Where and how do I even begin?
There are too many pros to being a Local Guide in general. The program itself turns into a hobby and a lifestyle.
Whilst being on the program, it makes you realise the impact it leaves, and to me, this is what it means:
- Helps not only yourself, but your friends, family, the community and the future
- Encourages others to take part
- Keeps us safe
- Promotes businesses whether they are small, local or big and franchised
- Word of mouth, but online
- Gives introverts a chance to share (or those who don’t go out much or openly say what is on their mind)
- Some cases, saves us from being disappointed
- Puts in the expectations
- Allows friends and family to connect and plan for future holidays with Google Map (we can share, invite, edit collaboratively and more)
- Overview of where you have visited/traveled
- Opens up global interest, whether it be photography, food and drinks, comic stores, vending machines to attend to whilst in Japan etc
As our life is now connected with our phones, I am solely an Apple and Google products user and I can say they work very well together, to streamline our lifestyle. As it goes on, I realised the impression it leaves, and the importance of Google. I first actively used the products for corporate reasons when I joined an AI marketing company after I graduated as a Computer Scientist. It opened up many doors on the way we connect, it allowed me to understand on a deeper level it’s goal, it’s not just through the products, platforms, but the people (my colleagues, friends, family, other local guides and more), through their experiences, their personal opinions, and how this could help others, because of that it bought excitement to me and to continue to better myself.
That means to me
Using Google Maps was one thing, then having a list of places you wanted to visit, and transferring that to Google Maps, and pinning them onto Maps were another level of interaction. It changed my life visually! From there, you start providing ratings and reviews on where you have been and how you went there, which turns into a memory and journey that improves the flow of others path through Local Guides feedback and guidance.
In other words, the program has improved and better the community in a large scale that focuses all around.
As a tech nerd and people carer, that is what we thrives for, to help! Through it, I was able to be proactive, plan ahead, log interests and many more.
