TraciC's post
cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

How do I use the Idea Exchange and what happens to my ideas?

Googler

Caption: An illustration of two people commenting on a website.Caption: An illustration of two people commenting on a website.Update 1/10/2023: As of January 13, 2023, the Idea Exchange will disappear from the left-side menu, but your ideas will still be visible on your Connect profile and remain in our records. You are welcome to submit suggestions and feedback about Connect and the Local Guides program in How-tos after January 13. For more information, read here

 

The Idea Exchange is a place for Local Guides to share their ideas for Google Maps, Connect, rewards, and more. You can find it on the left menu on Connect.

 

Before you submit an idea on the Idea Exchange, please review the guidelines below.

 

Search the community before submitting an idea. It’s possible that someone else has already submitted the same idea or asked the same question. If that’s the case, you can show your support by voting for that idea. If we find that your idea is a duplicate of an existing post, we will merge the two. Votes will be merged as well.
 
Be specific about your idea. To help others understand what you’re suggesting, be very clear and detailed about your idea. Also, please include only one unique feature request in each idea post. That way, other Local Guides will know exactly what they’re voting for. If you have several different ideas, create an individual post on the Idea Exchange for each of them. Posts on the Idea Exchange with more than one feature request will be closed.

 

Choose a category that’s most relevant to your idea. When posting in the Idea Exchange, you’ll need to select a category that best fits your idea.

 

Here are each of the categories you can select:

  • Connect. Use this category to share ideas specifically about the Local Guides forum.
  • Perks. What rewards would you like to see? Use this category to tell us.
  • Local Guides. Do you want new levels or more points for certain contributions? Use this category to share ideas about the Local Guides program itself.
  • Meet-ups. Have an idea that can improve the experience of hosting a meet-up? Use this category.
  • Google Maps. This category is for all ideas that are a part of your Google Maps experience such as navigation, using the timeline, editing places, and more.
  • Other. Use this for ideas that don’t belong in any of the previous categories.


Vote on your favorite ideas. The top-voted ideas will be shared with our team. So, if you’re really passionate about something, show your support by voting and commenting on existing ideas. Please note: Our team will review top-voted ideas, but not all ideas will be implemented. 


Ready to submit an idea? Here’s how:

 

  • Click Idea Exchange on the left menu on Connect.
  • Click Share your idea.Caption: A screenshot showing the “Share your idea” button on the Idea Exchange.Caption: A screenshot showing the “Share your idea” button on the Idea Exchange.
  • Select the appropriate category for your idea and give it a clear, informative name. Then, describe your idea with as much detail as possible. Please note: if you do not complete all three of these fields, you won’t be able to submit an idea.Caption: A screenshot showing a new idea draft in the Idea Exchange.Caption: A screenshot showing a new idea draft in the Idea Exchange.

      

  • Next, click Submit. Your idea will be visible to the rest of the community and will have a “Voting Open” status. Other Local Guides on Connect will now be able to comment and vote on your idea.

 

In the Idea Exchange, ideas can be in different statuses. Here’s how an idea moves through them.

 

Voting Open. Brand new ideas submitted by you and ready to be voted on. The top-voted ideas will be shared back to the team.

Needs Information. A submitted idea might need clarification or additional feedback to help us understand it. Ideas with this status will be open to the community for votes and comments to help us make a better decision.

 

In Progress. Our team has reviewed the idea and they’d like to make it a reality. Although we won’t be able to say when this will happen, we will update the idea when we can.

 

Implemented. The idea has been put into effect as a result of your submission.


Revisit Later. The idea sounds interesting, but we cannot pursue it right now. It’s possible that we can take a look at it further down the road.

 

Closed. While we appreciate all of your suggestions, sometimes it’s not feasible for us to pursue them. Ideas that contain several feature request will be closed too.

