting me to attend two upcoming art events in town, free of charge.
This was an exhilarating experience, that made me realize that the contributions and activities I have been doing as a local guide have a positive impact on businesses, and on people finding out, and knowing more about locations and businesses within our society.
Nowadays, it’s now my second nature to research information about notable landmarks, businesses, events and organizations within my city and any new location that I visit to.
I feel empowered knowing that my photos, reviews and contributions as a local guide, help other discover and know more about places, and at the same time, have an impact in society.