The Google Local Guides program is a global community of users who contribute to Google Maps by sharing their knowledge and experiences about local businesses and places. This program allows companies to engage with users to support marketing activities, build brand reputation, manage online reviews and ratings, and improve online search visibility.
While the impact of Local Guides on brand reputation management depends on the quality and quantity of their contributions, businesses can leverage the program to enhance their online presence and manage their reputation effectively.
Understanding the Google Local Guide Program
The Google Local Guides program is a Google initiative that encourages users to contribute information about local businesses, attractions, and places. Local Guides share their insights by writing reviews, adding photos and videos, updating business information, and answering questions on Google Maps.
By making these contributions, Local Guides earn points and unlock different levels within the program. Each level comes with unique perks and Google Local Guide benefits, such as early access to new Google features, exclusive events, and special promotions or discounts.
The primary goal of the program is to improve the accuracy and completeness of local business information on Google Maps, fostering a community of users passionate about sharing their experiences. Ultimately, Local Guides enhance the overall quality of information, making Google Maps more useful and reliable for users worldwide.
How to Become a Google Local Guide
Becoming a Local Guide is simple and open to anyone with a Google account. To start contributing, you can download the Google Maps app on your mobile device or access it through a web browser. Here’s how to join the program:
- Open Google Maps and sign in with your Google account.
- Tap the three horizontal lines in the top-left corner to open the menu.
- Scroll down and select “Your contributions.”
- Tap “Join Local Guides” and follow the instructions to sign up.
Alternatively, you can sign up by visiting https://maps.google.com/localguides/.
To earn points and enjoy Google Local Guide benefits, you can rate places, write reviews, share photos and videos, answer questions, submit edits to update business information, add missing places, or verify information by checking facts.
It’s important to note that the Local Guides program is for individuals, not businesses. Contributions from business pages will not count toward Local Guide levels or benefits.
Google Local Guide Benefits and Perks Explained
Local Guides earn points for every contribution they make on Google Maps. The more points accumulated, the higher their Local Guides level. Here’s a breakdown of the types of contributions and the corresponding points:
- Review: 10 points per review
- Review (more than 200 characters): 10 bonus points per review
- Rating: 1 point per rating
- Photo: 5 points per photo
Alt text: A person uploading images to Google Maps as a Google Local Guide, showcasing a visual contribution to the platform.
- Photo tags: 3 points per tag
- Video: 7 points per video
- Caption (In photo update): 10 points per caption
- Answer: 1 point per answer
- Respond to Q&As: 3 points per response
- Edit: 5 points per edit
- Place added: 15 points per place added
- Road added: 15 points per road added
- Fact checked: 1 point per checked fact
Levels range from 1 to 10, and higher levels unlock additional Google Local Guide benefits. At Level 4, users unlock their first Local Guides badge, increasing the visibility of their contributions.
Google Local Guide benefits and perks include early access to features and services on Google Maps, discounts on Google products, invitations to exclusive events, parties, and meetups, eligibility to test new Google products and services before their public release, and thank-you gifts for high-quality contributions. Some Local Guides even receive additional Google Drive storage as a perk.
How Local Guides Contribute to Local Business Listings
Google Local Guides contribute to the accuracy and completeness of local business information on Google Maps, helping users find what they need while supporting businesses by enhancing their discoverability and search visibility.
Local Guides play a crucial role in making Google Maps, an important business discovery platform, more effective.
By actively participating, Local Guides enhance the quality of information available on Google Maps, benefiting both businesses and users looking for reliable and accurate details about local establishments. The program relies on Local Guides to keep local business listings (officially called Google Business Profiles) comprehensive and helpful.
The Impact of Google Local Guides on Reputation Management
The contributions made by Local Guides can significantly impact your online reputation management strategy. Here’s how the program affects businesses, regardless of size and category:
Detailed Reviews and Ratings
Positive reviews from Local Guides can improve your brand reputation, while negative feedback can deter potential customers. Local Guides’ reviews and ratings often appear at the top of listings due to their detailed nature, including photos and videos. These reviews contribute to the overall star rating on Google Business Profiles and Maps listings, influencing potential customers.
Alt text: A brand scorecard highlighting key performance indicators, indicating areas of brand strength and weakness.
Online Search Visibility and Exposure
Google Business Profiles with a steady stream of positive reviews and detailed information from Local Guides may experience increased visibility on Google Maps and other Google services, attracting more potential customers. Businesses that engage with Local Guides may also see higher levels of user engagement on their Google Maps profiles, encouraging interactions like asking questions, getting directions, and booking appointments.
Brand Trust and Credibility
User-generated content from Local Guides can build brand credibility and trustworthiness. Users often rely on reviews from real customers to make informed decisions. Having user-generated content on your Google Business Profile, rather than solely promotional brand content, can inspire greater consumer trust and confidence.
Local SEO Impact
Content from Local Guides, including reviews, photos, videos, answers to Q&As, and image captions, can positively impact your business locations’ search engine optimization (SEO) performance. More detailed and positive content from Local Guides can improve your ranking in local search results.
Community Building
Brands that actively engage with the Local Guides community can foster a sense of community support. This engagement can lead to more positive interactions with customers and potentially create brand advocates within the Local Guides community.
Customer Experience Management
While positive reviews are beneficial, negative reviews from Local Guides offer valuable customer feedback for identifying areas for improvement. Responding to reviews, especially constructive criticism, demonstrates a proactive approach to addressing customer concerns. Unsolicited feedback from vocal customers can provide valuable insights into how to deliver better customer experiences.
How to Attract Google Local Guides to Your Business
Spotting a Local Guide in person can be challenging. The key is to treat all customers exceptionally, working to exceed their expectations and deliver great experiences.
Here are some strategies for engaging with Google Local Guides:
- Manage your Google Business Profile: Ensure your Business Profile has correct, complete, and up-to-date business information, including the business name, address, operating hours, and phone number.
- Respond to reviews: Respond to reviews promptly. According to research, 53% of customers expect a review response within 7 days, but 63% say they never hear back from a business. Timely responses can immediately improve consumer perception.
- Avoid incentivizing or buying reviews: Contributions should be organic. Buying Google reviews or creating incentivized, fake reviews violates Google’s review policy and can lead to penalties.
- Publish Google Posts: Use Google Posts to attract more customers and signal to Google that your business is active and engaged. Regular updates keep your profile fresh, complete, and relevant.
- Analyze Local Guides’ feedback for insights: Use candid, detailed feedback from Local Guides to gain a complete picture of the customer experience. Focus on gathering actionable insights and addressing challenges based on the available information.
In Conclusion: Leveraging the Google Local Guide Program
Understanding and capitalizing on content generated by the Google Local Guide program can give your company a competitive edge. By actively engaging with Local Guides, businesses can build a stronger brand reputation, improve search visibility, and leverage customer experience insights to drive growth and success.
