Hello everyone! I just turned 21 five days ago which means I can finally apply for Connect Live. It’s also my first post on Connect. Hopefully this fact will not lower my chances too much, so wish me luck 
What does the Local Guides program mean to me? It means the platform where I can share my photos. Some people may argue that pictures are to be posted on Instagram, but for me sharing the photos via Google Maps feels way more rewarding. My contributions are seen by thousands of people, whereas on my Insta they would hardly get a hundred views now. Let me explain why it matters to me.
Ever since I got my first camera when I was 11, I’ve been taking lots of photos. I discovered Instagram shortly after it was launched and spent a few years sharing my photography there. I gained somewhat of a following, but a couple of years ago the vibe started to change, it became more commercial. I was losing followers but couldn’t help it. The feedback I was getting from them meant a lot, and I missed it. Although I was still creatively expressing myself through Instagram posts in a sort of a diary, I needed another outlet to give me the sense of sharing my photos with the world.
It was 2017 when I got familiar with the Local Guides feature of Google Maps. The first photos I uploaded were two pics of some dishes from a vegan café. Nothing special, but for some reason they were getting tons of views. It made me proud of myself, I felt like I made an impact.
The majority of my contributions are for cafes. I love to visit different places when my friends and I go out. At first I was uploading the pictures I already had, but now I intentionally take photos for the Local Guides program. It actually takes less time than trying to get the perfect shot for Instagram – I just snap a pic and call it a day. No filter, but these candid photos are very helpful for thousands of people. My heart gets warm when I see my contribution at the cover of a place’s Google Maps profile. I often find myself browsing through such profiles when I’m looking for a new café to check out, and photos help me decide. Therefore, I understand the importance of having real, unedited pictures other than uploaded by the owner. Besides photos, I also enjoy writing reviews. I aim for an honest, detailed description of my experience. After all, longer reviews are usually more helpful.
In the end I would like to give some tips for other weirdos who base self-worth on their Local Guides contributions’ views count More obvious one is to review freshly-opened trendy places. However, another way to get many views is to capture public institutions such as a post office or a bank – people often look them up on Google Maps.
To sum up, Google Maps are better than Instagram because they allow to simply show my pictures to thousands of people with minimal effort and maximal effect, and it means the world to me.
