5 Reasons You Should Join Google Local Guides

Are you a traveller or an explorer who likes helping others find the best spots in town, and making new friends around the world?

If yes, I personally recommend you to join a new Google's community program, Google Local Guides, which was publicly announced in the blog post on November 13, 2015.

Local Guides is a global community of explorers who share photos, answer local questions, add or fix places, and write reviews on Google Maps. Millions of people rely on contributions like yours to decide where to go and what to do.

If you are asking me any reasons to join this Google Local Guides? For me, I have five reasons to join:

1. Contribute to society 

Since I have known the power of Google Maps, I always use it for my travel and then I have been starting to contribute in order to promote the local places thru adding new places, photos, reviews, and editing information, mostly in Cambodia, to the world. Helping others mean you help your society too.

2. Help others find the best places

As a local guide, I can help other people find where to go and what to do based on my own experiences, and not only I always help others but also they can help me find the best new places that I will plan to go and to do. Millions of people rely on contributions like mine to decide where to go and what to do.

SEE ALSO: Google's Year in Search 2015

3. Get benefits from Google

Once you sign up, every place you contribute to in Google Maps earns you points towards unlocking something new—from early access to new products to exclusive contests and events (Local Guides Level 5 Summit etc.), bonus Drive storage, and more. Honestly, I am one of level 5 local guides in Cambodia, so those benefits I had already - it's your turn!.

You can earn points and level up (level 1 to 5) by writing reviews, uploading photos, adding new places, fixing outdated information, and answering simple questions. Each contribution type is worth one point, so you can earn up to five points per place. Read more on the official help.

4. Make new friends
Thousands of people joining the community at everywhere Google Maps is available. Due to the recent introduction to new community forum for local guides, Local Guides Connect - a new way for us to start conversations, swap local tips, and plan meet-ups with a friendly community of fellow explorers in our areas. It is a good chance to keep in touch, even face-to-face, and make new friends with other local guides in the globe.

5. Keep connected with Googlers
You want to say hi or ask questions to Googlers (Local Guides team)? You can make it on Local Guides Connect so easily. They are friendly to help reply to your questions, I think :-).

What are your reasons to join the program? Share it in the comment below!