{"id":644083,"date":"2024-11-13T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-13T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/googles-local-guide-program-wins-woes-and-whats-next\/"},"modified":"2024-11-13T17:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-11-13T14:00:00","slug":"googles-local-guide-program-wins-woes-and-whats-next","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/googles-local-guide-program-wins-woes-and-whats-next\/","title":{"rendered":"#Google\u2019s Local Guide program: Wins, woes and what\u2019s next?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a277b64b8052\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a277b64b8052\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/googles-local-guide-program-wins-woes-and-whats-next\/#Is_Googles_Local_Guides_program_a_rewarding_community_initiative_or_a_flawed_system_Explore_its_successes_failures_and_ethical_dilemmas\" >Is Google\u2019s Local Guides program a rewarding community initiative or a flawed system? Explore its successes, failures and ethical dilemmas.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/googles-local-guide-program-wins-woes-and-whats-next\/#What_is_Googles_Local_Guides_program\" >What is Google\u2019s Local Guides program?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/googles-local-guide-program-wins-woes-and-whats-next\/#Key_Google_Local_Guides_moments\" >Key Google Local Guides moments<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/googles-local-guide-program-wins-woes-and-whats-next\/#What_aspects_of_Googles_Local_Guides_program_are_problematic\" >What aspects of Google\u2019s Local Guides program are problematic?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/googles-local-guide-program-wins-woes-and-whats-next\/#An_awkward_stance_on_incentives\" >An awkward stance on incentives<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/googles-local-guide-program-wins-woes-and-whats-next\/#An_erosion_of_quality_business_abuse_of_UGC\" >An erosion of quality: business abuse of UGC<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/googles-local-guide-program-wins-woes-and-whats-next\/#Motives_behind_Local_Guide_contributions\" >Motives behind Local Guide contributions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/googles-local-guide-program-wins-woes-and-whats-next\/#What_are_the_positive_aspects_of_Googles_Local_Guides_program\" >What are the positive aspects of Google\u2019s Local Guides program?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/googles-local-guide-program-wins-woes-and-whats-next\/#Has_Googles_Local_Guides_program_been_a_success_or_failure\" >Has Google\u2019s Local Guides program been a success or failure?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/googles-local-guide-program-wins-woes-and-whats-next\/#Whats_next\" >What\u2019s next?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"subhead\" itemprop=\"alternativeHeadline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_Googles_Local_Guides_program_a_rewarding_community_initiative_or_a_flawed_system_Explore_its_successes_failures_and_ethical_dilemmas\"><\/span>Is Google\u2019s Local Guides program a rewarding community initiative or a flawed system? Explore its successes, failures and ethical dilemmas.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"bialty-container\">\n<p>Is becoming a local guide worth the investment of your time and energy? <\/p>\n<p>As we <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>roach the 10th anniversary of this major Google program, evaluating its successes and failures will help you answer this question for yourself.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-google-s-local-guides-program\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Googles_Local_Guides_program\"><\/span>What is Google\u2019s Local Guides program?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Google\u2019s <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/maps.google.com\/localguides\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Local Guides program<\/a> is an open-source project that allows contributors, officially called \u201cLocal Guides,\u201d to upload photos, answers, reviews, edits and other content to Google Maps and related Search products in exchange for benefits, including points and perks.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-key-google-local-guides-moments\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Google_Local_Guides_moments\"><\/span>Key Google Local Guides moments<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>2015<\/strong>: Google <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/2015\/01\/15\/google-replacing-city-experts-with-local-guides-program\/?ref=nearmedia.co\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rolls its City Experts into its new Local Guides program<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>2016<\/strong>: Google <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/2016\/03\/01\/google-incentivizes-local-guides-with-gamefication-and-kudos\/?ref=nearmedia.co\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">gamifies the program<\/a> by offering Local Guides points in exchange for activities like photo uploads and listing edits and perks like one terabyte of free storage; 5 million users signed up to be Local Guides within this first year.<\/li>\n<li><strong>2019<\/strong>: Within four years of launching, Google\u2019s Local Guides program attracted 120 million members in 24,000 global locations.<\/li>\n<li><strong>2023<\/strong>: <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/local\/blog\/google-local-guide-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">150 million Local Guides<\/a> had signed up to participate.<\/li>\n<li><strong>2024<\/strong>: Google <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.localguidesconnect.com\/t5\/Highlights\/Happy-8th-birthday-Local-Guides-Connect\/ba-p\/3777902\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">celebrates the 8th anniversary of its Local Guides Connect website<\/a> and forum, designed to bring Local Guides together and promote the program\u2019s achievements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Google has successfully engaged millions of people worldwide over the past decade with its Local Guides program. <\/p>\n<p>With 150 million active participants, the program shows how appealing it is to earn rewards by contributing to Google\u2019s local information. <\/p>\n<p>The greatest rate of participant growth was in the three years following the launch of perks, but the program continues to bring in new users.<\/p>\n<p>You can read more about the program in <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/maps\/answer\/6225846?hl=en-GB#:~:text=Local%20Guides%20is%20a%20global,and%20how%20to%20get%20there.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google\u2019s documentation<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-aspects-of-google-s-local-guides-program-are-problematic\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_aspects_of_Googles_Local_Guides_program_are_problematic\"><\/span>What aspects of Google\u2019s Local Guides program are problematic?