I love writing reviews, adding comments, photographs, and answering questions about the places I visit whether at home or abroad. The number of users benefiting from my contributions thrills and motivates me. On the contrary, the level of details Google Maps provide when I search for a specific place, store or even a government building amazes me. Such details wouldn’t be possible without the contribution of my fellow local guides and the sophisticated technology offered by Google.
When I travel to new places I make sure to take a picture or two of the hotel I’m staying in, shops, restaurants, dishes, and scenic views then upload them and write reviews on Google Maps. In my opinion, this is what every local guide needs to do. Adding pictures and writing reviews help others in making a decision on whether to visit a particular place and know what to expect.
I noticed that when I write reviews about hotels I sometimes get a reply from the hotel management. This means hotels pay attention to our reviews and therefore do their best to enhance their services. Apply this example to restaurants, cafes, museums, etc and you will feel the importance of your contribution.
In countries where English isn’t the main language, I often find misspelled words in other languages or literal translation into English causing confusion to Google Maps users. It is important to notice these mistakes and rectify them accordingly.
Overall, traveling as a local guide has its own perks. Viewing your timeline on Google Maps will bring memories and a big smile on your face as you recall the beautiful memories you made in every visit with location and date.