Share your best tips for other Local Guides in the New Year here

[TINA]

This isn't a tip (as such) it's more an observation. I think it's important for people especially Google Guides to be totally honest when reviewing a place like you would a product......

[GODFREYI]

Quiero mandar un saludo desde Cali, Valle, Colombia!

Es genial poder compartir los lugares que me gustan y que se ayudaran a tener momentos maravillosos a otras personas. O simplemente podrán tomar la decisión de asistir a un lugar gracias a mis opiniones.

Un abrazo a todos!

[AdamA]

Always put yourself in the shoes of people reading your reviews.  For example, I try to add in useful tidbits like how fast internet speed is at hotels, deviations from typical recipes at restaurants, hard-to-find items that might be for sale there, or details (good or bad) that might be important to us as consumers but not appreciated as important to advertise by a business.  I also try to be as succinct as possible; when I'm pouring through reviews to decide what my best option is, I don't want novels - I want bullet points.  For pictures, try to shoot for high yield.  I tend to take panoramics to include as little dead space as possible, trying to fit in any pertinent details that would affect someone's decision to visit that location.

Hope this helps, and happy posting!

Adam

[StephanieB]

Take a little time each day to do your guide duties and you'll level up pretty quick. Also remember you can jump all over the map reviewing places you've traveled not just your local area!

[BarryG]

I am definately addiing "bombasticness" to my local guides vernacular!

[Hope julieG]

Im new to this but like to help small business take off my family's started very small with a wedding hire company now a multi million dollar tow truck company in saying thats its my family's business not mine BUT ive watched and learning alot from my family's business attitudes towards ppl customer service and many other things i will only review or add pics 4 a business that is trying to give best food or what ever service they provided so everyone pls review small businesses they need us no1 can becomes big in biso without customers tellin ppl about them and their product goodluck google maps 4 futures 

My kids noah hope and maddalyn we love to go out really we went to a small pub in my sons area top food top ppl

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@BellaW wrote:

As Local Guides, you’re the explorers who share daily discoveries on Google Maps, from reviewing great lunch picks to photographing lesser known parks and other beautiful finds near you. While connected by a mission to make it easier (and tastier!) to navigate the world, each of you contributes in your own way. To celebrate all these efforts and kick off 2017, we’re compiling a list of your best tips from the past year.

On this post, share your insights into:

• Taking great photos
• Writing helpful, detailed reviews
• Adding hidden or great new places
• Answering questions
• Tracking down missing and incorrect information (editing a place)

Feel free to add anecdotes and inspiring stories about any of your favorite local finds and give kudos to anything added here that you find helpful

p.s. Check out our in-house photo expert @AnnaDickson’s tips on how to upload great photos to Google Maps.

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[Josephr]

I would love to do nothing but inputting information and correcting data on your map. I don't think I would ever run out of things to do. Are you guys hiring??? One reason Google maps should hire me is due to the fact that I love maps lolz.

[RyanC]

For taking photos:

*Use a dSLR if possible

*When a tourist, after/before taking photos with family or friends, take a couple of photos without your people.

*Take photos multiple photos from different angles and if possible different times of the day, close ups, indoor areas, etc.

*Try not to submit identical photos of what is already posted unless your photo is of much better quality. With 100 copies of the Washington monument for example, why bothering adding 101 (especially if poor quality cell phone pic).

*Take pride in your submissions.

[Hope julieG]

Id like to do the same i love reviews in my great land of Australia im a proud Australian and I am new to this yes but im intersted in working for google maps  too