Introduction:
Ever scrolled through the Top 100 Leaderboards on Connect, marveling at the sheer volume of contributions and the incredible impact Local Guides are making worldwide? We totally get it – they’re packed with amazing stats and global reach. But today, we’re taking a delightful detour! Prepare for something different, something a lot more exciting!
Welcome to the inaugural post of our monthly series, where we zoom in on the real heroes behind those numbers – a featured Google Maps Local Guide from the Leaderboards. This brand-new, more personal series is designed to bring you closer to the amazing individuals who make up those leaderboards.
And who better to kick off this rockstar parade than the legendary @Herve_Andrieu (Herve Andrieu)? A Level 10 Local Guide who consistently owns the top spots, Herve is about to spill the beans on what makes him tick. We caught up with Herve for a rapid-fire Q&A session, straight from the source. Get ready to dive into Herve’s world. Let’s get to know this Local Guide legend!
The Interview:
1 - Where on Earth (country/state/city) do you call home?
I currently live in Delray Beach, Florida, USA. The sunshine state that allows you to be outdoors enjoying nice weather all winter long.
2 - What do you do when you’re not rocking the Local Guides world? (Day job/profession)
I am an expert in telecommunications advising companies around the world about the use of phone numbers around the world. This is one of the reasons I’ve looked at maps on a regular basis.
3 - How and when did you dive into the Local Guides adventure?
I got hooked on contributing to Google Maps back in 2016 when Google invited me to share this picture I took of Montmorency Falls, a waterfall in Quebec where I was visiting as a tourist. Here’s that photo. Being honest, I’m not very satisfied with it (too dark, lack of contrast…). It is a clear indication that the phone I used at the time was not ideal for photography when light conditions were not optimal (Samsung S6 back then).
After that first picture Google Maps sent me positive emails to let me know how useful this contribution was and that was it… Contributing became a personal challenge and seeing the impact on the world the proof that it was quite useful.
4 - What gets you fired up about being a Local Guide?
The photography part of the activity is the most motivating. I am outdoors for hours, visiting new places, discussing with people, trying to get good pictures. Whatever gets me far away from the computer. And of course the knowledge that it is relevant which comes from the various counters showing views, likes, etc, etc
5 - What epic message would you love to share with your fellow Local Guides?
Contribute as much as you enjoy it, no point in doing it if you don’t have fun… and if you have fun you may see incredible results… Like some of your edits, pictures, reviews getting a lot of positive feedback. It is quite rewarding to know the impact you have on your local communities.
6 - What’s your absolute favorite type of contribution and why does it rock?
I am a picture person. As a user I need to know what the place that I will visit looks like beforehand, what is the ambiance inside, sometimes what is the menu, what does the food look like, what the inside of the store looks like. This helps in my decision process to visit places and therefore I place pictures above all else. A photograph is worth a thousand words… even on Google Maps.
7 - Which is your favourite all time contribution and why do you like it.
Here I will be a bit surprising, but my favorite contribution has disappeared from Google Maps and that’s the interesting part of a live map. Things come and go. I took a very nice picture of a Mosque in Boca Raton as the sun was setting down behind it. Here’s that photo.
I was really proud of the vision it gave. I published it and it was there for a while. And now it’s completely gone as someone made this POI disappear (replaced by a new one with only 3 or 4 photos unfortunately). Here’s a link to the new Google Maps entry where I didn’t contribute:
8 - Spill the beans! What gear do you use to create your amazing media contributions?
For the “regular” photos, I use a Samsung S24 Ultra currently. I upgrade every 2 years on the Samsung product line because I just exhaust my phones with so many pictures for Google Maps… For the 360 pictures, I have a Ricoh Theta Z1. This is my 3rd 360 camera as my first Ricoh Theta died after many years of service and I tried an Insta360 that didn’t do a good job of geotagging (very important for the publication work).
9 - What do you like most about the Local Guides Community, Connect?
I spend so much time in front of a computer that I try to limit my interactions with online platforms as much as possible. I tend to have very limited visibility into the Connect life, but sometimes I like to explore the topics discussed by other users, their issues and challenges with the Google Maps platform. And of course I always love to read the leaderboards. Seeing new comers jump in there, knowing the old-timers are still active and challenging myself to contribute more.
10 - Which particular Top 100 Local Guides Leaderboards do you like most and why? Also, are there any new Leaderboards or features that you’d like to see?
I really like to see the leaderboard that shows the views per photos. It shows a desire to optimize the contributions and clean-up everything that is not performing to ensure the best possible result. Since my strategy is mass-production, it is absolutely impossible for me to attempt this “tweaking” and I like to see how some contributors achieve incredible results in that measure.
I do not understand the top 360 views and top video views leaderboards as I am not aware of a way to filter my contributions to only these types of contributions.
I would love to receive a regular newsletter describing what exactly is changing in Google Maps. Not having this, my best option is @JanVanHaver’s Local Guides podcast that keeps me updated once in a while.
11 - What is your favorite holiday destination and what do you like about it?
Big Island, Hawaii is the most wonderful place I know. I love how on an island you have so many different climates, access to beautiful beaches, tropical forest, desert areas, and a culture more connected to the natural rhythm this planet gives us. It’s hard to pic just one of my photos for this amazing place but here is one I like as it’s a reminder that these islands are volcanic and in the middle of the Pacific.
12 - What destination in the world would you just love to one day visit?
Thailand is a country I remain quite curious about and I have not visited yet. This is a long trip though.
On the other hand there are 50 states in the US and I probably never visited half of them… There is so much beauty to discover in this single country without traveling very far, that I know I need to dedicate a lot of time for that.
13 - What’s a super fun fact about you that might surprise us?
I go nearly everywhere on my electric unicycle. This is the best “last-mile” solution that exists, so I am always trying to use it whenever possible. I have already done over 21,000 miles (about 34,000 km) on electric unicycles (I keep track of this data). I have transported couches, bags of cement, wood beams, dozens of coconuts, etc, etc on a unicycle.
Conclusion:
And there you have it – a fantastic journey into the world of Herve Andrieu, a true Local Guide legend! From his love for photography to his surprising mode of transport, Herve truly embodies the spirit of a rockstar Local Guide. We hope you enjoyed this dive into the life of one of our top contributors and found his story as captivating as we did.
That’s a wrap for our inaugural Local Guide Spotlight! We’re already buzzing with excitement for next month’s feature. Who will be the next Top 100 Local Guide to grace our spotlight? You’ll have to wait and see! Until then, keep exploring, keep contributing, and keep being awesome Local Guides!
