Hello, everyone! Are you curious about how you can influence the way businesses and places are represented on Google Maps? Wondering what perks come with being part of a community that shapes local and global maps? You’re in the right place! Today, we’re diving deep into the world of the Google Local Guide Program. We’ll explore how you can join, contribute, and benefit from sharing your unique local insights.
Whether you’re looking to add photos, write reviews, or update information, we’ve got all the tips and tricks to get you started. Let’s embark on this journey together, unlocking new levels and rewards as we go. Get ready to transform your local knowledge into a powerful tool for change and discovery!
Also read: What is Google Memory Game? How to Play It?
What is the Google Local Guide Program?
The Google Local Guide Program is a community-driven initiative that allows individuals to contribute to Google Maps. Participants in this program, known as Local Guides, enhance the Maps experience by adding reviews, photos, and information about local places.
They also answer questions, update location details, and create lists of recommendations, thereby helping millions of users discover new places and make informed decisions. Local Guides earn points and badges for their contributions, which can lead to rewards and recognition from the Google community.
This program is open to anyone with a Google account who is willing to share their local knowledge. By contributing, Local Guides help improve Google Maps’ accuracy and usefulness, making it easier for everyone to navigate and explore the world around them.
The program is structured across several levels, with higher levels offering more opportunities for engagement and rewards. Contributions that are particularly helpful for users, such as detailed reviews, high-quality photos, and accurate location information, are highly valued within the program.
Why There is a Need for the Google Local Guide Program?
Before the launch of this program, misinformation about places, routes, and other things was regularly spread, sometimes leading to significant issues. People who had correct information were unable to share their insights and reviews with the world due to the lack of a large platform for this purpose. Therefore, Google decided to launch this program to make it easier for people worldwide to solve issues with the help of others. To date, approximately 150 million volunteers have joined the program and are serving the world.
Also read: What is Google Gemini AI? Eye-Opening Revelations About Gemini You Must Know
Eligibility Criteria to Join this Program
You must meet the eligibility criteria listed below to join the Google Local Guide program.
- You must have a valid Google account.
- You must meet the minimum age criteria for participation.
- You need to sign up for the Google local guide program and agree to its rules.
Steps to Join Google Local Guide Program
To join the Google local guide program, you need to follow some steps that are mentioned here.
Step 1: Sign Up
Register with your Google account on the Google Maps website. Ensure you meet the age criteria specified in the Local Guides Program Terms and Conditions for your country.
Step 2: Get Started
Now visit the Google local guide official website and click on the button ‘Get started’.
Step 3: Fill Details
Then you need to fill in your details like name, and city, and click on “become a local guide”.
Step 3: See Your Profile
Now you have joined the Google Local Guide Program. You can see your profile, it shows your first level.
Step 4: Start Contributing
Start contributing to Google Maps by writing reviews, sharing photos, answering questions, adding or editing places, and checking facts. These contributions help improve the accuracy and quality of information available on Google Maps and support local businesses.
Step 5: Earn Points
Your contributions earn points, which can lead to various perks. The points system is designed to reward users for activities like updating information and submitting reviews on Google Maps. Different activities earn different points, such as 10 points for a review, 5 points for a photo, and 15 points for adding a new place.
You can track your points and progress on the dashboard. You can also turn on your location services manually so that Google will provide you with recommendations on your locations. But if you are not comfortable with the location then you can make it off. This is not necessary to turn on location to become a local guide.
Benefits of Participation in This Program
Participation in the Google Local Guide Program provides many benefits. Some of the benefits are mentioned here.
- There is a system to get badges that show your contributions and expertise in a specific area. With the increasing number of badges, experience also increases.
- Your profile becomes a digital portfolio of contributions as the more you contribute, the more people will see your reviews and posts.
- If you are one of the top contributors and badge holders then you could have chances to get exclusive invitations to events of Google local guides across the world.
- There are benefits of early access to get the new features of Google Maps if you are a Google Local Guide Program volunteer.
- You can also get additional storage to your Google Drive, depending on your level of Google Local Guide.
- You also can get information about your passion and also chances of getting help to achieve that.
- By reviewing and promoting local businesses, you can have a positive impact on their online visibility and success.
