Are you a regular contributor to Google Map Maker? Here’s some big news for you—Google Map Maker, one of the most loved Google tools, will no longer be active soon. The company has decided to permanently shut down the tool as a standalone product starting from the 31st of March this year.
Don’t be too disappointed however. Users can still make contributions to Google Maps. To be specific, to the Local Guides Program, the modern version of the Map Maker Service.
With Google Map Maker, users could submit updates at a specific location which got approved later by Google itself. The primary aim of the service was to update Google Maps with new information about roads and businesses, and remove outdated or incorrect information. This process helped to improve Google Maps, especially in undeveloped areas where detailed local maps were not easily available.
According to Google, the update will provide easier editing and moderation. It will be available on both desktop and mobile versions of Google Maps.
The company has announced that Google Local Guides will be frequently updated until it has every feature of its predecessor. The main benefit will be increased speed of edits and the publishing of information.
This is a positive development for both Google and users. Users won’t have to visit different platforms to edit in/out information about a particular location
For more information on the change, join the Local Guides Program. You can earn rewards for suggesting edits and access to the latest Google Maps features.