I have joined the google local guides program at the beginning of this year -2020- as one of my new year’s resolutions. Since I started reviewing and rating all the places I have been to in the last 6 years, I felt like I really was making a difference, as writing reviews in google stands out and makes people really notice you.
I have been writing in my travel blog for more than 2 years but my reviews and opinions never received as much attention as they did when I started adding them to google maps. Since I have joined I have added 87 reviews, 446 pictures, and 12 videos. Also, I have added 6 new places on the map and answered 243 questions. I have finally found a place where I can post all the great pictures I take of one place, the more pictures I add, the more value I give to the place.
Working remotely has enabled me to travel a lot and stay away from home. So I have been to many places
and I really wanted to share my experience and idea to help others and to reach out to people. Personly google maps has helped me a lot through my travels, I used it when I was road tripping, or backpacking through Europe, and for transportation like busses info and trains. Google Maps has been A great help for me as a Solo Traveler mostly. I do believe in the authenticity of the reviews I read over Google, so I prefer it over any other platform. I used it even for hotel and restaurant reviews.
That’s why I really enjoyed joining Google local guides. So I can make an impact and share my experiences with others who need it. We are all connected through google maps and the whole world seems at sync when you open that map, no wars, no differences, and no borders.
For platforms like local guides, improving others’ experiences is a priority, that’s why our reviews make a difference. For example, I have been contacted by the restaurants I reviewed on google maps to validate my experience and explain to them my complaints so they can work on a solution and provide better services and food quality. Which makes it a win-win situation for everyone. That’s why I give detailed reviews and ratings so I can actually help the businesses grow.
One of my favorite things as well is getting contacted by people who want to visit the city of Amman, they ask me to show them around the city and give them a real local experience. I love taking people on tours around my city, I get to show them the real essence of Amman. This has enabled me to meet people from around the world and make many friends. I actually learn more about my own city when I see it from the eye of a tourist. 