Google now becomes more generous to its Local Guides. It has now increased Local Guides Levels from 5 to 10. Earlier, it was limited to 5 levels, that will be achieved once Local Guides earned 500 points. Beyond this points, there was no levels to achieve. Those who earned 500 or 5000 or 10000 or more were known as Level 5 Local Guides. This felt stagnation among Local Guides. The new level system allows reaching upto Level 10 brings more enthusiasm to each participants, more recognition, and more contributions.
What is Google Local Guides Program?
Google Local Guides Program allows you to share your knowledge about a place or spot to the world through Google Maps in order to help others who visit or wish to visit the shared places or spots. The places includes tourism spots (eg.: parks, museums, monuments, religious places and the like) hospitals, hotels, shops, offices, malls, industries or any place that public needs to reach.
According to Google Local Guides program, "Knowledge" has been divided in to 7 activities:
- Explore new places (adding new places)
- Review existing places
- Star rating to a place
- Add new photo of the place
- Answer questions about the place
- Edit / update information about a place
- Check the facts currently shown is true or false (accuracy of names, address, phone number, website address etc.)
Local Guide can perform one activity at a time or multiple activities, depending the post allows. For example, review allows to perform maximum of three activities: star rating, write review and upload photos.
Earning Points on Google Local Guides Contributions
Google Map gives individuals to become a member of a world community through Local guides program. Community members contribute their knowledge as content to Google Map and in return, member gets reward as Local Guide Points, Levels, and Badges as given below:
- Adding New Place: 15 points, subject to approval
- Adding / Sharing vidoes: 7 points (recently added this feature)
- Review on existing place: 5 points
- Adding a photo either to a place addition or along with review: 5 points
- Editing / Updating a place: 5 points
- Star Rating to a place: 1 point
- Answer questions about a place: 1 point
- Checking facts contributed by others: 1 point
Earning more points leads to reaching higher levels starting from Level 1 to Level 10. Badges shall be attached to profile photo once Local Guide reach Level 4. Additionally, there will be offers that can be claimed by higher levels Local Guides. Image given below explains how Local Guides can achieve various levels while earning points when they contribute contents to Google Map.
Level 6 to Level 10 have not been available earlier, now added by Google to have more catch from local guides particularly from existing Local Guides.
Comparison of Google Local Guides Points - New Point System Verses Old Point System
- Adding New Place: New: 15 points; Old: 1 point
- Adding Videos: 7 points; Old: n/a
- Review writing: New: 5 points; Old: 1 point
- Adding Photo: New: 5 points; Old: 1 point per place
- Editing / Updating a place: New: 5 points; Old: 1 point
- Star Rating to a place: New: 1 point; Old: part of review
- Answer questions about a place: New: 1 point; Old: no point
- Checking facts contributed by others: New: 1 point; Old: no point
The above comparison reveals that Local Guides are getting more points and can now enthusiastically reach more levels.
How to Add / Share Videos to Google Maps
This new feature allows Google Local Guides to share / add videos directly from their Android Phone or upload from previously taken videos. The maximum video length should be 10 seconds direct and 30 seconds previously recorded.
Adding videos to your existing reviews, tap on edit of a review, then tap add photo icon. Press around 10 seconds on capture button after focusing your camera where you want to show.
Type of Videos Recommended by Google
Atmosphere, exterior, features of products and services (better if each product and service capture separate video), food and drink including dishes (here also each item / dish gets separate videos) and finally personal comments and opinions as a video capture.