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-an-awkward-stance-on-incentives\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"An_awkward_stance_on_incentives\"><\/span>An awkward stance on incentives<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>While the Local Guides program is undeniably popular, local SEO practitioners pointed out an emerging gray area when Google began incentivizing contributions to the system in 2016. <\/p>\n<p>Most significantly, it\u2019s been Google\u2019s long-standing policy that local business reviews should never be incentivized. The <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/contributionpolicy\/answer\/7400114?hl=en#zippy=%2Crestricted-content\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u201cProhibited and restricted content\u201d policy<\/a> expressly forbids:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cContent that has been posted due to an incentive offered by a business \u2013 such as payment, discounts, free goods and\/or services.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Google wants this to be understood as a restriction on local business owners offering people gifts, free meals, coupons and other perks in exchange for reviews.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>However, unless Google does not consider itself a \u201cbusiness,\u201d it appears to be violating its own guidelines by enticing Local Guides with bonuses as a reward for reviews and other contributions.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Some see no problem with this scenario, but others find the dynamic uncomfortable because it feels inconsistent that Google incentivizes review content while telling business owners never to do so.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-an-erosion-of-quality-business-abuse-of-ugc\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"An_erosion_of_quality_business_abuse_of_UGC\"><\/span>An erosion of quality: business abuse of UGC<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The concern about providing incentives for user-generated content (UGC) is that it can lead to a decline in the overall quality of that content. <\/p>\n<p>Local business owners are real people. Their companies serve real-world communities.<\/p>\n<p>It can be worrisome to see an entity as dominant as Google treat brick-and-mortar and service area business brands (and the livelihoods they represent) like a video <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a> where players earn points. This approach to actual reality strikes some observers as out-of-touch, immature or even arrogant.<\/p>\n<p>Look at the following collage and ask yourself whether the Local Guides here made these contributions to the Google Business Profile Q&amp;A sections of multiple businesses to whip up some points or to genuinely benefit a neighbor and a community:<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" alt=\"Local guides program unhelpful reviews\" class=\"wp-image-448213\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Local-guides-program-unhelpful-reviews.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Local-guides-program-unhelpful-reviews-600x338.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Local-guides-program-unhelpful-reviews-800x450.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Local-guides-program-unhelpful-reviews-200x113.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Local-guides-program-unhelpful-reviews-768x432.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Local-guides-program-unhelpful-reviews-1536x864.png 1536w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Local-guides-program-unhelpful-reviews.png.webp\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Local-guides-program-unhelpful-reviews.png.webp\" alt=\"Local guides program unhelpful reviews\" class=\"wp-image-448213\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Local-guides-program-unhelpful-reviews.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Local-guides-program-unhelpful-reviews-600x338.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Local-guides-program-unhelpful-reviews-800x450.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Local-guides-program-unhelpful-reviews-200x113.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Local-guides-program-unhelpful-reviews-768x432.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Local-guides-program-unhelpful-reviews-1536x864.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>At first, it seems mysterious that people who don\u2019t know the answers to questions about local businesses are spending so much time providing non-answers to their neighbors.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It becomes clearer when one notes that all of the responses in the above screenshots originate from Google\u2019s Local Guides, who are gaming for points and perks. <\/p>\n<p>These non-answers help no one \u2013 and Google\u2019s product quality suffers from them.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, even a brief investigation of other Google Business Profile features surfaces similar pollution. Local Guides are uploading questionable reviews, poor-quality photos and useless answers on the profiles of millions of businesses.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Providing incentives for creating content seems to go against Google\u2019s emphasis on producing helpful content, even if Google itself isn\u2019t the author. It\u2019s also true that any review content, regardless of whether it\u2019s incentivized, can be completely unhelpful.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-motives-behind-local-guide-contributions\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Motives_behind_Local_Guide_contributions\"><\/span>Motives behind Local Guide contributions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Many Local Guides volunteer because they genuinely want to contribute positively to the communities where they live or <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">travel<\/a>. They have a sincere interest in mapping applications and a desire to promote great nearby businesses.<\/p>\n<p>However, a significant number of participants are using their free time to exploit the system for personal gain. <\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a bit perplexing, given that none of Google\u2019s rewards could be considered extravagant. It takes quite a bit of time to write even nonsensical answers and reviews, and it can be hard to imagine having so much time on your hands that you\u2019d spend hours spamming a platform in hopes of an unguaranteed pair of socks.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>When the player\u2019s motivation is praiseworthy, helpful content can benefit real-world communities. But Google\u2019s motivation for turning hospitals, food banks, financial institutions and other vital local resources into a kind of \u201cCandy Crush Saga\u201d or \u201cStardew Valley\u201d may deserve further scrutiny, especially when we look at the impact of this attitude on both human searchers and SERP quality.