Hello all,
I’m Amir from Iran and these make my Connect username “Amiran”. Let’s to say a little more about myself ?
History
As I described in my profile, I’m contributing to Google Earth and Google Maps since more than 12 years ago. Firstly by uploading photos to Panoramio and after some years by contributing directly to create Maps by lovely Map Maker.
In first years of contributing it was a need to complete my known areas to help society and also it was a hobby; but by selecting as regional lead in Map Maker, another reason added and that was responsibility.
This was (and this is) my responsibility to help map to be safe and reliable, because I have some experience and knowledge in this case and think in this way I can have positive effect on Maps and on society as a result.
New era
By starting Local Guides program, and retirement of Map Maker and related forums, new age started for me because we missed some professional tools and also connection between experts. But I couldn’t leave Maps without any control, also I should keep good users in connect of each others to prevent from a messed up map in future. Map (Specially Map of Iran) was my child and who can leave his child in risks of dangers (for map some dangers are spams, advertising, vandalism, attack of businesses to rivals, missed roads, wrong names and etc)?!
So I started Iran Local Guides community and put it’s main goal to keep map safe and reliable by connecting good Local Guides from allover of Iran and also by explaining the way of correct contributing to the map.
Till now beside old Iranian users of Google Maps, many new users joined our team and too many others have got familiar to the correct way of mapping through our social pages and website.
We try to teach others how to do best practice and how to follow Google guidelines. Although when one user is doing real things on the map based on personal experience, automatically follows guidelines but some users needs more details and we’re here to help them, to teach them and to made more users familiar with nice aspects of Google Maps.
Benefits of Google Maps and Local Guides
As I described above, most important thing that forces me to contribute in Google Maps and Local Guides program these days, and to put most of my daily times on it, is responsibility to help the map by the way I can and also to connect to best local guides in the world. Mapping is most important part of contribution for me and for other users who experienced Map Maker. Making map more user-friendly and eco-friendly is my goal and each day I try in this way by my edits and reports. While I’ve kept this in my mind that good map will help my personal activities too and also it will not be possible without help of other good users and support of Google.
Furthermore sometimes, somewhere is so amazing for me and sharing my review about that to help others enjoy same, worst. So best way is what Google prepared, reviewing on Google Maps and sharing photos and videos of that place.
To summarize, main goal of contribution for me is to help society and the world by the way I’m able to it.
And in Connect, this
On the other hand, by Local Guides program, now we’ve many other new friends. Iranian friends, through Iran Local Guides community those help to control maps to have good conditions in wider area and support for our main requests like reviewing by app, and global friends from allover the world through amazing Local Guides Connect. This is so valuable for me and I feels really good to meet other cultures from my global friends, and to show real aspects of Iran and Iranians to them.
Till now, I helped thousands of people in each way I could. Such as contributing in Map Maker, Map Maker forum, Map forum, Local Guides Connect, Iran Local Guides website and contact email address, Iran Local Guides social pages on Instagram, Telegram, Facebook and Twitter, direct messages and also in Iran Local Guides Telegram group there we have daily conversations about mapping and local guiding.
And I should remind that surely these all, wasn’t possible without help and support of Google Local Guides team. One of the best and kind support teams between all companies allover the world. From days that Googlers directly taught us correct ways of mapping in Map Maker to recent days that Googlers are still in contact with us directly through Connect. Thanks a lot dear Googlers.
Final word
And yes, this was my story about how and why I’m contributing to Google Maps and still there are many things to learn and to do…
you are on my wish list 
hope to meet you one day!
