What does the Local Guides program mean to me?
Local Guides program has enriched my knowledge of Google Maps platform, and tremendous impact one can have through it. Before I got introduced to Local Guides program, I was used to travel places, and share experiences with the people I knew. This I would now say, was a traditional means familiar to me.
Local Guides program has transformed my outlook towards the way I can exchange thoughts about my travel experiences. Earlier, I only used Google Maps to check for traffic congestions, fastest routes, distance and other vital information, but never understood how google maps inserted all information with pictures, reviews and suggestions.
The program offered a platform to me for information sharing about my travel adventures by ability to provide reviews, upload pictures, add missing places, missing roads, add details for any missing information, suggestions, tips et al., about the places I had been to. Additionally it opened up more avenues to network with others, build new connections surpassing physical boundaries. Getting associated to Local Guides program gives me a broader outlook of how we normal users can contribute to larger community, by connecting new dots or old missing dots, which act as server to mass using google maps.
I also felt very nice about myself, for being able to help others by sharing what I know of a place – giving them tips and data points to plan and guide with their travels schedules. One such story shared by me for my visit to Barcelona can be found here.
Last but not the least, It helped me realize about the influence I can have through this platform, meaning we local community works as back office for google maps to share experiences, which otherwise would never reach and connect larger communities around world.