These are some valuable benefits of joining the Google Local Guide Program. You should go for it to get some interesting benefits for others and for you too.
Google Local Guide Levels
Various levels of the Google Local Guide Program increase with increasing points. With the increasing levels, many perks and benefits are unlocked at different levels. Here are some details of a few levels of the Google Local Guide program.
Level 1
Level 1 ranges from 0 to 4 points. As it is the first level, there are not too many perks and benefits. You receive the ‘newbie’ badge, clearly indicating that you are new to the program. Regarding the perks at the first level, you have access to the Local Guides community and Google-hosted events.
Level 2
Level 2 ranges from 5 to 49 points, as level 2 takes some time to reach. You receive the ‘Rookie’ badge as recognition. About the perks, in some cases, you could have early access to some Google products.
Level 3
Level 3 ranges from 50 to 199 points and provides a ‘Pro’ badge as recognition. In terms of perks, you receive increased storage space in Google Drive and the ability to attend exclusive Google events (if available in your area).
Level 4
Level 4 ranges from 200 to 499 points, and at this higher level, you receive an ‘Expert’ badge as recognition. Regarding perks, you do not receive anything new but gain some more extra space in Google Drive storage.
Level 5
If you have 500 or more points, you reach the 5th level, which is the highest, where you receive the highest badge of ‘Master’ as recognition. In addition to all previous benefits, you also get the opportunity to be featured on the Google Maps app as a perk.
All badges and points shown on your profile make your information more reliable to others. So, go earn points and badges to access some beneficial perks. The next section will mention the ways to earn points and badges.
Way to Earn Points in the Google Local Guide Program
Here’s a table summarizing the ways to earn points and the distribution of points in the Google Local Guide program:
| Activity | Points Earned |
|---|---|
| Write a review | 10 points |
| Write a 200+ character review | 20 points |
| Rate a business | 1 point |
| Upload a photo | 5 points |
| Tag a photo | 3 points |
| Upload a video | 7 points |
| Respond to Q&As | 3 points |
| Edit information | 5 points |
| Add a place | 15 points |
| Add a road | 15 points |
| Check a fact | 1 point |
| Publish an eligible list | 10 points |
| Write a description (in the list) | 5 points |
This is all about how many points you get after doing different tasks. Trying to get the highest point each time but also focus on a small amount of points because this program is not only about earning points but its main motive is to help people across the globe.
Badges Types in Google Local Guide Program
There are two categories of badges: the first one depends on level and the other depends on the task you mostly performed or how many times you performed to achieve the badge. Here is the table showing some common badges that you can receive.
| Badge Name | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Explorer Badge | Awarded for adding your first place on Google Maps. |
| Photographer Badge | Earned by uploading a certain number of photos to Google Maps. |
| Reviewer Badge | Given for writing a certain number of reviews. |
| Fact Finder Badge | Awarded for providing information about a place, such as opening hours or addresses. |
| Rising Star Badge | Recognizes consistent activity and engagement within the Local Guides community. |
| Expert Badge | Earned by demonstrating expertise in a specific category or location. |
| Trailblazer Badge | Recognizes those who have made substantial contributions to places that have never been reviewed before. |
Some Tips for Maximizing Your Google Local Guide Badges and Points
To achieve a higher level in Google Maps by earning points and badges, you need some tips and strategies to follow. Here are some tips that can help you to maximize your points and badges.
- Read out the guidelines and try your best to follow them to avoid violations so there will not be any point drop or merit drop for you.
- Always keep information about the places up to date to build belief in others.
- Collaborate with others in discussion, trying to join communities across the world.
- Try your best to provide genuine and accurate information as users always rely on your information among others.
- Trying to write quality reviews instead of quantity in the greed to gain faster points.
- Explore new places across the world and also come out of your comfort zone.
Conclusion
We have seen the steps to join this program and many more details about this program. You should join this program if you have some extra time then it could be a way to serve the world with your valuable information. It is one of the enhancing ways to feature on the world’s biggest top search engine brand. With it, you not only share information but sometimes you can also get benefits with others’ information. The future is also safe with this program as there is no issue going to happen with it. So you should go for it and make your surrounding people encourage you to join it.
