We hope that Google, the oldest and largest company in the world, will look at the people who make reviews of many places around the world, and they must be rewarded financially because this content that we provide is the strongest and requires research and spending money.
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Hey @Abdelhameed . Interesting thought. I’m curious what other platforms like Google Maps pay contributors. I’ve never heard of Yelp paying reviewers, and the travel websites I have access to (Expedia, Airbnb, etc.) have never rewarded me for leaving a review.
Also, what money is required to post a photo or fix business information on Maps? The cost of internet and phone access, possibly? If you have these simply to make Maps contributions, I suppose there could be an argument - but who are you helping; the business or Google Maps? There has never been any promise of reimbursement or reward for making contributions. Rather, we get free access to Maps, and Search, and Drive, and YouTube, and Google Docs.
Alphabet (Google) is far from the oldest company in the world and isn’t even the largest - Microsoft is - with Apple second. We pay handily to use their products.
If you don’t feel you get enough value from having free access to the products Google provides you, then it’s your choice to continue contributing or not. We’re here as hobbyists who enjoy the community and contributing to Maps in the multitude of ways available. You make fantastic reviews, and I hope you choose to continue. However, you’re missing the point if you expect rewards for doing so.
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Firstly, I am happy to communicate with you and I greatly appreciate what you wrote, but when I mean other applications, I am talking about applications such as YouTube and Facebook, as these provide content. If you made it clear in your response that we do not charge anything, I will explain to you, my dear friend, that I sometimes enter restaurants and pay for the service in order to evaluate the restaurant. I express my opinion, as this is a cost and therefore why should I not charge for this service? This is my opinion and I appreciate your strong effort on Google Maps. Thank you again.
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So @Abdelhameed are you saying you want Google to pay for your meals??? As @JustJake stated we do this as a hobby to help people across the world.
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Hello
Hope all is fine . In my point of view I think we give people good content like any one do in Facebook or YouTube channel so all of them is take money for what he do. Why us as a local guide didn’t have access to get money while we provide a good content help people around the world
Thanks Google
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Thank you asking your doubts @Abdelhameed . Local guide program is a volunteering program where each of us help a individual or a community in Google Maps. Even if our contributions helps just one local guide / user who is travelling/searching for a Resturants, it really makes impact. In this program everyone is equal and is contributing for a better future. Check this post to see how vast our community is. From my experience if we monetized it, this big energetic community will lost in dust.
Why I contribute each day is that I know it may help atleast one person who is using maps and if I earn something from it, there’s no point of doing this right.
Contribute to help!
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Hello @Rahul001 nice to meet u. Iam very much appreciate your clarification, but I think that when there is a financial incentive, this will encourage us to visit more places and discover new, interesting experiences. I believe that our mission is not only to register restaurants or express an opinion about them, but our role is much greater than that, and I believe that Google should provide incentives. More for us to continue. Thank you
Imaš Prav @Abdelhameed …
Glede Na Dejstvo Da Je Šef Google Iz Indije In Pozna Denarne Razmere Doma ~ Sem Zaskrbljen…
Lani Sem Videl Izpis “Prislužka” Kot Značke $ Nagrade…
Pa Nič Od € Prihodka Preko Google Računa…
Velika Denarna Krivica Se Dalje Vrši…
Recimo Za 19.000 Prispevkov Google Maps In Svojo “10” Stopnjo Lokalni Vodnik Tudi 0€…
Upam Da Bo Tudi Ta Članek Odprl Srce Za Pošteno Internet Plačilo Google Bogatašev…
Jaz Res Upam Da Se Bo Vse Uredilo Kot Se Spodobi Za Aktivne Člane Google Lokalni Vodnik Connect Prijatelje…
Srečno @Perko 
…
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Unfortunately, financial incentives also lead to malpractices and spamming.
@Abdelhameed
Hence the intention of contribution is clearly stated from the beginning - volunteering.
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The translation could have a bit quirks, but I did not understand how the Google Boss’s India origins have to do with this topic @Perko
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We can try and try
Let’s send to @Google and try to talk with this point
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Let’s do our Best we all doing great work so we need Google look to us
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As a Level 7 Local Guide with over 20 million views and thousands of contributions, I would like to suggest that Google introduces a monetization system for active Local Guides — similar to YouTube monetization.
The content we provide on Google Maps (reviews, photos, ratings, new places) is not only followed by millions worldwide but also helps people:
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Discover businesses and services
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Navigate safely
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Support small/local enterprises
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Make informed decisions in real-time
Many Local Guides dedicate time, travel, equipment, and effort to create high-quality, useful content. A reward system (even optional) based on content views or contributions can motivate more contributors and raise the quality of information on Google Maps.
I hope Google will consider this idea and explore ways to support its most active contributors, not only through badges but with meaningful recognition and optional monetization.
