Since I started writing reviews as Local Guide some years ago, it has been impacting my life in such positive way. So, to be a Local Guide for me is totally related to collaboration, sense of community and social impact.
Talking about collaboration, I found Local Guide by accident when I was visiting New York city and need to choose someplace to eat. Although I am Brazilian, and I am used to have lots of options in Sao Paulo, my native city, New York for me was a challenge. The quantity of restaurants was impressive and the little information I had about them made me feel confuse about what would be the best option.
So, that was when I started looking for help in Google and found some great reviews from other Local Guides. With that information I choose a burger place called Shake Shack and the experience was amazing, the food was incredible, and I really ended that day with the feeling that I should do the same for others and start writing reviews about places I had been.
In this same context I love how being a Local Guide allows me help to spread the sense of community. Which means not only help others to choose a place to visit, but also help small business owners by adding more information about their restaurants or shops or even adding pictures showing the place and the food.
One of my most helpful reviews is for Bruncheria, in Cordoba, Argentina. It was a surprise for me but the picture I post have more than 18.500 visualizations. I think it may be because of the explanation I gave about the menu and how the restaurant works.
I also love the social impact that together the Local Guides could help to create. Since I have started, I wrote more than 200 reviews and I am super proud of the results I got and the amount of people I am not only impacting but I also help to improve their customer experience.
As an example of that, nine months ago I wrote a review about a pub in Sao Paulo that I could not get in due the huge line. The bar is located inside one of the most beautiful Theaters in Sao Paulo and it is well known for good drinks but unfortunately, its organization is not good and after two attempts I was not able to visit the place. I though that I could help others to avoid the bad experience I have or at least be prepared of the risk to not get in. For my surprise, I got 6 likes from other Local Guides and a calling from the manager saying that he is working to improve the customer experience in the bar.
If it is not part of a social impact, I do not what it would be!
