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Show areas lacking data

It would be quite useful for guides to see a "heat-map" of contributions on Google Maps. With this information, Guides could find areas that are under-represented, under-explored and go visit them to add additional information to Google Maps.

I see too often places with 200+ pictures while some others have 0 for example, but I have no way to predict where is data missing while Google actually holds this information.

14 Comments
Connect Moderator

Yes, @Herve_Andrieu, absolutely true. That would also be an excellent feature in the "Local Guide"-mode for maps I suggested a while ago!

 

https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/All-Ideas/quot-Local-guide-quot-mode-for-Google-Maps/idi-p/106...

 

Feel free to upvote that idea as well, if you like it.

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Level 10

@JanVanHaver, I like your "local guide" mode as well, I upvoted it.

@AshSmith's "uncommon location" you mentioned in your recommendation is actually quite close to the "heat-map" I'd like to see.

Google needs to have better tools for its dedicated guides.

I like this idea. Makes so much sense.

Former Google Contributor
Status changed to: Needs information

Hi @Herve_Andrieu, thank you for sharing. We are going to need some further information to make sure we are on the same page. Could you give some examples of areas you have come across that are lacking information and you would like to see with more contributions.

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Level 10

@IrrPavlova , the answer is no. I was sometimes in streets where multiple businesses were missing, several businesses had no pictures, but unfortunately my memory is not a computer's memory and I don't remember where.

However it is very clear from Google's perspective that some areas/cities/towns/villages are most likely under-served. There are parks where there are hundreds of reviews and tons of pictures, while some other parks don't have a single review, and barely 1 picture from the Google Streetview car that drove by years ago...

Another way to look at it: greate a grid on the the world map, take every square km (or even more granular), count the number of landmarks (everything listed by Google Maps, ie businesses, parks, ...), count the number of overal contributions (reviews,photos,...) make stats that show the proportion of contributions per landmark in each square, and then make it visually readable. This can even be improved by only considering "fresh" contributions as I suppose when data is older than 1 year, it starts to get "old".

Google knows where its guides are active, the guides have no idea on an individual basis of where activity is done, which means you may have 20 guides active in 1 city, and 0 guides ever visiting the 3 villages surrounding that city.

Former Google Contributor
Status changed to: Voting open

Thank you for explaining further your idea, @Herve_Andrieu. It is now open for voting and other Local Guides are free to show their support.

Due to the volume of private messages Googlers receive, I do not read or respond to private messages. Please post publicly so others may benefit from your discussion. If you require urgent assistance, please tag a Google Moderator. Thank you!
Level 10

It would be great to see which places need photos or edits in a similar manner to how you can answer questions about local places on the map already.  Good for local guides to know so they can fill in the gaps to help others discover or learn about that place.

Level 10

It would be great to see which places need photos or edits in a similar manner to how you can answer questions about local places on the map already.  Good for local guides to know so they can fill in the gaps to help others discover or learn about that place.

Level 8

Hello @MagicMoMo, thank you for sharing your idea that if implemented would help to have a new place more detailed and accurate .

On the other side, I personally believe that our best contribution on Google Maps should come always from the direct experience that we may have decided to have in a place because of our own decision . Inputs to review/edit a place or adding photos on the same just because photos are missing could maybe make our contribution less effective and independent. At least this is my point of view, all the best , Giuseppe 

Level 10

Thanks @Giuseppe75 the reason I also mention this idea of because Google has included this on their levels of trailblazers to achieve various local guide accolades. In London, most places are covered compared to other areas where there might not be as much data so by having this facility to know where Google maps is lacking data can help guide reliable guides to find the information when they are local to that area.