Published on: 11/17/2015IST
Google Will Give You 1TB of Free Storage When You Review Restaurants
1TB of Google Drive usually costs $9.99/mo.
Google Maps is trying to ramp up its “Local Guides” feature by offering new rewards for people who leave reviews and photos, answer basic questions, and update other information. Googledescribes Local Guides as “a global community that helps you explore the world while earning perks,” and the feature is obviously in competition with Foursquare and Yelp in terms of attracting users and reviews of local businesses.
To reward users for the contributions to Local Guides, Google is now offering up to a terabyte of Google Drive storage, early access to new Google products, and the chance to go to a summit for reviewers. Users will earn points for each contribution, and the more points you have, the bigger the bonuses.
This move is essentially Google trying to farm out the huge task of collecting information on thousands of local restaurants to the people. As Wikipedia has shown, thousands of volunteers working together compiling information can be extremely efficient. And unlike Wikipedia, Google can actually can offer incentives, making people more likely to participate. A terabyte costs $9.99/mo otherwise.
Here’s the full point system according to Google:
- Level 1 (0 – 4 points): Enter exclusive contests (think new Google devices!) in select countries.
- Level 2 (5 – 49 points): Get early access to new Google products and features.
- Level 3 (50 – 199 points): Show up in the Google Maps app with your official Local Guides badge.
- Level 4 (200 – 499 points): Receive a free 1 TB upgrade of your Drive storage, allowing you to keep all the stories, photos, and videos from your travels in one safe place.
- Level 5 (500+ points): The very top Local Guides will become eligible to apply to attend our inaugural summit in 2016, where you’ll be able to meet other top Guides from around the world, explore the Google campus, and get the latest info about Google Maps. Look out for details early next year.
Get your favorite places on the map with Local Guides
Picking the right place to go can be tough—whether you’re looking for a night out with friends, a quiet weekend away with family, or just a neighborhood coffee shop. To help make these decisions easier, we’re expanding the Local Guides program in Google Maps, which gives you the chance to share your discoveries directly to the map, making it more useful for everyone.
Local Guides is a global community that helps you explore the world while earning perks. 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, bonus Drive storage, and more.
You can earn points and level up 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.
The more you contribute as a Local Guide, the more benefits you’ll enjoy. Here’s an overview of what you’ll unlock at each level:
- Level 1 (0 - 4 points): Enter exclusive contests (think new Google devices!) in select countries.
- Level 2 (5 - 49 points): Get early access to new Google products and features.
- Level 3 (50 - 199 points): Show up in the Google Maps app with your official Local Guides badge.
- Level 4 (200 - 499 points): Receive a free 1 TB upgrade of your Drive storage, allowing you to keep all the stories, photos, and videos from your travels in one safe place.
- Level 5 (500+ points): The very top Local Guides will become eligible to apply to attend our inaugural summit in 2016, where you’ll be able to meet other top Guides from around the world, explore the Google campus, and get the latest info about Google Maps. Look out for details early next year.
Once you sign-up, download the latest Google Maps update on Android and iPhone to follow your progress on the new Contributions tab. Your total points, level, and to-do list—suggestions for places to contribute to—conveniently appear together in one place. And when you share photos, you'll now see view counts, giving you an idea of how many people your image may have helped. To learn more about how to contribute and unlock benefits, visit our website or Help Center.
11/17/2015 | | Permalink