I have to travel a fair amount for work, mainly around the UK but occasionally around mainland Europe too (although obviously all travel has stopped for the time being)… still, whenever I am in a new place, whether for work or for leisure, Google Maps is my main source of information of what to do and where to eat (and drink).
I love the fact that Google allows you to search not only place names and descriptions, but also user reviews. This means that if I want to eat anything in particular I can search for the dish and, if someone has mentioned that dish in a review, I can know that it is available in that place (and whether to avoid it depending on the review!). It is detailed reviews like that that make Google Maps work as well as it does, which inspires me to try to be just as helpful as I find other reviewers to be.
I always prefer to support small businesses rather than go to a big chain, and the ratings and reviews left by Local Guides are in my opinion the most powerful tool to draw attention to these small places which don’t always stick out, but provide the best experience. The ratings I leave also allow Maps to recommend nearby places to me which I might not have seen otherwise.
I love new experiences and discovering new things, and being a part of the Local Guides community seems to be a pretty good way of achieving that.
Cheers,
Simon.