Thank you.
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السلام عليكم جميعًا،
أنا عبد الحميد، مرشد محلي من مصر (Local Guide – المستوى 7)، أتشرف بأن لدي أكثر من 20 مليون مشاهدة، و2700+ مساهمة على خرائط Google، بين تقييمات، صور، ومراجعات غنية ساعدت آلاف المستخدمين حول العالم.
بعد سنوات من العمل التطوعي في هذا المجال، أطرح اليوم سؤالاً مهمًا لكل المرشدين المحليين العرب والدوليين:
هل آن الأوان أن يتم تفعيل برنامج أرباح على غرار YouTube للمستخدمين النشطين على Google Maps؟
فمحتوانا يتم مشاهدته من ملايين الأشخاص، ونُساهم في تحسين تجربة المستخدم، دعم الأعمال التجارية، والمجتمع المحلي والدولي.
أنا أقترح إضافة برنامج “مكافآت مالية” اختياري، مرتبط بعدد المشاهدات أو جودة المحتوى أو مستوى المرشد، كنوع من التحفيز العادل لمواصلة تقديم محتوى متميز.
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Hi @Abdelhameed
You already posted this proposal..so I’m merging the two to keep Connect Organized.
There is no need to post in two languages as we can all use the translation code.
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Thank you for merging the posts and for keeping Connect well-organized 
I just wanted to make sure the message reached both English- and Arabic-speaking Local Guides, especially since many in the Arabic community may not always feel comfortable using the translator.
I appreciate your support and I hope the idea of recognizing and rewarding dedicated contributors gains more visibility among both the team and fellow Local Guides.
Thanks again for your efforts
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Hi @Abdelhameed, welcome back to Connect.
Apparently, “monetization” seems to be the only topic you care about as a Local Guide, given that you’ve been posting exclusively on Connect for over a year.
A topic you’ve already received numerous responses from the community.
Therefore, to avoid wasting these responses and to keep Connect organized, I’m letting you know that I’ve merged all three of your different topics together.
It seems you don’t have a clear understanding of how YouTube’s monetization system works, so I recommend checking it out. You might be surprised.
Since monetization is a popular topic (unfortunately, often from local guides who “abuse” Google Maps), I’ll leave you with my thoughts here: G€t Paid for Our Contribution$? What could happen if that were the case?
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Hi
Thank you for taking the time to respond and for merging the threads to keep Connect organized — I truly appreciate your effort and the community’s feedback.
I understand that monetization is a sensitive and often misunderstood topic. However, I believe it’s fair for Local Guides — especially those who have reached a certain level of impact — to raise the question of fair compensation.
Of course, not everyone should expect to get paid just for contributing, but when someone has consistently provided high-quality content, reached millions of views, and invested their own time, effort, and money (for example, traveling to places or taking professional-level photos), it becomes more about value and sustainability rather than just “getting paid.”
I completely understand that the current platform is not built for monetization, and that’s perfectly fine. Still, I think it’s healthy for the community to have open discussions about how contributions are valued — especially as expectations and quality standards continue to rise.
This is just my personal perspective, shared with all respect.
Best regards,
Hi @Abdelhameed , thank you for the feedback.
Do you mean that you are traveling to places exclusively to take professional photos for the businesses? In this case the businesses should pay you, and they should post the photos under their own profiles.
Honestly I visit a place because I want to and, as I am there, I usually take photos to post in Google Maps, but it never happened to me to spend money to go somewhere to take photos to post in Google Maps, and for sure I can say about some of my friends, like @TorM , a Local Guide with over 600,000 Points, 93,000 photos, and near six and a half Billion Views.
Again, I am asking you what you know about the monetization on YouTube, apart the fact that in there there is the possibility to monetize your productions?
For more details please read: How to earn money on YouTube - YouTube Help
I think you will discover that they are not volunteers, they are working hard to create their contents
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I truly appreciate your perspective and understand that many users believe Google Maps should remain a non-monetized platform. However, I respectfully believe that content creators—especially those who contribute high-quality, consistent, and impactful content—should have the right to advocate for a fair system of rewards or monetization.
After all, reaching a high level as a Local Guide often involves substantial effort, time, travel, and even personal financial investment. Many of us are not just sharing opinions—we’re helping businesses grow, guiding travelers, and improving community access to reliable information.
So I find it genuinely surprising when people say the idea of monetization is “impossible.” Why is it considered impossible? Since when is any system beyond improvement or revision? Policies can change. Systems evolve. If we, as a global community, agree on the value of recognizing and rewarding digital contributors, then a new policy can be created.
Why is there such strong defense of the current Google Maps policy—as if it’s untouchable? Is it truly so unchangeable that even suggestions for development are rejected outright?
I believe change is possible—not just in theory, but in practice—if enough voices from around the world align with the same purpose.