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-the-positive-aspects-of-google-s-local-guides-program\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_positive_aspects_of_Googles_Local_Guides_program\"><\/span>What are the positive aspects of Google\u2019s Local Guides program?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re considering whether to \u201cget with the program,\u201d it may help to look at these examples, drawn from <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Reddit<\/a>, of why some people sign up to become Local Guides:<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"741\" height=\"115\" alt=\"Reddit user on becoming a Local Guide - 1\" class=\"wp-image-448214\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-1.png 741w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-1-600x93.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-1-200x31.png.webp 200w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 741px) 100vw, 741px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"741\" height=\"115\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-1.png\" alt=\"Reddit user on becoming a Local Guide - 1\" class=\"wp-image-448214\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-1.png 741w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-1-600x93.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-1-200x31.png.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 741px) 100vw, 741px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"674\" height=\"211\" alt=\"Reddit user on becoming a Local Guide - 2\" class=\"wp-image-448215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-2.png 674w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-2-600x188.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-2-200x63.png.webp 200w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 674px) 100vw, 674px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"674\" height=\"211\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-2.png\" alt=\"Reddit user on becoming a Local Guide - 2\" class=\"wp-image-448215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-2.png 674w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-2-600x188.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-2-200x63.png.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 674px) 100vw, 674px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"431\" height=\"78\" alt=\"Reddit User On Becoming A Local Guide 3\" class=\"wp-image-448216\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-3.png 431w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-3-200x36.png.webp 200w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 431px) 100vw, 431px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"431\" height=\"78\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-3.png\" alt=\"Reddit User On Becoming A Local Guide 3\" class=\"wp-image-448216\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-3.png 431w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-3-200x36.png.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 431px) 100vw, 431px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"747\" height=\"112\" alt=\"Reddit user on becoming a Local Guide - 4\" class=\"wp-image-448217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-4.png 747w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-4-600x90.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-4-200x30.png.webp 200w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 747px) 100vw, 747px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-4.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"747\" height=\"112\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-4.png\" alt=\"Reddit user on becoming a Local Guide - 4\" class=\"wp-image-448217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-4.png 747w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-4-600x90.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-4-200x30.png.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 747px) 100vw, 747px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"738\" height=\"156\" alt=\"Reddit user on becoming a Local Guide - 5\" class=\"wp-image-448218\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-5.png 738w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-5-600x127.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-5-200x42.png.webp 200w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 738px) 100vw, 738px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-5.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"738\" height=\"156\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-5.png\" alt=\"Reddit user on becoming a Local Guide - 5\" class=\"wp-image-448218\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-5.png 738w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-5-600x127.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Reddit-user-on-becoming-a-Local-Guide-5-200x42.png.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 738px) 100vw, 738px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>These reasons can be grouped into a few key motivations:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It\u2019s a fun hobby.<\/li>\n<li>Community value.<\/li>\n<li>Personal bragging rights.<\/li>\n<li>Promote local hidden gems.<\/li>\n<li>A reason to practice photography skills.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If any of these stories resonate, you might make a good Local Guide and experience personal satisfaction from participating.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Local SEO Mike Blumenthal\u2019s biographic <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nearmedia.co\/confessions-of-a-local-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Confessions of a Local Guide<\/a> details his love\/hate relationship with the program (and with Google Maps in <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a>).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>On the one hand, there\u2019s the excitement of going to a new town and photographing its antique shops while his wife is browsing. On the other hand, there\u2019s his frustration that even his worst photos would be accepted by Google, downgrading results quality.<\/p>\n<p>He even hints at how the program could lead to extortion, and there are some slippery slope conversations like this one from Reddit:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cYou can monetize your work as a Google local guide. There is a whole marketing space for that. Many businesses look for local guides to help them on various marketing related activities on Google maps. Look for local SEO groups on Facebook and you will see.