How to be a Street View trusted photographer while also being a Local Guide

SonyaN · ‎05-02-2019

Caption: A photo of River Muick, a river in Ballater, Scotland, covered in different sized rocks and surrounded by pine trees. (Local Guide Neil Longdin)

UPDATE (July 19, 2021): As of July 19, 2021, new enrollments into the Street View trusted program are put on hold. At this time, we do not award the trusted badge to new contributors who’ve reached the minimum number of photos for membership, and do not list new professionals on our for-hire index.

Local Guides like you are a part of a global community of people who share photos, write reviews, answer questions, add or edit places, and check facts on Google Maps. Some Local Guides are particularly passionate about sharing 360 photography. Those who’ve published more than 50 Maps-approved 360 images can also choose to be recognized by Google as certified Street View trusted photographers.

Following the latest changes to the Street View trusted program, it is no longer necessary to become a Local Guide first in order to gain the Street View trusted photographer distinction. You can now be a trusted photographer only, but if you do choose to keep your account's membership in both programs, you must follow the rules for participation of both Local Guides and Street View trusted. To gain a better understanding of these rules, we recommend that you read the following resources in full:

Street View trusted photographers who are also Local Guides cannot bundle their paid services with their Local Guides membership. To avoid breaching the Local Guides Program Terms and Conditions while being a trusted pro, follow these tips:

Avoid prohibited behaviours in the Local Guides community, such as overtly selling your services. Keep your content relevant, constructive, and positive.
Make sure your non-360 photo contributions are legitimate. For example, avoid one word reviews and content that could be perceived as spam or as bundling services.
Choose a profile photo and username that represents who you are. People want to connect with other people, not a logo or business name. Accounts with photos that are obviously branded as businesses may be flagged by the community. To see how you can update your Google account, check the "Change your username" and “Change your profile photo” section in the Gmail Help Center.

Still got questions? Feel free to reach out to the Street View trusted team on the exclusive Street View trusted Help Center here.