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Google Local Guides Program: Earning Points and Achieving Badges

  • Last updated: April 22, 2024

What Is The Google Local Guide Program?

Launched in 2015, the Google Local Guide program is a global initiative that empowers individuals to share their unique insights and knowledge on Google Maps, thereby enhancing the richness and accuracy of Google Business Profiles (GBP) and Maps. 

With a vibrant community of over 120 million members, Local Guides contribute by writing detailed reviews, uploading vivid photos, answering user queries, and much more. These contributions not only enrich the user experience on Google Maps but also offer businesses a unique opportunity to amplify their online presence and credibility.

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How Google Local Guides Program Work

Google Local Guides is a community program where people like you and me help improve Google Maps. Here’s how it works in simple terms:

1. Joining:

You sign up with your Google account and start sharing your experiences by reviewing places, adding photos, and answering questions about locations on Google Maps.

2. Earning Points:

Every time you share something, you earn points. Things like writing a review or uploading a photo give you points that count towards your Local Guide level.

3. Levels and Rewards:

The more points you get, the higher your level. Higher levels can potentially unlock special rewards, like early access to new Google features.

4. Making Maps Better:

Your contributions help others decide where to go by providing them real, honest information about places. You can tell them what’s good, what’s not, and everything in between.

5. Helping Businesses:

When Local Guides share positive reviews and photos, it can help businesses get noticed more on Google Maps. It’s a great way to support your favorite spots.

So, being a Google Local Guide means sharing what you know about places to make Google Maps more useful for everyone. It’s about helping out others while earning cool perks along the way.

How To Join The Google Local Guides Program

Joining the Google Local Guides program is a straightforward process that opens up a world of possibilities for enhancing local search experiences. Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting started:

1. Sign Up Via Sign-up Page

Use your Google account to sign up for the Local Guides program via the official Local Guides signup page or simply click on Contribute in your Google Maps phone app.

2. Make Your First Contribution

Begin sharing your local insights by reviewing places, adding photos, responding to questions, and updating location information on Google Maps.

The Benefits of Being a Local Guide on Google

Being a local guide on Google comes with a myriad of perks that can enrich both your personal and professional life. This role empowers you to become a trusted advisor within the Google Maps ecosystem, enhancing the user experience for countless others while accruing personal benefits. So, let’s elaborate on the many rewards that come with this engaging community role:

1. Community and Social Recognition

As a local guide, your contributions help millions of users navigate and explore with confidence. Each review, photograph, or update you provide helps others to make more informed decisions. This often translates into recognition and gratitude from community members, enhancing your local reputation and fostering a sense of accomplishment.

2. Early Access to Google Features

Google values the feedback and contributions of its local guides, often rewarding them with early access to new tools and features. This not only allows you to stay ahead with the latest technology but also gives you a voice in shaping these tools through your feedback.

3. Invitations to Exclusive Events

Highly active local guides might receive invitations to events hosted by Google. These can include workshops, meetups, and conferences, offering networking opportunities with fellow guides and insights into future Google projects. Such events are invaluable for personal growth and community building.

4. Earn Points and Badges

Engagement as a local guide is gamified through points and badges, which can be both fun and rewarding. Each badge earned or level reached signifies your growing influence and dedication within the community. These symbols of achievement can enrich your digital portfolio, showcasing your commitment and expertise to potential employers or clients.

5. Sense of Community

Perhaps one of the most rewarding aspects of being a local guide is the sense of community it fosters. By connecting with other local guides, you become part of a global network of enthusiasts and professionals, all committed to improving the accuracy and utility of Google Maps.

How can I get Google Local Guide points and badges?

To begin earning points you’ll need to make contributions, and then you will be able to earn badges and rewards for your activity.

Those are some examples of activity on Google Maps that will be rewarded: 

  • Give a rating to a nearby business.
  • Write a review for a local business.
  • Share pictures.
  • Post a video.
  • Respond to a question about a place you’ve been to on Maps.
  • Ask a question or share information about a place in local search.
  • Correct information.
  • Add a place that’s not listed.
  • Verify facts.
In the Google Local Guides program, individuals earn points by contributing to Google Maps through various activities, such as writing reviews, uploading photos, and answering questions. The amount of points awarded depends on the type of contribution, with specific actions like adding a detailed review or a new place earning more points.
Contribution Points
Write a review 10
Write a 200+ character review 10
Rate a business 1
Upload a photo 5
Tag a photo 3
Add a caption to a photo 10
Upload a video 7
Answer 1
Respond to Q&As 3
Edit information 5
Add a place 15
Add a road 15
Check a fact 1

Upon reaching Level 4 and above, Local Guides earn a badge, a visual symbol of their achievements, displayed next to their name on Google Maps. These badges not only recognize the guides’ contributions but also signify their expertise and reliability to other users on the platform.

Local Guides Level Points Required
Level 1 0
Level 2 15
Level 3 75
Level 4 250
Level 5 500
Level 6 1,500
Level 7 5,000
Level 8 15,000
Level 9 50,000
Level 10 100,000

Google often talks about the advantages you get as a Google Local Guides member. It mentions that you might get special rewards from partners, but it doesn’t say what those rewards are or who the partners are. 

Right now, Google is focusing on making local search results better, and they’ll appreciate content made by real users. After the hype around Ai generated content, we’re returning to more genuine and useful experiences. So it’s entirely possible that in the future, local guides could receive some freebies or special rewards from Google’s partners.

Does The Google Local Guide Program Help With Local SEO?

The Google Local Guide program is an influential component of local search engine optimization (SEO) strategies. By contributing content to Google Maps and Business Profiles, Local Guides enhance the digital visibility of local businesses, which can indirectly boost their search engine rankings. Here’s how involvement in the Google Local Guide program can aid in improving Local SEO:

Enhanced Business Visibility

Local Guides contribute valuable user-generated content such as reviews, photos, and videos to business profiles on Google Maps. These contributions are integral to enhancing the visibility of businesses online. A business with a rich array of user-generated content will more likely appear prominent in search results, as this information assists potential customers in making informed decisions.

Increase in Trust and Credibility

Reviews and ratings provided by Google Local Guides can significantly influence the perceived trustworthiness and credibility of a business. Positive evaluations from these community-driven contributors often hold substantial weight, potentially boosting the business’s reputation and its positioning on search engines.

Direct Impact on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs)

Google’s algorithm tends to favor content that is both rich and regularly updated. By posting frequent and relevant reviews and updates, Local Guides help keep local business information up-to-date, which is a key component that search engines use to determine the reliability and relevancy of a listing.

Engagement with a Community of Influencers

Local Guides are often seen as authoritative voices in their communities. Businesses that engage with these guides and encourage them to visit and review their offerings can create essential relationships. This engagement can lead to a larger volume of high-quality, authentic contributions, further improving the business’s visibility and SEO.

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