Google Maps allows users to add photo updates without leaving reviews

Google Maps introduces three new ways for users to add content that is useful for others, including the ability to share quick photo updates without leaving reviews.

The Google Maps features announced today are meant to make it easier to share and find local recommendations, and a new community challenge can add some fun to the process.

Google Maps photo updates

A new type of content will be rolling out to Google Maps soon, called photo updates.

Photo updates allow users to share experiences and highlights with recent photos without having to leave a review.

A photo update is a recent photo of a location with a short text description.

To add a photo update, start by selecting a location in Google Maps and go to the “Updates” tab. Then press the “Add Photo Update” button.

From there, select the photos and add a short description. Users can upload as many photos as they want in a single photo update. Updates to other people’s photos can be viewed in the same Updates tab.

This makes the process of sharing photos on Google Maps more relaxed, similar to how one would share photos on social media.

Photo updates could potentially lead to an influx of user downloads for places and businesses. These photos can help others decide on the next visit.

Draw roads on Google Maps

Google Maps users will soon be able to report route changes by drawing new or missing routes with a desktop editing tool.

When a road is missing from the desktop version of Maps, click the side menu button and select “Edit Map”.

From there, select “Missing Road” and start making changes by drawing lines. The route editing tool will also allow users to rename routes, change route directionality, and realign or delete incorrect routes.

See a short demonstration of the route editor in this video provided by Google:

In the routes editor, users can tell Google if a route is closed with details such as dates, reasons, and routes. Any changes made by users to a route will be verified by Google during publication.

This feature will be rolled out over the next few months in the 80 countries that already allow users to report route updates.

Google Maps Community Challenge

Google is testing a new community challenge feature that aims to encourage Maps users across the country to contribute more reviews, photos and updates.

The Community Challenge is live on Android in the US for next month. Users can participate in the challenge by going to the Contribute tab and selecting the “Join Local Love Challenge” option.

Each contribution will be taken into account with a collective objective of updating 100,000 companies in one month. Feedback from this challenge will help create campaigns in more countries in the future.

Source: Google