Google Local Guides Program update

[Robin]

Hi guys,

Seems like Google updated the Local Guides Program.

More points per contribution and now up to Level 10!

https://support.google.com/local-guides/answer/6225851?hl=nl&ref_topic=6225845

 

[Margaret Ornsby]

I noticed it last night as well.

You can see they're trying to incentivise certain behaviours - new places get the most points, then reviews, photos & edits.

I get that they're extending the gamification to try to get people engaged longer.

Curious to see how and whether the new levels impact the "oversight" on contributions. As in, lower level member edits are supposed to be more scrutinised than edits from higher levels. So if someone was a level 5 before the change, and is now a level 6 after the translation - will they find their approvals slower and more rejections?

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Good points Margaret. I think there is a lot more that goes into the "trust" that a user gets from Google other than just the level of local guide they are.

I have seen many cases where edits by a high level local guide don't get applied but the edits of a lower level local guide get approved for the same edit to the same listing.