You work for yourself and for others when you are taking part in sharing your photos, reviews and lists as a local guide. It is all about you sharing your places and doing it in the best of ways. Anyone who doesn't want to take part are free to leave and you can erase everything you have uploaded but I feel that's is a big loss for everybody.
All pictures on the internet are possible sales and steals for that matter. No one can ever rally control that. I am not really sure what the user agreement and rules says about Google selling your images beu me myself are only taking pictures that anyone else can take as well. So my pictures are not all that special and therefore not likely interesting enough to sell.
Andréas S. Eriksson
Anonymous
Not applicable
04-01-201801:35 PM
04-01-201801:35 PM
Re: No paid, no avantages ,nothing from Google
I understand your feeling and have had others ask me why I spend significant time contributing to Google Maps.
My personal reason is that I also use Google Maps extensively for navigation, directions, recommendations and information on various businesses, restaurants, tourist attractions etc and I sincerely appreciate the effort of others to make my experience as good as it is. It is deeply appreciated by me because I know it is a labor of love, so I contribute as much as I can to improve both my own experiences and help others.
In the long run I am of the opinion that I receive as much if not more than I contribute. So I am happy to do what I can, and I have also found that I have a lot more photo memories of some pretty fantastic places and journeys that I otherwise would not have made the effort to capture.
I use Google maps, the restaurants and other places on the maps, and the reviews for information. Since I use this information without paying for it, the least I can do is to give back with my own time to make contributions others can use.
Those who use information should contribute information in return.
@JohnShaw, I do get your point sir, but you do realize that whenever you use GoogleMaps and search for reviews of places you'd visit in the future, you get to benefit from somebody else's contribution too, right? , perhaps from someone else who do not ask anything in return.
The Google Local Guides platform, and google reviews are unpaid, like the majority of places where people can leave reviews. Such as Amazon, TripAdvisor. The benefit to you is that you can see reviews that others have left, which will hopefully influence your decisions for the better. You leaving reviews then helps other. Google haven't made it an obligatory feature, and Google Maps is free to use, so why should you be paid for being a Local Guide?
I understand how you feel about not getting paid in cash or kind for your effort. However, your pictures, contributions, comments and adding new place is helping humanity.
I must tell you how much GoogleMaps has helped me in navigating my way around my country. Majority member of my extended family depend on my income to survive and make life easier especially for the younger ones, my job on the other hand as a Regional Sales Manager depends on me finding my way around the country to ensure targets are met. I have suffered from fraudsters and almost got kidnapped while carrying out my duty until I learned how to use GoogleMaps. I now rely on your images, contributions, places, tourist centers, hotels, markets etc to safely carry out my day to day duties.
All local guides deserve some accolades for contributing to humanity. I will do it for free all my life because like myself, I'm helping someone else keep his job and keep himself safe.
2022