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Some examples: some bad actors spam businesses with fake reviews, clearly fake but Google won\u2019t take them down and it\u2019s lowering a business rating. Local guides could mark those reviews as non-helpful and Google removed them. You get compensated by the business or marketing agency providing services to that business.<\/p>\n<p>Another one is recommending business name changes. There are some businesses that play the SEO game where they change their business name to add keywords in it. That is against Google guidelines but Google is very slow to change that. Local guides can request a change in names. You may be compensated by the marketing agency running competitor businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The main lesson here?<\/p>\n<p>Google Local Guides often enjoy the experience if they think of it as helping people without any need for a reward.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-has-google-s-local-guides-program-been-a-success-or-failure\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Has_Googles_Local_Guides_program_been_a_success_or_failure\"><\/span>Has Google\u2019s Local Guides program been a success or failure?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Many countries have moved from using traditional phone books to online mapping apps and search to find nearby resources. <\/p>\n<p>One way to measure success is by checking if Google\u2019s packs, Maps and other local tools provide enough information to connect people with local businesses. <\/p>\n<p>Using this yardstick, it\u2019s clear that the world\u2019s 150 million Local Guides have significantly contributed content that searchers can easily discover.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Google has unquestionably succeeded in attracting a massive membership to this program over the past decade. <\/p>\n<p>Many individuals get a sense of personal accomplishment and community from this initiative and offer valuable help to neighbors and local business owners. <\/p>\n<p>Seen in this light, the entire venture has tons of merit.<\/p>\n<p>When we try to use that same ruler to measure quality, the program\u2019s shortcomings become apparent. <\/p>\n<p>The ethical questions of whether it\u2019s right to incentivize GBP content or to treat real-world businesses as the building blocks of a game should be further explored. <\/p>\n<p>After all, your hometown shouldn\u2019t be confused with a Monopoly board. Nor should users\u2019 YMYL search queries be answered by trolls simply fooling around with local business listings.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-s-next\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Whats_next\"><\/span>What\u2019s next?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Ten years in, perhaps we can see that Google\u2019s experiment can legitimately be viewed as both a success and a failure. I am curious about what they will do next with the program. <\/p>\n<p>As a long-time local business advocate, I\u2019d like to see the gamification reconsidered and the Local Guides program continue.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"about-author\">\n<p>About the author<\/p>\n<div class=\"information\">\n<div class=\"author-module\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-3 text-center\">\n<div class=\"avatar\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid rounded-circle avatar-border\" alt=\"Miriam Ellis\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Miriam-Ellis.jpg.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid rounded-circle avatar-border\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Miriam-Ellis.jpg.webp\" alt=\"Miriam Ellis\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-9\">\n<div class=\"about\">\n<div class=\"name\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<strong>Miriam Ellis<\/strong>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"row g-2 pt-2\">\n<div class=\"col-auto twitter\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/follow?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fsearchengineland.com%2F&amp;region=follow_link&amp;screen_name=Miriam_Ellis_&amp;tw_p=followbutton&amp;variant=2.0\" rel=\"me\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"opens in a new tab\"><i class=\"fab fa-x-twitter\"><\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-auto\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/miriam-ellis-93855025a\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"opens in a new tab\"><i class=\"fab fa-linkedin\"><\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\tMiriam Ellis is a local search columnist and Subject Matter Expert who has been working in the industry since 2004. She is the founder of Miriam Ellis Consulting, offering content development and local SEO consulting to major local search marketing brands and publications. She was the long-time Local Search Scientist for Moz and is currently partnering with respected brands like Semrush, Whitespark, and GatherUp. She has been formally recognized in Lidia Infante&#8217;s annual report as the most prolific writer in the second-most specialized topic in the industry, and is an avid local business advocate. Miriam is also an <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.miriamellis.com\/\">award-winning fine artist and published illustrator<\/a>. Connect with her on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/miriam-ellis-93855025a\/\">Linkedin<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/follow?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fsearchengineland.com%2F&amp;region=follow_link&amp;screen_name=Miriam_Ellis_&amp;tw_p=followbutton&amp;variant=2.0\">Twitter<\/a>.\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Technology<\/a><\/span> category.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/google-local-guides-program-wins-woes-what-next-448210\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is Google\u2019s Local Guides program a rewarding community initiative or a flawed system? Explore its successes, failures and ethical dilemmas. Is becoming a local guide worth the investment of your time and energy? As we approach the 10th anniversary of this major Google program, evaluating its successes and failures will help you answer this question&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":644084,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/11\/Googles-Local-Guides-program-at-10-A-game-changer-or-just-a-game-800x450.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[73759,139156,78070],"class_list":["post-644083","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-google-maps","tag-local","tag-seo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/644083","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=644083"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/644083\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/644084"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=644083"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=644083"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=644083"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}