Local Experts is a free Google Maps service that allows anyone to post photos, reviews, and more. The idea is for local experts to help improve Google Maps by keeping users informed about businesses with real-life reviews based on their personal experiences.
The more active you spend your time, the more points you get. Points allow you to progress from level 1 to level 10. Anyone who sees your reviews, photos, answers, etc. on Google Maps can see your current level, which can increase the credibility and credibility of your contribution.
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What you can offer
The Local Expert Program allows you to provide nine types of information, each with a specific reward:
- Reviews: 10 points; 10 more for reviews over 200 words
- Photos: 5 points
- Answers: 1 point
- Videos: 7 points
- Ratings: 1 point
- Editing: 5 points
- Seats: 15 points (for places and roads)
- Fact checking: 1 point
- Questions & Answers: 3 points
What you get as a local guide
Being a local expert isn’t just about providing your community with valuable insights. You also get early access to Google features and special perks from Google partners.
In addition to these benefits, the Local Expert comes with badges and recognition from other users. The more you deposit, the more points you earn, which can be seen by other users by viewing your profile on Google Maps.
For example, if someone sees your review or views your uploaded photos, they will see your level next to your name. You can think of it as a plaque.
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The badge assigned to your profile and the level you can achieve depends on the number of points you earned:
- Level 1: 0 points
- Level 2: 15 points
- Level 3: 75 points
- Level 4: 250 points with a badge
- Level 5: 500 points with a new badge
- Level 6: 1500 points with a new icon.
- Level 7: 5.00 points with a new badge
- Level 8: 15,000 points with a new badge
- Level 9: 50,000 points with a new badge.
- Level 10: 100,000 points with the highest score
How to contribute to Google Maps
All you need to become a guide and add information to Google Maps is a Google account. Visit the local experts page and select JOIN LOCAL GUIDES to get started. Enter your city and confirm the details you see there, then select REGISTER.
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After creating an account, go to the Google Maps website or open the mobile app.
At the moment, there are several ways to use local experts. You can manually find the places you’ve been and then go to answers to questions people might have, post photos, view facts, add places, etc. And / or you can enable location services on your phone. so that when leaving a place, Google Maps may prompt you to update it with photos, reviews, etc.
To contribute to Google Maps at any time, find a place that you are familiar with or has information that will be useful to Google Maps users. You can enter the address in the text box at the top of Google Maps to find a business.
Tip. To select location services, you need to make some changes. Visit the local experts page in your account and select INCLUDE LOCATION HISTORY for more information.
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To rate a place or write a review on Google Maps, scroll down to the Review Overview section and select Write Review. Remember that any review with more than 200 words will double your points.
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Selecting an initial rating is as easy as picking one of the one to five stars on the review page. You can even rate a company without leaving reviews.
Photos are just as easy to add to Google Maps. Find this section next to reviews and select Add photo. You can add images from your computer or device, or from Google Photos.
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Fact checking through your Local Experts account is done on the Google Maps Contribute page. Select Check Facts to start checking information provided by other people. You will be shown detailed information about the area you are viewing on Google Maps; move the center point of the map to find other places to check the facts.
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When you’re viewing a place on Google Maps, you can select Suggest Editing to request a change to something. You can change the company name, opening hours, location or other basic details, and even remove the location entirely if it is closed or duplicated.
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Answer questions about places on Google Maps to make it easier for people to know what you can and cannot expect from a place. You may be asked what products the grocery store offers, if there is a wheelchair ramp, if parking is free, if bathrooms are available for everyone, if it is suitable for children, etc.
To answer these questions, find the ENABLE area, for example, in the Google Maps app on your mobile device, and then tap Answer Placement Questions.
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Questions and Answers are questions that Google Maps visitors ask about a place. Someone might ask if the restaurant you visited has a bar, is there a truck park, what is the price of tickets, etc. These questions usually come from the mobile app, so you will probably only see them here.
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Add a missing location to Google Maps from your computer by right-clicking an area on the map and choosing Add Missing Location. You will be presented with a new form to fill out, which is very similar to the form used to edit a location, but this time you add all the new information.
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Check progress and change settings
At any time, you can follow your progress in the score ranking on the local experts home page.
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Another way to check your contribution is on the Your Experiences page in the Google Maps menu on your phone or computer. This is where you’ll find the latest reviews, photos, edits, and more that you’ve added to Google Maps.
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To make changes to your Local Experts account, such as turning off privilege information, stop receiving notifications of contributions, and more, visit the Local Experts Settings page. Likewise, you can exit the local expert program.
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