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14 helpful tips for using Connect

Googler

Caption: A GIF that shows an illustration of Connect on a browser with a blue ribbon over it.Caption: A GIF that shows an illustration of Connect on a browser with a blue ribbon over it.

 

Welcome to the only official online community forum for Local Guides: Connect. Connect is a place for members of the Local Guides program around the world to share their experiences and to connect with other Local Guides in a single place. On Connect, Googlers participate (meet them here!), but chances are fellow Local Guides like our Connect Moderators or other Local Guides are likely to be able to answer any questions you may have.

 

Below are a few tips to keep in mind for participating on Connect.

  1. Be a good citizen. Connect is a global community, so keep these 5 core values in mind at all times.
  2. Search the community. Searching on Connect before posting will reveal a lot of interesting information. Plus, you may just find the answer to a question you have.
  3. Write a clear and attention-grabbing title. The title is the first thing people will read about your post. Be specific and descriptive so that others will want to click and learn more.
  4. Make it relevant. Be sure that what you are posting is relevant to Local Guides and the topic in which you're posting.
  5. Tell us about it. Add a description to your post telling us what makes it relevant and interesting. Adding context to your experiences make them more real and exciting.
  6. Use your preferred language. Connect is available in 33 different languages. Be sure to change your language preference if you’re not seeing Connect in the language you’d like—and remember, we’ve enabled Google Translate on each page so you can always read each other’s posts in your preferred language.
  7. Share the Google Maps link. Sharing a photo of a beautiful city or talking about a specific restaurant? Add the location of the place on Google Maps to the post and/or link to it in the body of the post. For example, every Harry Potter fan visiting London should stop by Platform 9 3/4!
  8. Add a location. If you’re talking about a specific place in your post, add the location to the post to make it easier for others to find. For example, if you’re sharing travel advice for a trip to NYC, tag “New York, New York, USA.”
  9. Add a photo. Did you know that posts with photos are 100% more interesting than posts without photos? If you upload an image, be sure to only share photos you've taken yourself or have permission from the photographer to use. If your photo contains other people, be sure they're cool with it, too. 
  10. Don't just add a photo. Tell us about the photo. Where did you take it? Why are you sharing it?
  11. Don't use any Google logos—including the Local Guides one. Those are reserved for official use only.
  12. Don't promote or share personal information. Per the Local Guides program guidelines, promotional posts of any kind are prohibited. Links to your blogs are ok from time to time, but if you are really passionate about a place you discovered or visited, consider sharing your review in the community. Never ever share your email address or phone number on a post as posts are public.
  13. Give likes. Let the author of a post know that you appreciated their post by giving them a like. Go ahead and try it right now with this post! 😉
  14. Be social. Connect with the team and fellow Local Guides on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube using #LocalGuides.

Note: 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!.
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