2022
Yes yes, I can hear the collective groan being emitted all over Medium. You’re thinking “dork with a smartphone,” right? I’m basically a pokemon chaser but less cute. Well whatever. All I know is I got in the program just in time and scored a free Terabyte of data or two years from the Big G. I love this program. Until my data runs out that is…
For anyone who doesn’t know Google Local Guides are an offshoot community of Google maps. Local Guides submit photographs, reviews, and information updates to keep Google Maps up to date and relevant. We are essentially a small army of free content makers for Google. The program somewhat incentivizes our contributions by creating a tiered meritocracy. Up until a few months ago anyone who reached level 4, received a terabyte of free data storage from Google for two years.
The company recently scaled that back to 100 gigs as too many of us were earning level 4. I snuck in a few months before the decrease. Local Guides is built on a sort of gameification concept. Essentially, it feels a bit like being in a role playing game. Levelling up brings rewards. Stagnation breeds decline.
Here is the important point about all of this though:
The Google Local Guides program will die a slow and painful death. It is heading there right now even if all evidence appears to the contrary.
Why?
The incentives are too few. 100 gigs of data storage for level 4s? (Scoff!) Flickr gives me 10 times as much without making me jump through any hoops. Of course the security of that data may certainly be in question…
Free stuff? I haven’t seen any of that.
Membership in a community of Local Guides? Please. I can find sturdier friend-making apparatuses via World of Warcraft.
Local Guides summit invites? I don’t think so. Without further incentives individual local guides will hit a wall of indifference regarding their contributions. They will be faced with the following questions:
1. After level 4. WTF?
Seriously, what am I working for? Why am I doing this? If there is no difference between 500 points and 1000 points in the Local guide meritocracy, why should I bother?
2. What does Google need with my contributions?
They have data. They know it. We know it. Everyone knows it. And if Google doesn’t know something but wants to, it can shuffle any LG2 off to figure out what the phone number for this laundry mat is or what the business hours of that Korean BBQ are... what do they need me for?
In the end, it will be a question, not of rewards, but of need. Every hero wants to feel needed, and it is tough to believe that Google Maps really needs us. Let alone that it needs us level 4s and 5s soaking up their data with mostly irrelevant content. What benefit are we providing and to whom are we providing it?
Luckily for everyone involved, I have come up with The Solution for Google.Here is how Google Local Guides should proceed:
1 . Create a Local Guide Level 6.
1000 point minimum. Advise all LG6s that, moving forward their contributions will not be needed in the same ways, but in new and much more exciting ones. Once an LG hits Level 6, the quality of their content will be rated. Oh yes, no more crap photos and half hearted reviews, pal. Being an LG6 means you will need to know what the hell you are doing out there. And if you don’t produce, no problem, welcome back to Level Five! Now go earn another 500 points you may have another shot at LG6 status again!
The ratings that are applied to the LG6s content will be tied directly to its monetary value. Because all GOOD content has a monetary value
2 . Monetize quality content separated into 3 categories:
* Reviews: quality determined by readability, credibility, and style.
* Photos: quality photographs have monetary value to the shop-owners willing to pay for them, and viewer interest, as defined by Google of course.
* Information: corrections, new business listings, etc: quality determined by level of factual accuracy, and credibility of purveyor (the LG)
3 . Inform LG6s that in order to maintain LG 6 status they must submit a minimum 8 High Quality, though not necessarily monetarily valuable, pieces of content each month.
4 . As money rolls in from content sold by Google to individuals, business owners, and aggregators, etc. give the LG6 a share of the profit Google receives from said content he/she has submitted.
In addition: Google should leverage its business relationships, especially with other tech companies to provide its LG6s other non-monetary but otherwise invaluable incentives.
For example, Let us say that a particularly industrious LG6 has taken dozens and dozens 360 degree photos that amount to $100 (unlikely) in value to Google. Google then deposits 33 dollars into said LG6s account (33% seems fair). In addition by leveraging its partnerships with Wordpress, Squaresoft and Wix, said LG6 is given access to premium features and services from one of those providers for a limited time. Lastly, as a final bonus, Google credits the LG6s Adsense account $20.
You know, so they can promote their new Wix site. This not only incentivizes the holy hell out of the LG program, it also endears Content-Makers to Google, which is a HUGE win for the company in the short and long term
This solution accomplishes so many things, I don’t even want to go into it. But as a final point, it is my opinion that all LG6s will no doubt be given the opportunity to:
1. Crush their enemies
2. See those enemies driven before before them.
3. Hear the lamentations of their women.
Because that is all that is best in life.
Justin Arn.
