we are working for google but we don't get any advantage

[SagarDiary]

hi i am sagar google local guide 7 rank i had put my view photo and review in google for other knowledge, but in between google earn money from us but he does not give use any advantage so i am thinking to stop all update to google. what is your experience please let me know below.. 

[MortenCopenhagen]

@SagarDiary

If you expect rewards for your efforts then Local Guides isn't the best place for you. We are all volunteers. We do what we do to help Maps Users, businesses, and the community. If you get a perk then it's a bonus, not a right.

My motivation is the joy of knowing that I'm helping a lot of people and businesses. Also, making new friends here on Connect can be considered a great peek. I find it very rewarding being a Local Guide.

You can learn more about perks by reading: Questions about Local Guides perks also Why be a local guide? is worth a read.

And finally, make sure Rewards is selected in your email settings found here.

Cheers
Morten

[TeffiG]

Hey @SagarDiary I'm sorry you feel that way. 

I understand what you mean but this is a free app that has its benefits. No one is making us do anything here. It's optional and voluntary. We do not work for Google or any other company related. 

If you don't feel comfortable doing it because there are no "rewards", I suggest you to stop doing it and maybe in the future you feel like coming back.

Best wishes ✨

[ErmesT]

Sorry for responding so late, @SagarDiary 

Indeed Google Maps is expecting us to share our knowledge about places, but I find difficult to see where your unique knowledge of a place is when you tell us that:

• Shree Ram Mandir is (your review ) Shree Ram Mandir (also with a duplicate photo)
• Shree Bhaskar Gavad Maruti Mandir is (your review ) a Mandir
• A fuel Station is (your review  ) petrol pump
• IDCF Bank ATM Is (your review ) IDCF Bank ATM
• Slum Rehabilitation Authority is (your review )  : Slum Rehabilitation Authority office
• Katrap Lake is (your review)  : Lake
• Mumbai public school is (your review) school
• Dadar Street Market is (your review) market

I could add many others example, but my question is: as on January you promised to "stop all update to google" why not to stop it, instead to spam useless sentences instead of real reviews.

What is the satisfaction in trying to get banned as a spammer, @SagarDiary .?

I wrote a very long post about the meaning, and the risk, of earning money for our contributions, but my question remain the same: why to spam Maps with a so long series of violations of the program (review is only one of them).

What do you think the reactions of Google would be, if you were paid for such contributions?

In this case, being a volunteer, your only risk is to be banned, but what if you were paid? Would Google consider this a fraud, or an attempt to get money illegally?

Just curious to know your opinion

[SagarDiary]

Hello ErmesT,

Thank you for your reply, and I appreciate your concerns about my contributions as a Google Local Guide. I want to clarify my intentions and address the issues you raised.

Firstly, I want to emphasize that my efforts as a Local Guide are sincere, and I volunteer my time to contribute to Google Maps without any expectation of monetary compensation. However, I feel that Google has not provided clear guidance on how to enhance and improve my feedback effectively. I was hoping for some constructive feedback or suggestions from Google to help me provide more valuable contributions.

I take pride in my current level of eight as a Local Guide, considering it as an accomplishment. While you may be a knowledgeable expert in your own field and hold a level ten in Google, I believe that everyone should be treated fairly and equally within the Local Guide program. If Google encourages competition and incentivizes progression through levels, I would expect higher-level Local Guides to receive additional benefits or bonuses compared to those at lower levels. This is not about seeking monetary gain but rather recognizing the dedication and efforts of Local Guides.

Unfortunately, Google and its teams have not been proactive in addressing the issues faced by Local Guides like myself. We do not have direct means of contacting Google for support or guidance. It is disheartening that we encounter difficulties without proper assistance or resources.

I want to make it clear that my criticism is not directed towards you personally but rather towards Google as a Local Guide and the lack of support we receive. I believe it is crucial for Google to seriously consider and address these concerns. After working diligently for a year, I received a badge as a reward from Google, but it has been stuck in transit from Germany to India for the past three months. Additionally, I have observed Local Guides of lower levels attending Google events while I have not received any information or invitations.

Instead of constantly finding faults and focusing on mistakes, it would be more helpful if we, as Local Guides, could work together and support one another. I believe that true helpers lift others up and foster a sense of community.

I urge you to reflect on the points raised and consider the implications of our current situation as Local Guides.

Thank you for your time and understanding.

Best regards,

SagarDiary 

@ErmesT 

[MortenCopenhagen]

Hi again @SagarDiary

You requested clear guidance.

Regarding your reviews, may I suggest you read 4 Tips on writing better reviews. Where I tried to simplify the review guidelines into 4 simple questions that can help you quickly know what is wrong and how to fix them. 

Always keep the Maps users in mind. How how can we be as helpful as possible. 

Best of luck
Morten

Ps if you fix your reviews I would be happy to help you with some guidance on your photos next.

[ErmesT]

Thanks for your feedback, @SagarDiary 

Are you also a user of Google Maps? I'm asking because I'm an avid Maps user. When I have to search for something I do it in Maps, so I can see the photos uploaded by users and read their reviews. This gives me the opportunity to decide whether to go to that business or look for another one. As a user of Maps I know which of the information I find is useful to me, and consequently when I contribute I do so thinking "as a user of Maps". This is the first guideline for me: Think like a user.
Honestly, when I find reviews like the ones I highlighted in my previous answer, I get very angry, because I find them useless, a simple waste of digital space. Normally my first instinct is to report those kinds of posts, asking for them to be removed.
It is not a matter of high or low level, as level is not a guarantee of quality.

"Thinking like a user" is a basic principle for me, and I find it absurd that someone thinks that in order to contribute good content we must be motivated by Google, because we, the users, are the first to use that content.
As a Local Guide I have never received an email from Google offering me a pin, or a pair of socks, and honestly I never expected to receive them.
Sure, I attended three events in California that I applied for, and Google evidently decided that my contributions were of high quality, and I get a thank-you gift every year for my volunteer activity as moderator of this community. , and I was invited as a speaker at an official Google Earth event to talk about my (voluntary) project on social inclusion, and of course I was chosen for two years in a row as a Guiding Star, but, I repeat, as a Local Guide I have not received nothing.

However I think we all receive a lot, both in terms of the content we use (Google Maps) and in terms of the products we use for free.
Next Saturday I'm hosting a virtual meet-up in live connection with the European Meet-up. We will have around 70 Local Guides connected from all over the world.
To create the event I used Google Forms, and the data is automatically transferred to Google Sheets, to then be copied to Google Calendar to be able to make the meeting using Google Meet. All these tools I can use for free (like all of us) and I personally value it a lot. Before Maps I used a navigator for which I spent 100 € every year just to update it.

If you "think like a user" you will see that my answer is already an indication of how to contribute and how to improve. I'm sorry if you don't like my answer, but I think if you think about it for a moment you will see that there are already many indications in there, and I think this is the first point we should all reflect on.

I'm used to always being very direct in highlighting problems because in this way they are immediately clear.

After that it's up to each of us to make our own assessments, I can only show you where the problem is. Whether you want to decide to face it or not is entirely your choice.

Nothing personal