 

We’ll mark your idea as Closed if:

  • It is not an idea, is off-topic, or is not related to Google Maps or Local Guides.
  • After one month, no additional information was shared as requested by a Google Moderator
  • After three months, an idea has less than 10 votes
  • After six months, we are unable to move forward with your idea

 

Thank you for taking the time to submit your ideas! We look forward to reading them.

 

 


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!.
120 Comments
Level 9

Thanks @TraciC for this useful post 🙂

Level 10

Thank you for sharing Dear @TraciC


Best Regards
Rezgar

Level 10

Hi @TraciC 
Your post needs editing.
Many words are duplicate.


thank you @TraciC . it help a lot! 

Anonymous
Not applicable

Thank you very much.

ありがとう。

@TraciC

 

from Toyo.

Level 9

Hello @TraciC

Very helpful information, thank you for sharing.

Level 10

This is very useful board. I like the system of processing the idea. 

Level 8

Thanks @TraciC for the useful update 

Level 10

Thank you!
I immediately submitted my opinion on the Google map.

#Let's introduce your Japan with #DeepJapan hashtag. You will discover Japanese background stories.
#Let's try your native language conversation with Google Translate #UseNativeLanguage
#Enrich Google Maps with Cycling information #Bike
#lit.link/yasumikikuchi #Guiding Star 2022 Inclusive Mapper

Level 10

何か思いついたら投稿させていただきます。

Level 5

thank you

Level 9

Hello @TraciC great idea by Google thank you for sharing with us...

Hi. @TraciC

Thank you for useful information

 

I have also submitted one idea! : ) 

Level 8

Hi @TraciC, is it possible to sign up for the Idea Exchange board?

Connect Moderator

Highly appreciated @TraciC that feedback will be given about the status. This can be very motivational! Unless none reach the level 'Implemented', of course - but that is highly unlikely, as I have already noticed that some of the suggestions I read about in the past have now made it into Connect 2.0

Check out LetsGuide Podcast | #LGCTM | Please always @Mention me so I see your reply
Connect Moderator

An excellent and innovative idea! Thanks, @TraciC! I tried to access the area of LGC but unfortunately I am getting the following error:

 

lgc.jpeg

Miami, FL | My Profile | #LGMiami | #TeamPixel | #ShopSmall
Connect Moderator

@GeorgesHR @NadyaPN @FelipePK

Hello Mods! Copying you in regard to my comment above about not being able to access the Idea Exchange. I know of another Guide having the same issue as well. 

 

lgc.jpeg

Miami, FL | My Profile | #LGMiami | #TeamPixel | #ShopSmall
Former Google Contributor

Hey @SP31,

 

I am sorry to see this message. Can you please let us know if its still applicable or it is now resolved?

Please consider reading this post before sending me a Private Message - Private Messages and Google Moderators
Level 10

@GeorgesHR still happens for me too. it seems quite common. It's been like that ever since launch.

Follow Instagram & Twitter @jhender. SG updates at #singaporelocalguides. YouTube Fun with Maps
Former Google Contributor

Hey @JulienH and @SP31,

 

I will check this internally and get back to you.

Please consider reading this post before sending me a Private Message - Private Messages and Google Moderators
Connect Moderator

@GeorgesHR same as @JulienH - still happens for me.

Miami, FL | My Profile | #LGMiami | #TeamPixel | #ShopSmall
Anonymous
Not applicable

Hi @TraciC

Very informative positive approach it's an opportunity to everyone for sharing ideas what they have in their minds and once could be very hit that would make a big change 

Former Google Contributor

Hey @SP31 and @JulienH,

 

Just a quick update, this is going to take a little more time than originaly anticipated. 

 

I will update you once I have more info.

Please consider reading this post before sending me a Private Message - Private Messages and Google Moderators
Level 10

Helpful post

Ashraf_Siddik
Level 10

@GeorgesHR no problem, appreciate the update.

Follow Instagram & Twitter @jhender. SG updates at #singaporelocalguides. YouTube Fun with Maps
Level 8

Thanks @TraciC, I suggest to add a paragraph about "Email a friend" and "Advertise the idea among your contacts"

Google Moderator

Hi @TommasoV,

 

Are you suggesting an idea for Connect?

