Get to know Google’s Local Guide program – the Benefits and Badges

If you’re looking to be active in the local community on Google, you might be interested in becoming a member of the Local Guide program! Google’s Local Guide program rewards active members for contributing content about places and things around their neighborhood and the rest of the world to Google Maps and Google Search, and it comes with some awesome benefits and badges along the way. Read on to learn more about it!

What’s Google Local Guides?

Google Local Guides is a citizen-driven organization where people share knowledge about their communities on Google Maps. The program was launched in 2016, but has since gained traction among people who want to share their knowledge with others. Anyone can sign up for Google Local Guides, as long as they are over 18 years old and have a Gmail account.

When someone signs up, they receive a digital badge that says Local Guide which is a way for them to represent themselves in public forums. With this badge, members of the community can see that the person has been vetted by Google and is an expert on local topics such as restaurants or parks.

How do you become a Local Guide?

Every day, we share our knowledge and experiences with fellow travelers on Google Maps. We report accidents, update business details, review stores, post photos of landmarks for posterity. And we contribute millions of answers to our local knowledge panel so that when people have questions about what they see on their screen (How tall is this building? What’s my route from here?), we’re there with the answer.

And then, one day you notice a badge on your profile! Maybe it says Awesome Questioner, or Photo Expert. That means you’ve done a good job contributing some type of insight or high-quality content in Google Maps for mobile. And because you’re already volunteering your time making an app better, why not make it even better? You can sign up to become a volunteer Local Guide, which is like being a resident expert for an area.

As a Local Guide, you’ll get access to early builds of new Google Maps features before anyone else does and your feedback will help shape these features as they are developed. You’ll also be able to earn points by responding promptly to messages sent through the app, reporting map problems and updates, answering questions submitted by other users through the local knowledge panels feature, submitting reviews of businesses or activities in various categories – just like any good resident would do – and taking public contributions around town! The more points you earn, the higher level you’ll reach.

Bottom Line

The best way to get involved in the local guide program is by visiting Prisma Solution blog. They have created a helpful guide on what you need to do if you would like to become a local guide. There are also some great tips on how to make the most out of this opportunity.  For instance, take advantage of your knowledge about your city and share that with others through videos or photos.

Google also offers training for those who want to learn more about their products as well as participate in other programs related to photography, writing, speaking, and editing. All these different ways allow you to engage with people who may not live close by. That’s why it’s important for those who want to apply for the local guide program not only be an expert on their city but be willing to travel too!