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Unique Profile Handlers

We must have a unique profile handler to better communicate with other local guides to arrange meetups, information sharing etc.

I have been thinking about this Idea for a very long, I even came up with UI/UX changes and honestly believe that this Idea can work without violating the privacy terms of Google or invading an individual's privacy.

 

UI of Google Maps on Android depicting the proposed solution implementationUI of Google Maps on Android depicting the proposed solution implementation

 

I will explain the Problem Statement First and then the solution to it. The attached screenshots will come handy to understand the idea (which is divided into Screen 1 & 2 to give you a Before/After sort-of UI changes).

 

Problem Scenario

Currently, Google+ uses (+ handlers) whereas localguidesconnect uses (@ handlers) for profiles. The profiles as seen on Google maps only displays

  • Local Guide’s Name
  • Local Guide’s Photo
  • Local Guide’s Level & Badges
  • Local Guides’s contributions (in terms of photos/videos, reviews, Q&A etc)

There is absolutely no way to directly connect to the local guide. Now the problem is two-folds

  1. If a local guide wants to connect to a certain local guide (say e.g. the one from the same city) he/she looks for the profile on Google+ . But, most of the times you can only get to the profiles if you know the email address. Even if you get lucky and connect to the profile using the Local Guide’s name on Google Maps, it then depends whether he/she allows emails/hangouts or not, literally making it impossible to connect.
  2. If a local guide looks for the same person on localguidesconnect, the profile handlers and names are different. Yes, LGC pulls all our ranks and infos using our gmail addresses and Google Maps contributions, but, for someone reaching out to someone on LGC, there is always a probability of having the same person with different name or profile handler.

Now that we know that G+ officially shutting down and most of the local guides don’t have a clue about LGC (thought I have seen the numbers picking up starting from 2017), there must be a solution that at least provides some input about localguidesconnet platform.

 

Solution

Display a unique profile handler (@ handler ) right under the name of Local guide on Google maps. This profile handler gets linked up to gmail address (just in case the user changes his/her @handler, it gets synced everywhere on Google platform).

So, hovering over the profile handler can easily display a message saying something like “Connect with Mr. xyz using @xyz-handler on LocalGuidesConnect”

This is going to help in two way

  1. Provide mass public an option to connect to a certain local guide.
    1. If he/she is a local guide and never was a part of localguidesconnect, they will have the info and will then complete the signup of LGC and therefore be able to connect with the local guide
    2. If they are not part of the Google Local Guide’s program, it will give them a great incentive to join the program so that they can connect to the individuals who write such great reviews
  2. It will not disrupt Google’s privacy policy and no one would be given a direct access/platform to send message to anyone, thus retaining all privacy settings as before.

In case of further clarification, please comment so that I can explain it a bit further

 

Cheers

16 Comments

This is perfect as I have been strugling to connect with other local guide from the same city, I see that they are active participating locally on Google Map when I am browsing Google Map too, but there is no way to get hold of them for a meet-up or to descuss issues we facing locally and how to help one another contribute  better as a team, what I have been doing is to try to search them on facebook or connect using their names appearing on their contribution profile but never managed to get hold of them as they might not be on connect at all or registered with a different name. So this is a solution, we just need others to support and think about this issue as it mostly affect those who got few people either from the same country or city participating on connect.

 

Thank you for the great idea @OmerAli!!!!!

Connect Moderator

I love it when people take the time to think about the idea & create an elaborate proposal. Gret job, @OmerAli.

 

On feature I would add: the possibility for each local guide to decide for her/himself if (s)he wants this handler to be displayed on the profile.

Check out LetsGuide Podcast | #LGCTM | Please always @Mention me so I see your reply
Level 9

Hi @OmerAli

 

I like the idea of that contact button next to the name and profile picture and being able to contact that local guide directly in Connect, but I would suggest that such a button and option appear only to other local guides of a certain level and above. I'm not sure that I want to be contacted by any member of the general public out there. 

Hope you're well, Omer. 🙂

Stuart

Level 10

I agree with you @OmerAli
I insist on the addition of every feature that the local guide can personally communicate with the viewer.

 

This has another value. When viewers can talk directly, they may evaluate us directly. So we will start a more polite review. The remarks of the current local guide are too unilateral because of system problems. It's often unfair.

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Level 8

@OmerAli I can see this clearly, you raised a significant point great case study research my friend well done.

Level 8

I frequently would like to reach out to fellow Local Guides when I notice poor data contributions or fellow Local Guides that are breaking certain specific content rules.

On Facebook in our Google Local Guides World community, I frequently encounter such Local Guides and once I start communicating with them, often the person in question (aka "the offender") is oblivious to the rules and the fact that he/she is at risk for getting suspended by Google.

Interacting with "offenders" in social media environments is easy. But when I encounter offenders on Maps, it is not feasible to reach out. With your idea, @OmerAli, we could reach out to fellow Local Guides in these kinds of situations via private messaging on LGC.

Level 8

Thanks Omar for sharing this idea. I guess it is fantastic because like you said there is no way to connect with the fellow local guide unless we find them on LGC. 


Connect Moderator

Thanks a lot @AIMAN_SAEED @JeroenM @DavidTito @YasumiKikuchi @Stuart_C

I spent a lot of time thinking on this particular one and I honestly believe that this will add functionality and will benefit local guides. 

   Obviously, we do not want localguidesconnect to end up like just another social network, so, the privacy settings to add someone or not will definitely not be affected by it. 

 On top of that, Users can opt to get their profile handlers displayed on their Maps profile. 

 

Thank you once again for stopping by and supporting this idea

 

cheers

Level 8

@OmerAli don't let go of this thought lets just see it out for a bit longer and @JeroenM had good point there as well,  I myself feel like I'm already one of these people a reason why I'm in approx 47 Google+ communities this a large scale trying to see right and your right it just needs time  

Level 8
  1. @OmerAli I support your idea. In addition, there should be some way to search and connect with local guides by city location. 
  2. Local guides from a particular city may like to interact with each other to discuss about a topic to improve the way we use Google in our daily lives. 
  3. Thanks