Is there any use, or do you earn anything from this?
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Hello, I guess as a Level 7 - you already know and enjoy the Google Maps system and know the answer to this question. There is nothing to earn - only the fact is it nice to help people. The system is gamified with some perks depending on your area and what might be on offer. I started using Google Maps to give feedback to businesses I used, then I see the free upgrade on Google online storage…by then I found it enjoyable to add reviews, photos and update my local areas as I use Google Maps every - so a nice way to give back. If you enjoy exploring - why not document your travels. It is nice to give back to other people. Sure there are perks, badges and other things - but these are minor and not set up as a “reward” for hours spent, if that makes sense? Does this answer your query?
Hi @Svein ! Thank you very much for sharing this information with us. I find it very helpful for my future contributions to Google Maps. I will certainly take it into account from now on 
Nicely done @SveinR! Nice reverse engineering of the system, and great advice. The most comprehensive I could find.
I followed your advice today, with one exception - was to lazy to edit in Lightroom, so some of the pics were dark. Normally I would white balance, sharpen, increase the blacks etc. for my pics. Not for this first batch.
One pic was picked as the main picture right away, and is getting about 200 vies per day now.
From this first experience, the AI algoritm picks up higher resolution uploaded, vs. uploading in Google Photos and selecting from there. To add to your “cookbook”.
Thanks again for the great post.
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@ele I find that interesting and also logical. To test it better have you posted two of the same shots one before edit and one after edit and see which one ranks better? To avoid spam naturally, deleate the lower ranked one. I have done most of my shots when doing a walkabout following contribute suggestions directly from my phone at the location. It would be interesting to see the effect of the edits in Lightroom first. I suspect you have hit on something. For speed just using the new Auto feature in the develope mode would make changes based on artificial intelligence that Adobe has created and just introduced. Then experiment some to see how it matches with Google Photo’s AI ranking system. Since the ranking display is so fast it should be interesting on a listing with a lot of photos to see how much a photo would move up.I have to think you are really on to something and it would not take that much work. If everyone did that the maps product would be about 25% better.
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@davidcox Great suggestion. My plan is to test iPhone vs. camera; camera low vs. hi resolution; edited vs. not (contrast, white balance, enhanced blacks). I believe the main post already answered questions on how to frame, and content that is picked up.
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Its so lovely experience… Thanks for sharing @Svein … Its very very inspiring…
@ele Please come back and post what you find. Soon this post will be a great guide for best ranking ideas thanks to @Svein
Thanks for such a good article
Hi @MONDRITO take a look on this post
Thanks for lighten this up. Clever Google, gets loads of stuff for free. Imagine you would have to hire someone doing this!
Wow, thanks for sharing your insight. I’ve been a local guide for only 6 months so reading your article will definitely help me become a better guide in my locality. Kudos!!!
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I started with online (goog maps) photos many years ago with Panaramio (bought by google). These pics were actually viewed by human beings and someone decided if they made the cut. I liked that system but realize that relying on humans can go only so far when millions of pictures are posted.
Yet I find the current system to be poor. It seems the “add a photo” in the maps section is the only (or best?) way to add things and sometimes it’s hard to relate them to a place. Now - you’d think that goog would be able to read GPS data in the photos that have them…and maybe they do to some extent.
But I’d love to be able to share a single or multiple albums in the old “Google Photos”, which I still use. As it stands now, these photos - even when shared - are only available to someone you give the link to (or if you cross-post them on goog+ ? ).
I have so many nice photos but not enough time to upload them multiple times. I also somewhat curate my photos as to only the better ones…and, despite the possible lack of as many views, I specialize in non-business type photos (I live in three places which all have their beauty, landscapes…and I am an FAA licensed drone pilot).
Drones can definitely get some pics that are unique and I think they can add a lot to goog maps, etc.
Here are a couple samples.
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Hello
First of all congratulations for your rewards. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome experiences, It will be a great helpful post for all Local Guides. Your photos look awesome. Thank you once again.
Namaste,
Niraj
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I also appreciate the fact that photos can be shared and this platforms gives you an audience which is interested… @Svein
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Great! @Svein
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Your pictures are amazing. Thanks a lot for sharing them
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@Svein I understand why your pictures are so much viewed. You are a great photographer. Thanks for sharing!
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What a wonderful experience! Thank you for sharing this!
I have yet to explore my city and document the businesses we have here. Will definitely take note of these tips for future photo sessions!
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Great post and I am only 3 pages into the replies. I was searching for a way to sort my reviews & photos by view count (or “liked” count) when I came across your article (BTW, Google, if you have a nice analytic we could use, that would be cool). Like you, I love gathering these pictures and it is a neat hobby. I have only been doing it about a year. I am over 3 million views with 41,000 or so points and 3,000 or so pictures. I also like to take walks and incorporate my photo gathering with those walks and will often try to capture an entire mall or block. I currently have postings in 4 countries. I am specifically replying to your questions about how do I handle it when someone approaches me about taking a picture. Thankfully, I have only been approached twice but each time I have told them that I am a Google Local Guide and that Google has asked that I help to keep their maps up to date
@Svein wrote:
Zeds.
Great photos! Your work seems to be very complementary to what I do as I do not east out often and get the chance to cover restaurants.
How do your experience business owners reacting to you taking photos inside the business? I often feel that they look at me funny and wonder what I am doing when I occasionally take pictures in restaurants and small businesses. They do not seem to appreciate pictures being taken. Do you ask ahead of time, and if so what do you ask?
-SveinR
. Once I say that and after we have a nice conversation, they will often invite me in to take more pictures. As long as I am talking with them, I verify that the information on Maps is correct (phone, website, address, etc.). I like the points but considering that it will take as many points to get from level 9 to level 10 as it did to get from zero to level 9, I doubt I will make that last leap.