Local Guides like you host meet-ups to explore an area, try new places, and, most importantly, make great friends! Meet-ups give you the opportunity to informally get together with like-minded people from your area and around the world who are passionate about sharing their discoveries on Google Maps.
These events can be in-person, online, or hybrid. They can be as simple as checking the accessibility information of a new business or doing a virtual/in-person tour of your town. Anyone can join a meet-up and all Local Guides can host their own.
Are you interested in hosting a meet-up? Hereâs what you need to know to get started.
1. Plan
Choose a date and an activity relevant to Google Maps or the Local Guides program. You may want to choose something that will be free for all attendees in order to make the event as inclusive as possible.
Here are some ideas and inspiration for in-person meet-ups:
- Accessibility walk: Choose a route with several local businesses and attractions and update their accessibility features on Google Maps. Take photos and write reviews highlighting accessibility details to make them more prominent.
- Exploration walk: Discover a new part of town with other Local Guides while taking photos, updating business listings, and writing reviews as you go.
- Photo & video walk: Pick a scenic area and invite Local Guides to join you for a walk, taking photos and videos along the way and sharing them on Google Maps.
- Food crawl: Visit a couple of new, local restaurants or cafes and enjoy small dishes at each. Share your reviews and photos on Google Maps.
- Road or map editing session: Invite Local Guides to get together and update local business listings by using the âAdd a placeâ and âSuggest an editâ features, or fix roads on the map.
If youâre hosting a virtual meet-up, below are some ideas for you:
- Share your knowledge: Are you passionate about a specific contribution? You can talk about your experiences taking photos, editing roads, or adding accessibility information.
- Show and tell other Local Guides about your area: Use photos youâve taken or take participants on a tour of Google Maps.
- Share your passion: If you love cooking, why not host a meet-up where you prepare a meal and answer questions? This is a fun way to share about local cuisine and yourself!
- Go âhybridâ: You can virtually connect with Local Guides while doing an in-person meet-up. This can be as part of a knowledge sharing session or an opportunity to showcase your area to Local Guides living far away.
Choose a location, venue, or route if youâre meeting offline. You may need to book your venue(s) in advance, or check with the venue that itâs okay to bring a group on the date youâve selected. Once youâve picked your locations or route, create a list on Google Maps that you can share with attendees so they know where youâll be going.
Create a video meeting link if youâre meeting online or doing a hybrid meet-up. Hereâs how to create one with Google Meet.
2. Share
Create your meet-up on Connect. Click on the pencil icon and then âNew meet-upâ to share your meet-up with Local Guides on Connect. Make sure to submit your meet-up at least 5 business days before it starts and keep in mind that submissions are not reviewed on Saturdays and Sundays.
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Select the meet-up format, a tag or tags that fit your chosen activity, and the time and date (donât forget to choose the timezone, too!).
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Add the location. For virtual meet-ups, select the country from where youâll be hosting from the drop-down menu. For in-person meet-ups, use the location field to provide the street address of the venue or the meeting point.
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Name your meet-up. Itâs helpful to be clear about the focus of your meet-up in the event name. For example, âAccessibility Walkâ or âKnowledge Sharing Session.â Avoid using Google in your title so guests are aware that itâs not an official Google-sponsored event. There is no need to include the date, country, or format of your meet-up in the title as those will be added automatically by the system.
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Describe your meet-up. Tell others what theyâll do during your meet-up and why youâre excited to host it. Write original content. Do not include any personal information (like your phone number or email address) publicly. If you require personal information from the attendees, make sure to clarify that itâs needed only for the purposes of organizing your meet-up and handle it with care. Do not include a virtual meet-up link; instead, add it in the dedicated field further down the page to ensure the privacy of your event.
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Choose a banner image. The photo should be relevant to the type of meet-up youâre having. For example, if youâre hosting a Food Crawl, share a great photo of a dish you captured at a restaurant in the area youâll be exploring. We recommend using a horizontal (landscape) image with a 2:1 ratio. Please only share photos you have taken yourself or received permission to use and mention if your banner has been AI-generated to avoid confusion. Additionally, do not use the Local Guides logo, pin, or any other Google imagery in your meet-up materials.
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Add a virtual meeting link (for virtual and hybrid meet-ups). Your link will be displayed strictly to meet-up attendees and only a few hours before the meet-up starts to ensure the privacy of your event. For more tips on hosting a virtual event, check out this topic.
Promote your meet-up
- Share the link to your meet-up with friends and across social media via the Share button at the bottom of your meet-up announcement.
- Use the Invite feature to invite Local Guides by Connect username or via email to attend.
- Ask Local Guides who are planning to attend to help you spread the word.
- Donât forget to use #LocalGuides when sharing your meet-up on social media.
3. Meet
Be early. If you made a reservation at a venue, make sure everything is ready. If youâre hosting a virtual event, log in early to check your microphone, camera, and other technical details.
Introduce yourself to everyone as they join. Consider bringing name badges that Local Guides can fill out as they arrive. You can download name badge templates from here.
Facilitate introductions amongst attendees, especially for those who are attending a meet-up for the first time.
Do not use the Local Guides logo. The Local Guides logo is a Google brand identity and is reserved for official use only. Do not use the Local Guides logo, pin, or any other Google imagery in your meet-up materials. Instead, use these printable stickers.
Take lots of pictures and post them on social media using #LocalGuides.
Create a Google Photos album and share it with attendees so they can add their photos and relive the experience.
Share your recap on Connect.
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Hope this helps !
