The 21st century traveler uses the Internet as the main way to find information about places to visit, as well as establishments and restaurants to go to and enjoy a pleasant evening. Tools like TripAdvisor or Yelp! They are very popular and useful if we want to be very careful, thanks to the opinions of other users, rather than find ourselves with an unpleasant surprise. And above pay for it!
From Google they have taken note, and have integrated into Google Maps a really interesting alternative in this field. Its name is Local Guides, and here we are going to show you why it is a great substitute for the main aggregators of reviews about travel, venues, food, etc.
We will explain what exactly Local Guides is, and how you can get the most out of it through this simple guide that we propose. So, to find out what particularities this Google tool hides, stay with us for a while and we will turn you into experts. To the mess!
What is Local Guides?
As we all know by now, Google Maps gives us all kinds of information to explore the city where you are . From restaurants and shops to go to, hotels to stay in, and different attractions and places of interest that we cannot ignore.
Now, like TripAdvisor or Foursquare , Google has implemented a service within Google Maps to manage all the opinions of those users who have been to certain sites, and in this way, the rest of us can be informed in great detail .
This service is called Local Guides, and in it, the evaluations of the users who create a profile will receive a reward in the form of points so that we gradually go up in level. The idea is that when other users read our (disinterested) opinion on a site they know that we are trustworthy, since the higher our level on the platform, the greater our criteria.
Of course, this does not prevent someone from commenting on a site they have not been to, but at least Google covers its back by highlighting the profiles that they constantly review , and not just occasionally to trolling.
What is the point system and how does it work?
The best thing about Local Guides is that every time we make a contribution, we will add points to our user profile , which in turn will allow us to go up levels within the community. Sounds good right?
The first thing we will have to do is join the program through this link with a Google account. Once we accept the terms of use and create a profile, we can start collaborating with the platform .
From then on, we just have to take time and desire. From our newly created profile, we will click on the button that invites us to contribute and we will be redirected to Google Maps, where we can see a tour with all the places we have recently visited . Take advantage of this so as not to turn your head too much and start earning points.
These contributions can range from a brief review, add a photo or simply add a new site and thus further enrich the experience with Local Guides. Each of these evaluations will make us raise points to a maximum of 15 . Below we show you the amount of points you can obtain depending on the type of contribution we generate on the platform:
- Review: 10 points.
- Review with more than 200 characters: 10 extra points.
- Rating: 1 point.
- Photography: 5 points
- Video: 7 points.
- Tag photos: 3 points.
- Answer: 1 point.
- Q / A answer: 3 points.
- Edition: 5 points.
- Add site: 15 points.
- Add via: 15 points.
- Verify data: 1 point.
- Eligible published list: 10 points.
- Description: 5 points.
What advantages does it have?
Local Guides has a series of advantages for users that are worth knowing , some of which would be the following:
- Several discounts on movie rentals through Google Play.
- 3 months subscription to Google Play Music.
- Test new functionalities within Google Maps in advance.
- Participation in special events of Local Guides.
- Extra storage space on Google Drive.
Of course, these succulent benefits will only be available when we reach enough level and obtain our first badge from level 4 . The more points we earn through our contributions, the more positions we will climb. These are the necessary points to reach the different levels that they propose:
- Level 1: 0 points (no badge).
- Level 2: 15 points (without insignia).
- Level 3: 75 points (without insignia).
- Level 4: 250 points.
- Level 5: 500 points.
- Level 6: 1,500 points.
- Level 7: 5,000 points.
- Level 8: 15,000 points.
- Level 9: 50,000 points.
- Level 10: 100,000 points.
Although the first levels are easier to achieve, things get complicated from level 6. We must also bear in mind that the points and levels achieved can take up to 24 hours to update in our profile , so do not despair if you don't see results immediately.
In addition, these points do not expire, but we may lose them if we withdraw any of the previously published content, as this directly violates the platform's policies . We will have to contribute actively and constantly to achieve benefits.
As you have seen, Google Local Guides offers the most active users a series of benefits that are quite attractive, since in addition to offering and sharing real reviews with really useful contributions to the rest of the community, we will also see our little one rewarded effort .
We hope that in these short lines you have found the necessary motivation to become expert Local Guides users. So now you know, start sharing your experiences and opinions with others and score points!