In the ‘career’ of a lot of local guides badges play an important role, at it seems to matter a lot if you have e.g. a level 9 badge, or a Master Photographer one, or a Totally Popular badge. In this episode we will explore which badges there are and share some tips on how to get hold of them. Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com ....
Unlike most episodes, this one does not focus on 1 specific topic, but is rather a collection of fun facts I have gathered along the way while being active as local guide. Some of those are, no doubt, things that at least some of you will already know, but others I am revealing here for the very first time. Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com ....
Early 2020 I have initiated a project called Local Guides Clean The Map (#LGCTM). The goal of the project is to remove places or contributions from Google Maps that do not or no longer belong there. How can you find those places? And what should local guides do to make sure they get removed from the map? Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com ....
This episode is not covering Google Maps as such, but another Google product: Crowdsource. To explain what Crowdsource is all about, and why you as local guide might find it very interesting, I had an interview with Crowdsource Product Manager Anurag Batra. Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com ....
In this episode we look into the contributions Local Guides can make when visiting shopping centers/shopping malls. Basically those are the same as for other places on Maps, but still there are some aspects here that require some special consideration. So let's dive into some 'Local Guide best practices' when it comes to shopping centers. Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com ....
One of the terms you come across frequently among Local Guides in their conversations on social media and on Local Guides Connect, the official forum, is ‘Connect Live’. What is it exactly and why does it create such excitement with so many Local Guides? In this episode you will find out the answer to those questions. Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com ....
One of the main activities of local guides is uploading pictures to points of interest (POI) on Google Maps. And it typically gives them a lot of satisfaction when those pictures then get a lot of views, or even get featured (shown as the main image for the POI). In today’s episode we have an interview with an expert in that subject matter: Torben Mauch (@TorM). Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com ....
Being a local guide is all about contributing to Google Maps, but at times it can be interesting to exchange information and experiences with other local guides. One of the best ways to do this is attending or even hosting so-called Meetups. In this episode you find out what these Meetups are all about and what typically goes on when local guides meet in real life. Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com ....
The way local guides can and should interact with Google Maps is constantly being updated. What has changed since the last News & Updates podcast episode? What is new? Are there updates for the topics we already covered in previous episodes? Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com .
Google Maps can be used in surprisingly creative ways. An excellent example is #EdPins, an initiative with the motto “Putting learning on the map”. In this episode we have an interview with Dale Plotzki, the man behind #EdPins – and more. Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com .
A crucial data point for each place on Google Maps is the Map Marker (or pin), the exact point where the place is located on the map. Why is that so important? What is the optimal spot to put the pins? And how can local guides help to correct errors on the current map? Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com....
To reach Level 5 as Local Guide, you need to “score” 500 points. That sounds like a lot, but it is actually perfectly possible to do that in a single day – without violating any of the rules and, most importantly, by making genuine and meaningful contributions. Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com.
The list of categories that you can use in Google Maps to classify places is designed in English and the category names are then translated into other languages. What is different about these local language categories? What should you pay attention to when using them? Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com....
The way local guides can and should interact with Google Maps is constantly being updated. What has changed since the podcast started? What is new? Are there updates for the topics we already covered? Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com.
Google provides an official platform for local guides, called Local Guides Connect. What exactly can you find there? What can local guides do there? And why should you definitely check it out? Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com.
What happens if you break the rules set by Google? Should you care about that? This episode covers the main issues that can bring Local Guides into trouble – no matter if they are breaking the rules on purpose or by accident. Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com.
The first thing you see about a point of interest (POI) on Google Maps is the name. What is the proper way to enter it? What are the best practices? What should you not do? Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com.
On quite a few places on Google Maps you will see a button 'Claim this business'. What is meant with this? How does it work? And why should all businesses do it? Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com.
Adding pictures to places on Google Maps is one of the main activities of Local Guides. But which ones should you upload? What should you pay attention to? Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com.
All places on Google Maps have a category. What exactly is this? Why are they so important? How to select the right one? Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com.
Episode 1 covers the basic information about the Google Local Guides program: What is it? Who are these Local Guides? Why do they do it? Check out the shownotes on https://www.letsguidepodcast.com . To get in touch, just send an email to letsguidepodcast@gmail.com.
