Ashley knows photos and videos provide context for an enriched story. With each review, Ashley finds creative ways to contribute on Local Guides Connect and Google Maps through fun "interviews" with Silly Mountain in Arizona or by "following their stomach" to the best photo opportunity. Ashley also credits the encouragement from the Local Guides community for motivating their growth and continued sharing.

What is your favorite place, experience, photo or video you contributed to Google Maps this year?
A Google Maps experience from this year that stands out to me is my visit to Lake Pleasant. This year, I drove up and fell in love again, as if seeing the lake for the first time.

My first stop was the campsites. Each campsite had under 5 reviews. Some of the reviews were outdated and there were hardly any photos. I made it a point to take clear photos of the campsites' amenities. It's rewarding to know that this detailed information could help others who want to explore these coves, campsites, and picnic areas.

What advice do you have for other Local Guides?
Timing is key. For clearer photos, one thing that helps is going to a location when it's less busy. Otherwise, your photo will end up showing a blur of faces instead of the actual location. For parks and playgrounds, you can go either early in the morning, or if your summers are hot like Arizona, you can go in the afternoon too.

What do you like most about the Local Guides community?
The supportiveness is what I like most about the Local Guides community. My first experience with the community was when my contribution points dropped in 2019. I was able to get prompt help on Connect. For other questions that came to mind, I was able to use the search bar to find similar questions. It made me happy to see that all those questions were answered.

As I became more familiar with navigating Connect, I started writing articles. I was warmed by the engagement from fellow Local Guides who sent likes and supportive comments.

What makes a place or experience worth rating/reviewing?
A place or experience is worth rating/reviewing if you've actually been there and experienced what it has to offer. This is to ensure that my contributions are quality and accurate. When I do feel it is applicable to rate/review, I prefer to include a detailed overview of my experience. With just a star rating, the viewer is unable to get the context behind why you rated it as such.

What is your favorite feature of Google Maps?
My favorite feature is reviews. I like how Google Maps not only gives us directions, but is also a one stop shop for reviews. I like how you can sort the reviews by relevance or lowest to highest and vice versa; this way, you can read the full spectrum of the good and bad. Since I found Maps reviews so helpful in my personal life, I want to help others as well by adding reviews of my experiences at locations I've visited. Our reviews can make an impact by building awareness and credibility.

Want to learn more about this incredible Local Guide? Check out their contributions on Google Maps and follow them on Connect.