 

If so, you can head over to the Idea Exchange section. Popular ideas will be reviewed by Googlers and taken into consideration.

Due to the volume of private messages Google Moderators 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!

Level 8

Hi @DeniGu thanks for the advice, I certanely will do

Connect Moderator

Thanks for the update, @GeorgesHR!

Miami, FL | My Profile | #LGMiami | #TeamPixel | #ShopSmall
Former Google Contributor

Hello @JulienH and @SP31, you should be able to access to the Idea Exchange now. Can you please try and let me knowif it works for you? Thank you!

Connect Moderator

Hi @Atsukot! Still getting the same error 😞 

Miami, FL | My Profile | #LGMiami | #TeamPixel | #ShopSmall
Former Google Contributor

Hi @SP31, can you please try the following?

 

1) Log-out and log-in to Connect, then go to Idea Exchange.

 

If you still can't access to it:  

 

2) Clear cookies/cache, then go to to Idea Exchange.

Level 10

@Atsukot 

No go.

 

This is what I did:

1. clear cookies

2. closed chrome

3. re-opened chrome

4. logged in to LGC

5. click on IdeasExchange from left menu bar  brings me here (this landing page has always been able to open.):

lgc1.JPG

6. click on "share your ideas". Red error:

lgc2.JPG

 

Can you please ask the to check if there are any specific permissions required for viewing of posts, create or edit of posts within ideasexchange? I mean this url https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/Idea-Exchange/ct-p/IdeaExchange itself loads ok, but I don't know where to go find the existing list of submitted ideas. All I see are the two screenshots above. 

 

Same error for https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/All-Ideas/idb-p/idea

Follow Instagram & Twitter @jhender. SG updates at #singaporelocalguides. YouTube Fun with Maps
Former Google Contributor

Thank you for sharing the details @JulienH. Let us check and I will get back to you soon. Thank you for your patience!

Former Google Contributor

Hi @JulienH and @SP31, we checked on this issue. Can you please log-out and log-in to Connect, and try to access to the Idea Exchange again? Thank you!

 

Connect Moderator

It works, @Atsukot! Thank you so much!

Miami, FL | My Profile | #LGMiami | #TeamPixel | #ShopSmall
Level 10

@Atsukot works now. I can see the lists and create page. haha.

 

 

Follow Instagram & Twitter @jhender. SG updates at #singaporelocalguides. YouTube Fun with Maps
Former Google Contributor

Awesome! Thank you so much  @JulienH and @SP31. Waiting for you to share your idea with us 🙂

I'd like to connect with another local guide but cannot figure out how to do it.  For example, I'm a novice guide in the USA but want to connect with [NAME REMOVED] (real name?) who is a guide in northern Europe.  I found him via a map search, which led me to churches in northern Denmark where I am researching my family's ancestry. Can you tell us the steps to connect directly with other Local Guides who appear in Map search?  Thanks!  David Jensen

 

[GOOGLE ACCOUNT REMOVED]

Google Moderator

Hi @davidthetraveler,

 

You can't currently connect directly with another Local Guide through Google Maps. However, you can suggest this as an idea in the Idea Exchange. Popular ideas will be reviewed by Googlers and taken into consideration.

 

Please note that I've edited your message because we value everyone's privacy. Sharing yours or other people’s private information including Google Maps accounts is not encouraged.

 

Thanks!

Due to the volume of private messages Google Moderators 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!

Level 8

Super 

Level 6

Thank you for useful information

Level 8
Level 8

جيد ومفيدة .. حلو المشاركة

M.R
Level 6
Thanks for your information

nice

shamsullah shams khan khiljee
Level 8
Thank you for sharing such an amazing post it's helpful.
Bengaluru Local Guide
Level 8

That's great @TraciC

Bengaluru Local Guide

awesome... good luck