Help us ask better questions on Google Maps

[catwu]

If you have location history enabled on Google Maps, you’ve probably come across questions like this one:
Screenshot from Google Maps asking “Is there table service here?” about a cafe.

When you answer these questions, you’re sharing info that’s useful to everyone who navigates on Google Maps. Some questions, like the ones about wheelchair accessibility, can even help people with mobility needs get around.

We try to ask smart, relevant questions about places all around the world, but we know we can always do better. That’s why, until 12/1, we’re asking for your local expertise.

Here’s how you can help improve questions on Google Maps:

• Go to “Your contributions” on Google Maps for Android or iOS
• Tap “Answer quick questions”
• If you see one that doesn’t make sense in your country or language, post a comment like this one on this post:

What question doesn’t seem right to you? Does this place serve afternoon tea?

What place? Starbucks

What country? U.S.

What language? English

What’s wrong with this question? It’s confusing. This place serves tea in the afternoon, but most places in the U.S. don’t serve anything called “afternoon tea.”

How can we improve this question? I’d suggest asking this only in the U.K.

You can copy and paste this template for your comment:

What question doesn’t seem right to you?

What place? (please include a link if possible)

What country?

What language?

What’s wrong with this question?

How can we improve this question?

We’ll be collecting feedback until 12/1. After that, you can still add questions to this post, but we won’t be able to reply.

Thanks for helping improve Maps for people all around the world!

[ErmesT]

Thanks @catwu

For a post I was waiting for.. 

I've sent a lot of replies to explain why in my country some questions were not appropriate for the place. 

Two questions for you, before to start :

1) my app language is set to Italian. 

Do you prefere to have it translated in English? 

I have a doubt about a frequent question : does the place have an elevator for disabled? What about if the shop is at ground floor? I mean, the question is appropriate, because maps may not be informed about the floor but, which is the right answer? If I write no, it seems that the place is not suitable for disability, answering yes is not correct. What about a "not needed" reply?

Ermes 

[KarenVChin]

YESSS!!!!! In terms of cultural confusion, this feedback request is so much needed and and greatly requested here on Connect and from Local Guides who are not on Connect @catwu.

I’m sure you will get a lot of response to your feedback request globally!

@OSAMA @HelloSamsonR @MahabubMunna @ProfArunCM @Kamalhasnainee @U-royFelixA @DavidTito @Briggs, here is your chance to provide Google Maps auto Questions feedback by Dec 1

Please share this with your fellow Local Guides in your communities.

Cheers,

Karen

[HelloSamsonR]

Thanks for the update @catwu Now I will just do that I have already a stocked piled list of this on Google Docs.

Updates For The irrelevant questions asked about places on Google Maps.

1. Questions For Supermarkets in Nigeria

What question doesn’t seem right to you? Does this place offer passport services

What place? All Supermarkets in Nigeria

What country? Nigeria

What language? English

What’s wrong with this question?  Very irrelevant and unnecessary as no Supermarkets offer passport photograph services in Nigeria.

How can we improve this question? Just remove the questions away from the Google Maps so that this questions doesn't show up again as it is irrelevant. Supermarkets in Nigeria are a quick place to shop and not a place to go for quick passport photograph services. Places that offer passport services in Nigeria are called business centers or photography studios.

2 Questions For Restaurants and Fast Food Restaurants In Nigeria

What question doesn’t seem right to you?  Does this place offer take out

What place? All fast Food Restaurant and Restaurants in Nigeria

What country? Nigeria

What language? English

What’s wrong with this question? It is supposed to be called take away and not take out.

How can we improve this question? Just Change the English from the word  take out to take away, it is just a problem of English. 

I will be updating the thread with more questions when I have more time to write.

[ProfArunCM]

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@KarenVChin wrote:

YESSS!!!!! In terms of cultural confusion, this feedback request is so much needed and and greatly requested here on Connect and from Local Guides who are not on Connect @catwu.

I’m sure you will get a lot of response to your feedback request globally!

@OSAMA @HelloSamsonR @MahabubMunna @ProfArunCM @Kamalhasnainee @U-royFelixA @DavidTito @Briggs, here is your chance to provide Google Maps auto Questions feedback by Dec 1

Please share this with your fellow Local Guides in your communities.

Cheers,

Karen

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@KarenVChin wrote:

YESSS!!!!! In terms of cultural confusion, this feedback request is so much needed and and greatly requested here on Connect and from Local Guides who are not on Connect @catwu.

I’m sure you will get a lot of response to your feedback request globally!

@OSAMA @HelloSamsonR @MahabubMunna @ProfArunCM @Kamalhasnainee @U-royFelixA @DavidTito @Briggs, here is your chance to provide Google Maps auto Questions feedback by Dec 1

Please share this with your fellow Local Guides in your communities.

Cheers,

Karen

---

Thanks @KarenVChin

Will do the needful. 

[catwu]

If you could translate the question so we can identify it, that'd be awesome! 🙂

That's a good point for the elevator question. Thanks for the feedback - we'll look into it!

[ErmesT]

Here we are @catwu

This is the place :

Parco naturale Tre Cime

It is a natural geographic area, with some village inside, and the best mountains in the Dolomites, roads, paths, hotels, and so on. 

What question doesn’t seem right to you?

 The question is: there is an entrance for wheelchair? 

What place?

Parco naturale Tre Cime

What country?

Italy

What language?

Italian

What’s wrong with this question?

It is a natural geographic area, with some village inside, and the best mountains in the Dolomites, roads, paths, hotels, and so on. It is not possible to define an "entrance" 

How can we improve this question?

Being a mountain's park, maybe when can ask about a the presence of a path for wheelchair

Ermes 

[JacekNK]

Hi,

I think that question What place? is not enough.

The better question should be "What place and category?" Starbucks, Coffe shop

Because sometimes the name is not enough to properly recognize the POI on Google Maps,

especially small businesses in small towns. 

Regards,

Jacek

[ErmesT]

Right @JacekNK

But you can share a link to the place, so to have the indications of the places for which the question have been asked, with all the related information 

Ermes 

[JacekNK]

@ErmesT

But there is no information about link in the template.

So, it should be changed... Maybe for: What place (name & link)?

???

Regards,

Jacek